Explore: San Carlos
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General Info
COVID19: OPEN PORT
The port of Guaymas is officially closed. Boats may anchor in San Carlos. Marina San Carlos is open and operating as normal.
- See Mexico Biosecurity for latest situation.
- See https://sailpan.info/ (Sailing through the Pandemic) created by James Home of s/v Rejoice for detailed information on Mexico ports, those that are open, partly open and closed, regularly updated by cruisers in the area.
Description:
San Carlos is a beachfront subdivision on the outskirts of the port city of Guaymas, in the northern state of Sonora in Mexico. It has a variety of bays and marinas and a wide range of cruiser and sport fishing services. The main anchorage is in San Carlos Bay which is identified by the notable Tetakawi or Teta de Cabra peak.
Cruiser Highlights:
Full-service marinas; work yards; off-season storage; easy access to the US; sport fishing; excellent access to the Sea of Cortez; diving; hiking and golf. It is also a short bus or cab ride to Guyamas—a thriving port city with a range of stores and provisions.
Entrance notes or cautions:
Afternoon winds tend to pick up in San Carlos and can make it challenging to dock.
Position: 227°56.81’N, 111°05.75’W (Marina San Carlos entrance)
Clearance
See the main Mexico Formalities for detailed clearance information.
This is not a Port of Entry.
As this is a popular place to buy and sell boats, it is important to follow current clearance procedures. Local clearance can be completed at the marinas.
Docking
Anchorages:
There are a variety of anchorages around San Carlos which offer good holding and protection in a range of conditions.
La Bahia: The main anchorage in San Carlos Bay. Watch for occasional poor holding in the grass and strong afternoon winds in winter. The anchorage is close to Marina San Carlos, good restaurants and the dingy dock.
The Aquarium/Martini Cove: This great snorkelling/dive spot is just inside the point at Punta Doble. It is an excellent wintertime anchorage but in summer changing tides and southerly swells can bring Portuguese man-of-war into the bay.
La Posada Beach: East of the entrance to La Bahia, this roadstead is calm in a northwesterly wind and the hills just west of the anchorage provide better protection from winter wind than La Bahia. The beach landing for dinghies is a short walk to the SantoValle supermarket.
Dinghy Docks:
Dinghies may be docked at Marina San Carlos.
Security:
Lift and lock all dinghies and motors. Thefts have been previously reported.
Marinas:
There are two well protected marinas in San Carlos as well as boatyards with hurricane season storage. See boatyards for more details.
Last updated: March 2019
Related Businesses
Marina Bacochibampo
Address: Puerto Nautico Bacochibampo, Col. Miramar, Guaymas, Sonora, San Carlos, West coast, Mexico,
A recently constructed marina.
... Read More
Marina San Carlos
Address: Edificio Marina San Carlos Local #1, Sector La Herradora, Sonora, San Carlos, West coast, Mexico, 85506
A protected, full-service marina in the inner harbour. 24hr security. Fuel dock and chandlery. A weekly visit from the propane truck will fill tanks. The... Read More
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