Anchorage· Michoacán Coast· Mexico

Caleta de Campos Anchorage (Bahía Bufadero)

18° 4.2′ N · 102° 45.5′ W · approximate

The last stop before Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo: a small surf-town cove (officially the town of Bahía Bufadero) under the Faro Bufadero lighthouse, with lively beach bars and local pangas coming and going.

Practical

Position approximate: placed about 300 m southwest (seaward) of the Faro Bufadero lighthouse (SEMAR: 18 04' 21.31" N, 102 45' 24.8" W) off the town (INEGI/Wikidata locality 'Bahía Bufadero', alias Caleta de Campos, 18.0739 N 102.7564 W, pop. 2,864 in 2020); no published anchor waypoint was found - approach in daylight on radar. Roads Less Traveled overnighted here in December 2010 without going ashore and nearly confused it with Pichilinguillo, another cove up the coast, so check your position carefully. Open to the south and southwest; leave in any southerly swell. The bay is named for the booming sound of waves against its cliffs (Spanish Wikipedia). Cruiser accounts of 'Bufadero' boardings may refer to this area or to Maruata - apply the same night-time security. Beach bars ashore; land the dinghy through surf only in calm conditions. About 50 km from Playa Azul (Spanish Wikipedia). Security: in 2013 the crew of the Lagoon 470 Moontide was robbed by armed men while at anchor here (Latitude 38); take local advice before overnighting, lock up and do not leave the boat unattended at night. Latitude 38 readers call the cove lovely only in calm weather with little or no swell. Surfers use the village as a base for the Río Nexpa break a few miles north. An alternative mid-cove position from the OpenStreetMap coastline (way 378621963) is 18.0722 N, 102.749 W, about 270 m off the beach.

Best for

A last overnight before Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Season

Nov-May; untenable in S swell

Nearby