Anchorage· Isla San Francisco· Mexico
Isla San Francisco Hook Anchorage
24° 49.3′ N · 110° 34.2′ W
The crescent of brilliant white sand on the island's south-west side, a near-circular bay under red volcanic ridges that most cruisers rate the prettiest stop between La Paz and Loreto. A Club Cruceros writer calls it an excellent place to sit out a norther.
Practical
Coordinate is the anchored position (24°49.30'N, 110°34.16'W) logged by the yacht BlueJacket in April 2012, in about 15 ft over sand; checked in-water against the OpenStreetMap coastline. About 44 nm from La Paz and a 9 nm hop across the channel to San Evaristo (Club Cruceros). Sand bottom typical of the Sea (most Sea anchorages are 6-8 m with good holding, per the same source); a charter crew in a 30-knot norther 'let out plenty of scope and backed down hard' here and held (Cruising World, 2025). Shelter is from the north; open to the south, so leave or cross to the east anchorage if a southerly or the evening Coromuel sets in. Dinghy to the beach for the ridge hike and the salt flat. No services of any kind. Inside the Islas del Golfo de California flora-and-fauna protected area (CONANP): rangers can ask to see a park pass; the annual Conservation Passport (MX$3,620 in 2025) or a day bracelet covers it. BlueJacket found the crescent well protected from every direction except the south-west—and the Coromuel still arrived overnight; the island's east anchorage rocked all night in an easterly swell.
Best for
Overnighting in the Sea's most photogenic bay and sitting out a norther
Season
Nov-May best; good norther shelter, exposed to southerlies
Nearby
- Isla San Francisco Salt Pond0.2 NM away
- Isla San Francisco Ridge Hike0.3 NM away
- Isla San Francisco East Anchorage0.7 NM away
- Isla Coyote Fish Camp2 NM away
- Bahía Amortajada (Isla San José)4.2 NM away
- Bahía Amortajada Mangrove Lagoon4.6 NM away
- Isla San José Salinas Salt Works6.9 NM away
- Mobula Ray Aggregations8.1 NM away