Club de Yates Palmira Topolobampo is the full name of the newest marina in the Sea of Cortez, but many yatistas already refer to it as Marina Topo – short for Topolobampo.
Thanks to its handy location on the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez, Marina Topo provides a much-needed overnight destination, fuel dock and service center for yatistas cruising between Mazatlan (244 n.m. to the SE) and the San Carlos-Guaymas area (200 n.m. to the NW). This side of the Sea of Cortez is pristine, a naturalist’s heaven, with several smaller ports and anchorages north and south of Topolobampo. This sheltered port is only 10 land miles from Los Mochis, the starting point of the popular Copper Canyon train excursion. This has become the best place to leave your boat – safely – while doing the Copper Canyon.
Club de Yates Palmira Topolobampo opened quietly in December 2009, and now it has 50 full-service slips from 42 to 114 feet. The slips are not expensive, but yatistas on a tight budget can anchor off the marina and land dinks in the marina for a tiny day-use fee. Minimum depth in the marina basin is 12 feet. All slips have potable water, 110- and 220-volt shore power, and the marina has electronically controlled security gates, 24-hour guards and free WiFi. The marina office and a restaurant are open, with laundry, showers, chandler store, hotel and other shops on the property. Next door is a large Pemex fuel dock. When completed in December 2010, the Club de Yates Palmira Topolobampo plans to open its own floating fuel dock, 69 more slips between 42 and 64 feet, plus two side-tie docks for yachts up to 113 and 122 feet.
Location is everything. Marina Topo is located on the NW side of the town peninsula, very sheltered from winter and summer wind directions. “Mexico Boating Guide” has a new GPS chart in the upcoming 3rd edition showing this new marina’s exact location and safe approach path. Check the latest UPDATES for more information.
Dockmaster Alberto Arreola, who speaks English and Spanish, said yatistas who rent a slip at the Palmira Marina in La Paz, Baja Sur, can get free dockage at the company’s Topolobampo Marina. This marina is owned by the same people who own Club de Yates Palmira in La Paz.
For slip reservations or more information about the new Club de Yates Palmira Topolobampo, call the marina office at 011-52 (668) 886-21544, or call dockmaster Alberto Arreola’s cell phone (668) 137-3852. Check back here www.MexicoBoating.com for future updates on this and two additional new marinas in the Topo region of the Sea of Cortez!
