2025 Sea of Cortez Flotilla
La Paz – Sea of Cortez, Mexico
February 8-15, 2025
Join fellow sailors on a Sea of Cortez Flotilla
and family-friendly sailing vacation
The Sea of Cortez has captured the imagination of sailors and adventurers and offers unparalleled opportunities for exploration under sail. Good sailing, stunning scenery, and remote anchorages abound in what Jacques Cousteau called “The World’s Aquarium.”
A NauticEd and Santana Sailing Flotilla
Flotilla Overview
We welcome all, sailors and non-sailors alike.
Marc Hughston, lead instructor and owner of Santana Sailing School in conjunction with NauticEd, will lead the flotilla.
Dates
February 8-15, 2025
Boats and Costs
Reserve a cabin or reserve a boat (bareboat or skippered; mono or cat).
By the Cabin – Skippered. Each cabin holds two persons; light instruction is provided for those interested
- Catamaran (with Instructional Skipper Marc Hughston) – 3 cabins available. $4,700 per cabin + $200/per person for provisions. Contact Santana Sailing directly for by-the-cabin inquiries.
By the Boat – Charter the entire boat and fill it with friends/family. Costs vary by boat and amenities (monohulls start at $7,000 and catamarans start at $11,000). Additional costs include flights, provisioning, mooring fees, water toys, and re-fueling at the end of the charter. We charge a $250 per cabin flotilla fee, not to exceed $750 per boat.
- Bareboat (you skipper)
- Skippered – if you need, we can hire a skipper for you. Add $1820 for the cost of the skipper.
Where
Sailing north from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, we’ll explore the islands of the Espiritu Santo Archipelago, Isla San Francisco, and more. Join us by taking a cabin or chartering your own monohull or catamaran.
Scroll through images below from past trips…
Scroll through images below from past trips…
Flotilla Details and Information
Select a topic below for more information…
What is a family-friendly flotilla?
The 2025 La Paz Flotilla is a casual flotilla without a ‘theme.’ This is NOT an adult-only flotilla, a party yacht week, or a flotilla focusing solely on hiking or wines or yoga. We’re laid back and run our flotillas that way. Of course, you’re welcome to explore as you see fit. There is a no ducks-in-a-row mentality; a flotilla offers you independence with peace of mind as well as fun and camaraderie with other flotilla sailors.
The NauticEd team are experts at charters – we will provide pre-charter advice, set the course and itinerary, and include recommendations on things to do and see. We’ll provide advice and recommendations on where to anchor under the stars, as well as optional activities before and after the cruise. We will be there for any questions you might have. We will send out a guide with an itinerary and details ahead of the charter.
Who will lead the flotilla?
US Coast Guard Captain Marc Hughston is a seasoned captain and one of NauticEd’s highest student-rated and highest NauticEd ranked instructors and instructor/trainer will lead the flotilla. Marc has led fun instructional trips here for years. He knows the area well including the best sights and anchorages. This ensures that the flotilla will follow the best itinerary according to the local and current variety of conditions.
Marc is the owner of Santana Sailing which is located in Los Angeles / Long Beach CA. Santana Sailing is the premier sail training and adventures school in Southern California. Capt. Marc Hughston will offer flotilla members confidence that the Sea of Cortez flotilla experience will be second to none!
Sea of Cortez Flotilla Intinerary
On this one-week flotilla, we’ll explore the islands of Espiritu Santo, Partida, San Francisco, Coyote, and San Jose. The exact itinerary is TBD, and subject to change depending on weather conditions.
- Day 1 Saturday— Board vessel in La Paz 5 PM, Welcome Dinner (optional)
- Day 2 Sunday— Espiritu Santo
- Day 3 Monday— Partida
- Day 4 Tuesday— San Francisco
- Day 5 Wednesday— San Francisco, Coyote (fishing village), San Jose (mangrove lagoon)
- Day 6 Thursday—Espiritu Santo/Partida
- Day 7 Friday—Balandra/Caleta Lobos, return to base appx 4 PM
- Day 8 Saturday— Depart vessel by 10 AM
More details, maps, and optional activities are forthcoming once you join us.
Qualifications to Bareboat Charter
To bareboat charter a yacht from Dream Yacht Charter in La Paz, you need to qualify as Bareboat Charter Master. To charter a catamaran, you need the Catamaran Qualification or Endorsement. If you are unsure if you qualify, please ask us and we can assist. If you have experience but do not have a certification, visit nauticed.org or contact NauticEd today. Without a doubt, you should be competent at anchoring as there are no moorings and have significant sailing experience in your resume.
"Home” Base & Travel Information
We will be embarking and disembarking from the Marina Costa Baja in La Paz. You can fly direct to La Paz international airport with many carriers (airport code LAP), frequently with a connection through Mexico City. The marina is just 30 minutes away from the La Paz airport. From the airport, you can take a taxi to the marina for about MEX$340 pesos.
You might also choose to fly into Cabo San Lucas (airport code SJD), and shuttle to La Paz. EcoBaja Tours is the least expensive shuttle option, running about $55 USD for a round trip. It usually takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to cover the approximately 190km to La Paz. Private cars generally run $250-$300 USD for the same trip.
Many people choose to explore other parts of La Paz and Baja California Sur before or after the sailing vacation.
In La Paz there are opportunities with local vendors for snorkeling, kayaking, diving, and swimming with Whale Sharks.
Todos Santos – About 95 km to the south, Todos Santos is popular with ex-pats, artists, and surfers, offering views of the Pacific coast, small hotels, and culinary experiences ranging from street tacos to fine dining.
La Ventana – the small fishing village and kite surfing hot spot is about 50km southeast of La Paz, on the gulf coast.
Los Barilles – this is a popular spot for ex-pats with an active sport-fishing fleet. It is located about 115km southeast of La Paz on the gulf coast and is about 70km from the SJD airport.
Cabo San Lucas – this has become much more than a party town. There is quite a lot to do and see, and everything from the basics to 5-star resorts. It is about 170km from La Paz.
—The distance from La Paz to Todos Santos is approximately 95km or about a 1.5-hour drive away and well worth it. Popular with expats, artists, and surfers, Todos Santos offers views of the Pacific coast, small hotels, and culinary experiences ranging from street tacos to fine dining.
Who is NauticEd?
NauticEd is the premier official Sailing Education Body of the United States recognized by the US Coast Guard and NASBLA (the State boater licensing authority). NauticEd has been awarded the American National Standards EDU-3 for sailing training and issues global sailing licenses and certifications. Theory education is accomplished with online sailing courses in a modern multimedia format while practical on-the-water training and assessment is conducted through a network of sailing schools and instructors worldwide.
Try out our online courses now with 2 free sailing courses
In addition, NauticEd is a professional Yacht Charter Agency making hundreds of reservations for sailing vacations worldwide. It has access to over 5,500 boats in 55 destinations worldwide. Learn about why use a Yacht Charter Agent >
Questions? Want to Join?
Select La Paz as the Desired Location and add 2025 flotilla request to the notes
Or please contact vacationrequest@nauticed.org or (512) 696-1070.
Planning a sailing vacation? Helpful articles…
My vision for NauticEd is to provide the highest quality sailing and boating education available - and deliver competence wherever sailors live and go.
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Last updated on March 23rd, 2024
NauticEd is a fully recognized education and certification platform for sailing students combining online and on-the-water real instruction (and now VR). NauticEd offers +24 online courses, a free sailor's toolkit that includes 2 free courses, and six ranks of certification – all integrated into NauticEd’s proprietary platform. The USCG and NASBLA recognize NauticEd as having met the established American National Standards. Learn more at www.nauticed.org.
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