History of Marina Puerto Escondido

Marina Puerto Escondido has centuries of rich history, inspiring influencers worldwide with its natural beauty, navigability, biodiversity and more! Read on for an at-a-glance look at how the marina and surrounding areas have evolved.

1533 Hernan Cortés, the namesake of the Sea of Cortez, sent his first ship to explore Baja California in search of pearls.

1633 Francisco de Ortega gave the name Los Danzantes to a bay near Loreto when he was circumnavigating Isla del Carmen. This bay may have been present-day Puerto Escondido.

1781 Juan de Vargas became owner of Puerto Escondido.

1805-1855 Puerto Escondido became a base for pearl divers (chicharrones) working the islands.

1851 Rafael Espinosa arrived on a schooner from La Paz: "About six leagues below Loreto, along the coast in front of Carmen Island, we discovered Puerto Escondido, the best in all the peninsula.”

1851 Ulises Urbano Lassépas described, "Seven leagues south of Loreto, Puerto Escondido offers the navigator a secure anchorage.” In Steinbeck’s words, "we went on a sheep hunt with Leopoldo Perpuly in the mountains in the back of the port...where a tiny stream of water fell hundreds of feet from pool to pool. There were palm trees and wild grapes and ferns, and the water was cool and sweet."

1859 Ulises Urbano Lassépas described, "Seven leagues south of Loreto, Puerto Escondido offers the navigator a secure anchorage.”

1940 John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts visited Puerto Escondido, inspiring Steinbeck’s classic novel, The Log From the Sea of Cortez. Steinbeck wrote: "After noon we arrived at Puerto Escondido, the Hidden Harbor, a place of magic. If one wished to design a secret personal bay, one would probably build something like this little harbor...we went on a sheep hunt with Leopoldo Perpuly in the mountains in the back of the port...where a tiny stream of water fell hundreds of feet from pool to pool. There were palm trees and wild grapes and ferns, and the water was cool and sweet."

1976 The Mexican Federal government agency, Fonatur (National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism) began to implement a 3 Step Development Plan approved by Semarnat in Loreto:

  1. Urbanization of 860 acres including the remodeling of the old town and mission.
  2. Develop 8,777 acres in Nopolo as a tourist destination
  3. Development of 16,815 acres at Puerto Escondido as a harbor with zoning and infrastructure for marina, hotels, restaurants, golf course, condominiums and private residences

1977-1982 Fonatur dredged the Marina Puerto Escondido entrance channel, increasing the width and depth to support a marina; dredged and created two of the three planned artificial islands in the bay; constructed an ellipse with seawall and jetty; installed well; water treatment plant and roads; built marina, launching ramp and dry storage.

1987 Jacques Cousteau and Jean Cousteau explored the Sea of Cortez, which he then coined "The Aquarium of the World." Jacques Cousteau’s tireless efforts fighting to protect the Sea of Cortez led to one of the islands at the southern end of the gulf being named Isla Jacques Cousteau in his honor.

2007-2008 Bank foreclosed on the island residential real estate, which some of the current Marina Puerto Escondido partnership directors purchased.

2016 Hamann Companies and Inmobiliaria JEP create a partnership combining assets purchased from the Bank and Fonatur. This begins their ownership and management of the harbor and real estate development at Marina Puerto Escondido.

2016-2017 Marina entrance channel dredged to restore the original depth implemented by Fonatur at the time of construction.

2017 In partnership with Poralu Marine, Hamann Companies and Inmobiliaria JEP install more than 80 state-of-the art slips.

2018 Hamann Companies and Inmobiliaria JEP complete construction on the first Waicuri model home, Casa Palo Blanco, featuring a 100 ft. private dock. Grand Opening Ceremony hosted at the marina in November 2018.

2019 Marina Puerto Escondido welcomed it's first 220ft yacht in February 2019.

2019 Marina Puerto Escondido hosted the first Robert Ross Fishing Tournament on May 17-19, 2019.

2020 Marina Puerto Escondido opened the Captains Lounge above the marina office.

Contact our Guest Services Team for more information about our Marina Puerto Escondido history. To get a taste of what we have to offer, click here to reserve your slip.

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