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Club
Vagabundos del Mar
Background History
& Information
Bienvenidos!
We appreciate your interest in the Vagabundos del Mar Boat & Travel Club, the oldest and only non-profit travel organization specializing in Baja California. We are incorporated in the State of California as a Non-Profit corporation. We truly have the best membership service because that's the primary function of the Vags - to give its members the best service possible! Regardless of what others may advertise, all other "clubs" or similar Baja travel organizations are "For Profit" businesses or outfitters. Please keep this in mind when comparing the Vags to other organizations as this distinction is the biggest (and most important) difference between the Vagabundos and those who would have you believe they are the same.
We are confident that when you participate in our numerous fun-oriented RV-ing, boating and travel events you will be rewarded repeatedly through new friendships and the sharing of knowledge and experiences which are always unselfishly offered by fellow members.
A brief history of the club may be helpful to you in becoming acquainted with us and also serve to explain how it came to be and what we stand for.
The club had its real beginning in 1966 as a result of a group of trailer boaters who "buddied" up on a trip to Mexico's Sea of Cortez. The relating of this adventure attracted others with similar interests, more trips resulted, and the sharing of experience and knowledge became an integral part of this group and the ultimate cornerstone of the club.
After several years of this informal association, we were encouraged to mold into an organization through which we could expand our opportunity to share, learn and, more importantly, extend our RV travels and boating fun to other interesting places. One of the tangible benefits of getting organized has proven to be our ability to obtain or create good deals for members on various travel services - low-cost insurance, budget Adventure Tours, discounts, books, clothing and more. We operate a Ship's Store providing discount items, sell insurance, conduct guided Adventure Tours, stock Mexican Tourist Permits and Fishing Licenses, offer information over the phone and generally help our 10,000 members travel safely with current information on travel conditions. No one does it better than the Vagabundos. The only thing going up with us is our level of service.
Today, reports from far-flung members document that the club burgee is flying year-round on land and water adventures to Alaska, the San Juan Islands, the California Delta, and throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. There is increasing interest by members in SCUBA diving, board sailing, off-road 4WD adventures and a myriad of other outdoor activities.
Our club was incorporated in the State of California in 1971 as a non-profit corporation. We took our name "Vagabundos del Mar" from the Mexican fishermen who used to roam the Sea of Cortez in sailing log canoes, prominently portrayed in the book "Sea of Cortez" by the late Ray Cannon. Although they have become a vanishing breed on the Cortez, they truly were "Vagabonds" or "Gypsies of the Sea". As our numbers have grown, we certainly have become an extension of their belief of freedom on the water, as well as on land.
Our newsletter, the Chubasco, which loosely translated means "the big wind", is a familiar item to those acquainted with the Sea of Cortez. After reading a few issues, you will no doubt agree with our choice of this title. We have a lot of fun with it and we're told each issue is eagerly awaited by members to find out what is happening.
Our members best realize the benefits by participating in the activities. No other Baja travel club offers this sort of program. We believe in using our RV's and our boats, which come in all shapes and sizes, even though membership does not require that you have either.
Our annual Crab Feed provides an opportunity to renew old friendships, make new ones, review past adventures and plan anew for the season ahead.
Probably what best describes why we continue to operate a truly non-profit organization comes from the many members who have told us, "We use our equipment and have more fun since becoming a Vagabundo than ever before." Many Vagabundo RV and boat trip travel acquaintances have become life-long friends. Our club continues today on the above concepts. That's what it's all about, amigo. You have the opportunity to "get on board" with the greatest bunch of fun-loving, adventurous tow-boaters and RV'ers to be found anywhere.