Spring is a major migration period for all boaters in Mexican waters. Although March and April conditions might be delightful wherever you are right now, you know that summer is starting to creep up from the tropics, and hurricane season follows on its heels. That changes everything for everyone.
Whether your boat is a go-fast sportfisher or a go-slow cruising trawler, it’s time to make your plans for summer. Same is true whether you’re a go-slow cruising sailor or a hop-in-and-out trailer boater. Remember those plans you discussed during winter cruising season? It’s time to pull out the charts and firm up some plans to safely avoid hurricanes.
GO ELSEWHERE or STAY IN MEXICO
Migrating elsewhere could mean embarking on a Baja Bash, i.e. taking the boat north up Baja to summer safety. That can be found in Ensenada or any U.S. or Canadian waters. Many cruising boaters do migrate annually – summering over in the Pacific Northwest or Alaskan waters – then wintering in sunny Mexico.
But vacating Mexico’s summer hurricane zone could also mean heading south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, because most Eastern Pacific hurricanes are birthed there and move northwest. Hundreds of boaters in the Panama Posse group depart Barra de Navidad in spring, in time to zip safely past Tehuantepec before hurricane danger builds. Costa Rica and the Panama Canal lure them south.
In the next issue, I’ll talk about migrating out of Mexico for the summer. For this issue, let’s first examine the pros and cons of the different places and methods to summer over safely in Mexico.
SUMMER IN MEXICO
I interviewed Doug and Pauline at a boat show. “Summering over in Mexico was great,” Doug said. “Fishing and diving were great around Mazatlan. Not so many tourists. Our marina had power enough that we ran the air conditioning whenever we needed it, which was often.”
Then Pauline said, “Yes, we enjoyed it until Hurricane Orlean started heading our way. That definitely freaked us out.”
“Oh, right. We got the boat hauled out pretty quickly,” said Doug. “That was the end of September. We got lucky.”
October 3, Hurricane Orlean’s eye slammed ashore just south of Mazatlan. But what if Doug and Pauline hadn’t been able to get their boat hauled out in time? What if Mazatlan had taken a direct hit, as it has in previous years? Mazatlan is wide open to the Pacific, not a strong hurricane hole.
HURRICANE HOLES?
Honestly, there is no such thing as a hurricane hole, especially as our planet warms and storms intensify. No spot is impenetrable, but historically some spots have shown less risk of damage. Despite this wary view, we do still think of a few spots as “hurricane holes.” I think it’s safer to summer over within reach of one of them.
Puerto Peñasco: The eye of a named hurricane has never hit this far north in the Sea of Cortez, but remnant depressions have. This tiny fishing harbor is tucked behind a 3,900-foot headland, but its tidal range (23’ at springs) can leave boats berthed on the mud. So, dozens of boats opt to haul out each summer at Cabrales Boatyard & Dry Marina using 50-, 100-, 150- and 300-ton Travelifts and five acres of paved storage yards. The pleasant resort town is 60 miles from the Arizona border.
Puerto Don Juan: Located on the Baja North side of the Sea of Cortez six n.m. east of L.A. Bay village, Puerto Don Juan (28°57.103’N, 113°26.591’W) is blessedly uninhabited and undeveloped. Its narrow entrance channel has two dog legs that shield the inner anchoring basin. Although it’s only a quarter-mile square, I’ve see 30 yachts and two shrimpers anchor in here when a September storm threatened. But until storm warnings go up, you can chill out within 12 n.m. at 12 uninhabited islands with pristine anchorages.
San Carlos & Guaymas, Sonora: These neighboring towns each has two marinas tucked into tight little hurricane holes. First, San Carlos is a gringo resort village with Marina Real and Marina San Carlos, both with ample yacht services. But boats anchored outside the marinas didn’t fare well. Plus, Marina San Carlos’ dry storage yard located a mile inland is called Marina Seca, a very popular spot to leave a boat throughout Sonora’s scorching summer and fly home.
Next, Guaymas is a ranchero town built around a tight commercial harbor. The more expensive dry storage yard at Fonatur Marina Guaymas has concrete floors, good security, and handy to downtown. Marina Guayas on the south side of the bay is remote and has dirt or asphalt floors, but prices are lower.
Puerto Escondido, BCS: The Spanish dubbed this enclosed bay a Hidden Port, because overlapping hills that blend with the Sierra La Giganta’s 3,000-foot peaks perfectly cloaked its south-facing entrance channel. Those geologic features also shield boats inside from hurricanes, thus Marina Puerto Escondido’ hurricane-hole status as the safest choice in this region. Located 15 n.m. south of Loreto, the marina has 150 full-service slips, 90 moorings, fuel dock, concrete floored dry storage yard with 50-T Travelift.
La Paz: Here again are two good choices. First, Marina CostaBaja offers this region’s best hurricane shelter, thanks not only to its beefy breakwaters, but also because both its yacht basins are tucked into a corner steeply surrounded by hills that form the spine of the La Paz Peninsula. Ditto for Marina Palmira, located 2 n.m. down the La Paz Channel. Four boat yards spread down the channel can haul yachts up to 160-T. Access is excellent to yacht services, provisions, bus and airport.
Puerto Vallarta: Tucked into the sheltered northeast corner of Banderas Bay, none of Puerto Vallarta’s four marinas and two boat yards has ever been hit by a hurricane eye in 190 years of meteorological history. Why? The 700’ Sierra del Cuale effectively blocks the wind of counter-clockwise spinning hurricanes coming up from the south. So far, no hurricane has turned hard right and entered Banderas Bay. However, in October 2023 torrential rains from Cat 4 Lidia did flood parts of Puerto Vallarta.
Ensenada: At latitude 31°51’ North, Ensenada is the farthest north of these potential hurricane holes. Located 60 miles south of the U.S. border, Ensenada’s three major marinas, two haul-out yards and ample tourist delights are enough to keep boaters pacified for several months. But two recent hurricanes did make them nervous: Hillary in 2023 hit San Quintin only 140 n.m. south of here. Don’t get caught on the outside of Baja in hurricane season.
Next time, let’s explore some ideas for preparing your boat to safely summer over in Mexico, whether you plan to stay onboard or not.
NOTE: Please email me a YES if an emergency mooring at Puerto Balleto in the Islas Marias would make you feel safer about cruising Mexico. [email protected] And if so, what size/kind of boat? Thanks.
