Cruising Mexico, a Summary

 

 

Cozy Adobe Home - San Blas

Yes, we are definitely glad that we made the trip to Mexico and so much enjoyed the country's people and culture.  We gained valuable insights and experience while cruising the waters of Mexico which no doubt will prove helpful for future excursions.  Equipment & Services:  We found cell phone coverage in Mexico to be surprisingly good and received signal within 12 miles of the coastline most of the time.  When not near a town or village, we lost coverage but usually for only 2-3 hours at a time.  To help eliminate some of the down time, we purchased a “cell phone range extender” and discovered that it works very well, picking up signals that we would not have had otherwise.  Because this electronic device doesn’t seem to work in large cities where there’s interference, some people are under the impression that it doesn’t work at all.  However, in remote areas where you need it the most, the “cell phone range extender” works marvelously.  Guidebooks recommend a Single Side-Band Radio (SSB) for obtaining weather and voice/email communication.  We found it’s not necessary for coastal cruising; however if you’re planning to go off-shore (crossing oceans), then a SSB becomes important.  Guidebooks also recommend a Satellite phone for both coastal cruising and off-shore cruising, but we did’nt find it to be necessary.  Having a Satellite phone does provide a sense of security in the form of backup communication.  Water is like gold in Mexico, a precious commodity that is not always available, even at some marinas.  Most marinas have water but it’s advertised as not potable.  It’s important for boaters to have a “water-maker” and a sophisticated filtering system for dock water.  Some marinas get their water from the city, some have water trucked in, and others make their own with commercial water makers.  It’s almost impossible to determine the quality of water at the dock so boaters need to purify the water before filling their tanks.  It was our practice to use a “three-stage water filter” while filling our water tank and we never had any adverse affects from using water at the marinas.  Moorage:  Most moorage prices at marinas are comparable to those in the States and include showers, laundry services, and electrical hookups.  We discovered that boat traffic during the 2012-2013 boating season was lighter than in previous years.  As a result, we found cheaper prices for moorage and plenty of vacant boat slips.  While we did phone ahead for space, we never had any problem finding available moorage.  Weather:  We used several sources for weather information, all of which are available over the internet:  www.saildocs.com; www.sailflow.com; www.buoyweather.com; and www.sonrisanet.org.  Thankfully, we managed the hot climate without air-conditioning and never really felt uncomfortable except at Manzanillo, our furthest point south.  We usually had a nice breeze flowing through the open windows which kept things comfortable.  For points further south however, and especially during the summer months, air-conditioning would definitely be important.  Fuel:  We are happy to report that we never had a problem with fuel; and although we have a “Baja fuel filter,” we never used it.  We always purchased fuel from reputable places of business and never received any fuel with contaminates or water.  The price of diesel fuel was very consistent at $3.50 to $4.00 per gallon including taxes. 



Lovely Home at La Cruz near Puerto Vallarta

Anchoring and Going a Shore:  We became very practiced at anchoring, a necessary skill for the Pacific Baja coast, Sea of Cortez, and also useful for mainland Mexico.  To go ashore, a good dinghy is indispensable along with some know how regarding the surf.  Dinghy wheels are necessary to get into shore when there’s extreme surf, which is often the case along the coast.  Timing is the key; you want to ride the back side of a wave as it takes you into shore and have the wheels down to protect the motor as you hit the shallow beach.  Then it’s a matter of pulling the dinghy up on shore with the assistance of the wheels, easily done on hard-packed sand; not so easy with a 450 pound dinghy on soft sand!  When leaving, we found it works best to go out backwards - lower the motor just enough to start the engine and motor backwards until you’re in deeper water, then spin around and head out.  No matter what, you are going to get wet walking through the water at start and finish so shorts and swimsuits are the uniform of the day.  When there’s little to no surf, we use the bungee-cord method.  We motor close to shore, throw out an anchor that’s attached to a bungee-cord and then motor the rest of the way into shore, step off and tie the bow line to a rock or tree leaving plenty of slack.  Then we release the dinghy and the bungee-cord takes the dinghy out to sea held in place by the anchor.  When departing, we simply retrieve the dinghy by pulling in on the bow line.  

Home Sweet Home - La Paz

Language:  Although it’s helpful to know some basic Spanish, it’s not usually needed since most Mexicans speak fluent English.  Locals do appreciate the effort however, and it demonstrates a show of respect.  Tour operators, major hotels, most businesses, and marinas all have personnel who speak English.  We did find some Government run marinas, however, where only Spanish was spoken.  My basic Spanish skills got us through the process of reserving and paying for space.  Spanish is really quite easy to learn and lots of fun; the language demonstrates consistent rules with very few exceptions.  I used several learning tools including “Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish, a Creative and Proven Approach” by Margarita Madrigal; “See it & Say it in Spanish” by Margarita Madrigal; “Easy Spanish Phrase Book” by Dover Publications; and “Spanish in 10 minutes a day,” a workbook and CD by Bilingual Books, Inc.  I created some note cards and also made use of a good Spanish/English Dictionary.  Not having taken a foreign language before, it was really rewarding when I could say something in Spanish and actually be understood.  Yes, it’s more difficult to learn a different language in your 60’s but you can still learn enough to get by. 



Grocery Tienda - Turtle Bay Village

Grilling Fish, Lobster, Chicken, and Plantains - San Blas

Food:  Even in the smallest villages you can find basic groceries and in larger towns find well stocked grocery stores, but you won’t find a huge variety from which to choose like in the States.  We did discover several Costco stores where boaters can stock up on supplies, namely at Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta.  We also found Sam’s Club stores in the major cities and towns of Mexico. 





Eating out is inexpensive and it’s a great way to get to know a town and its people.  The best restaurants are usually those frequented by locals and often located off the beaten path.  Beach-side palapas are fun too, serving fresh smoked, grilled fish for a casual afternoon meal.  Due to the hot climate, we noticed that our refrigerator was working harder to keep things cool, so providing good ventilation for the unit is important.  We soon learned to purchase the ultra-pasteurized milk, sold in cartons off the grocery store shelves; it keeps much longer and tastes pretty much the same as that in the States.  Safety:  We never felt unsafe, day or night, in the coastal towns of Mexico.  Random violence and domestic violence is extremely rare.  Quite frankly, we feel more uncomfortable and wary of our surroundings in U.S. cities.  Violence that does take place in Mexico is primarily due to conflicts between the drug cartels, which thankfully we never saw.  U.S. citizens traveling outside the United States can go online and sign up for the State Department Travel Adviser services to receive notices of recent adverse activities and unsafe areas for the country in which they are traveling.  We received one such notice for the vicinity around Acapulco.  Most people in Mexico are honest, hard working, very courteous and friendly, and want to be helpful.  Like any country, however, there are a few bad apples that spoil the barrel.  Dinghy and motor thefts do take place from time to time and boaters are advised to hoist up their dinghy and secure it each night when anchored in remote areas.  It’s surprising how many little villages are tucked in the valleys and hillsides of what appears to be a barren landscape.  

Refurbished Home - Santa Rosalia

Living in Mexico:  Many expatriates from Canada and the U.S. have made Mexico their home.  The pleasant weather, low cost of living, and the genuinely warm-hearted people have attracted young entrepreneurs as well as retirees to many towns in Mexico.  Our favorite towns to call home include La Paz, Loreto, and Mazatlan.  There is much to see and do in this country of vast distances, grand mountains, dry arid landscapes, and tropical forests not to mention its history and culture.  We already miss the friendly people of Mexico and our new found friends we’ve left behind; no doubt Mexico will call to us again and we will return to continue our adventure.



Home Overlooking the Lagoon at Barra de Navidad

A Cute Hideaway in Loreto