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North, South and in Between
by Capt. Pat Rains
Choose wisely—and now—where to spend hurricane season
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Summer is just over the horizon. Although 2006 might have a cool summer, it eventually will bring hot water up from the equator and waves of low pressure from the Caribbean. These are ideal breeding conditions for the tropical storms and hurricanes of late summer and early fall — August, September and October.
This makes May decision time.
By mid to late June, after the first tropical depressions spin out from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, it will be too late for most boats to scoot north or south along the unprotected Gold Coast and southern Mexico. So now’s the time to plan your summer itinerary. Here are three basic choices:
1) Get south of hurricane alley.
2) Summer over near a hurricane hole in Mexico.
3) Get north of hurricane alley.
Heading South Most of Pacific Mexico is hurricane alley — from about 27° north latitude (just south of Turtle Bay) for 1,350 miles southeast to about 15° north latitude (in the Gulf of Tehuantepec). However, the warmer Sea of Cortez can support storms almost its entire length, and powerful Caribbean hurricanes can bridge Central America and enter the Pacific even farther south, such as off Guatemala. Until recently, most boaters who spent a summer south of hurricane alley did so in Costa Rican waters, because fishing and diving are spectacular and hurricanes seldom develop. Marina Los Suenos in the Gulf of Nicoya and the two marinas in Golfo Dulce are packed with gringo boats — power and sail — hiding out for the summer.
Now, El Salvador’s two new marinas (Barillas Marina Club and Marina del Sol) are claiming their share of "storm birds" from the U.S. And by 2007, Costa Rica will have another new marina at Quepos. These places offer great sportfishing all summer long.
If you pick this option, be prepared for fast-moving squalls and torrential downpours all summer. Don’t leave your boat buttoned up without a dehumidifier and daily ventilation or she will mold. Do rig a lightning diverter to protect your electronics.
Summering Over
From south to north, here are the popular hurricane holes:
• Puerto Vallarta’s two yacht basins
• Pichilingue Bay near La Paz
• Puerto Escondido near Loreto
• Guaymas Harbor
• San Carlos Bay near Guaymas
• Puerto Don Juan near L.A. Bay
• Puerto Peñasco harbor
Puerto Vallarta lies in the middle of hurricane alley, but the geography of Banderas Bay stymies hurricanes from entering. If you’re not staying in PV, work your way north and reach La Paz no later than June and the upper Sea of Cortez by July — depending on how the summer of 2006 develops. San Carlos and Guaymas, Sonora, are near the northern edge of hurricane alley, but they have been hit in the past.
To summer over safely in Mexico, you must pay close attention to the weather.
How?
Print the daily "Tropical Winds & Waves" WX-fax charts from NMC; when a wave of low pressure (easterly wave) enters the Pacific, track it like a hawk. On your SSB, consult the Amigo Net (8122 kHz at 1415 Zulu). Tune in the Chubasco Net on ham frequency 7294 kHz on the lower side band at 0745 San Diego time. These two nets provide the best on-site weather reports in Mexican waters. Port captains broadcast daily and hourly storm bulletins on VHF-16. Watch hot water spread north from the Gulf of Tehuantepec on the "Tropical Weather" link at Baja Insider online magazine (www.bajainsider.com). Plot the movement and intensity of each tropical disturbance, depression, storm and hurricane.
Some early hurricanes fade in cooler water toward Hawaii. It’s those later storms that can travel with breathtaking speed, change course erratically, develop Category 2 and 3 wind strengths and — most dangerously — curve back toward land.
During August, September and October, you can relieve cabin fever by taking 48- and 72-hour forays out from your hurricane hole of choice, making sure you can scoot back to shelter if cyclonic weather develops. From La Paz, the Espiritu Santos Islands are ideal getaways. From Puerto Escondido, there’s Candeleros and Isla Carmen. Guaymas and San Carlos have each other. L.A. Bay has lots of island getaways — but boy, it’s hot.
Summer Break?
Mexico’s TIP (Temporary Import Permit) lets you leave your boat at a marina in Mexico and fly to cooler latitudes. Before you go, make your boat as hurricane-proof as possible. Double the dock lines and fenders, and secure heavy-duty chafe gear to each line. Strip the decks and rigging of any windage. Be sure your insurance payments are up to date and take a copy of your policy with you.
Many boats under 65 feet are hauled out and stored ashore for the summer, then launched in November when the new cruising season begins. This is a popular practice at La Paz and San Carlos, but it’s also possible at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, Guaymas and Puerto Peñasco.
Get North
If you decide to head north to get above hurricane alley for the summer, don’t wait too long to get going, because you’ll find no real hurricane holes on the 820-mile Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula. It’s highly debatable whether Mag Bay or Turtle Bay could protect your boat from serious damage in the event of a direct hit.
Many boats summer over in Ensenada’s jetty-enclosed marinas, so they can fish for albacore and surf the south breaks. Yacht insurance for Southern California boats often covers as far south as Ensenada without an expensive rider or extra endorsement. But fender well, because south swell makes itself felt as surge.
Armed with this information, what’s your decision for May and the fast-approaching summer of 2006? Better make it soon!
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This article first appeared in the May 1, 2006 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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