Mexico Boating Guide
Nov. 2019: Pg 20: Click here for the Spanish crew list: Crew List Spanish
Pg 98: Marina Cabo Riviera: warning, entrance reported silted closed!
Pg 30: Uber is available in Ensenada.
Pg 74: In December we anchored at Belcher’s and did some more soundings and corrected our chart’s shoreline. Belcher’s is 3 n.m. inside Mag Bay to the north. Although many boaters like to anchor in 30′ of water, here 30′ is quite away from shore and often you get a rolly wind chop. Anchoring in 12′ puts you closer to shore and gives more protection from the point, especially in a north wind which is common.
Pg 182: Sadly, fire destroyed 10 historic wooden buildings in downtown Santa Rosalia over Christmas 2016, but most have been historically replicated. The older Marina Santa Rosalia that sank during a hurricane won’t be rebuilt, owners say. Fortunately, the Fonatur marina and fuel dock in Santa Rosalia are open and doing well.
Pg 17 – 20: New website www.sportfishinginmexico.com for International Arrival should be used by all recreational boaters (yatistas) and commercial sportfishers at least 24 hours prior to entering Mexican waters; Mexico’s federal agencies have made it super easy for foreigners (us) to get all our paperwork done in advance. Keep your receipts onboard. Between the Mexican border and Ensenada, do NOT stop or fish unless you already have all your Mexican paperwork & fishing licenses onboard. Baja Tourism alerts boaters that the Mexican Navy is now enforcing these laws. The Mexican Navy can board any vessels out to 200 n.m. (particularly including the Coronado Islands), can arrest violating vessels (recreational and commercial), can tow law-breaking vessels to Ensenada, can bus any law breakers (passengers, crew) to the US border. Pay attention, folks, and don’t get yourselves swept up along with politico “scoff laws” who continue to ignore Mexico’s maritime laws.
Pg 91 – 92: Marina Puerto Los Cabos new phone (624) 105-6181 or 6028, email efernandez@puertoloscabos.com Marine Group Boat Works new phone (624) 105-6500.
Pg 115: Marina CostaBaja new phone in marina office is (612) 121-6255. Destination for CUBAR powerboat rallys. New hotel on island between the yacht basins.
Marina Puerto Escondido is new in the harbor.
Pg 152 – 153: new Marina Puerto Escondido has 90 slips on new docks in front of the 3-story marina building, plus 40 slips a sheltered basin behind the boat yard (613) 131-8097 www.MarinaPuertoEscondido.com Hidden Port Yacht Club folded.
Marina Isla Cortes in Bahia Altata.
Pg 260 – 262: new Marina Isla Cortes has 43 slips in Bahia Altata beyond Puerto Altata. See 2 new GPS charts of Bahia Altata and new channel to Marina Isla Cortes. The marina provides pilot boat for guests www.marinaislacortes.com.mx New dockmaster Ed Martinez marinaic@gmail.com
Nov. 2021: Pg 271 left column: NOTE: Islas Marias: As of Nov 2021, yatistas may not approach or anchor near the uncharted Islas Marias. This former prison colony is still patrolled by armed Navy. In fall 2022, day-charters are planned from San Blas & Mazatlan to only Isla Madre. Hopefully by 2023 new SM charts will be issued, and these now closed nature-preserve islands will be opened to restricted tourism and recreational anchoring.
Nov. 2021: Pg 272 left column: Crossing: From Los Cabos on Baja, crossing the Sea of Cortez toward San Blas (200 n.m.), planning a stop at Isla Isabela (at mile 160) may allow a daylight entrance at San Blas harbor, and that offshore stop will help you avoid the uncharted Islas Marias, former prison colony, still patrolled, not yet open to visitors, but day-charters from San Blas / Mazatlan expected in fall 2022.
Nov. 2021: Pg 286 left column: Crossing: When crossing from Los Cabos to Punta Mita, we add a Marias Security Waypoint (20°56’N, 105°51’W), creating a dog-leg about 20 n.m. south of the uncharted former prison-colony islands, now a closed nature preserve. As of Nov 2021, approach & anchoring are still prohibited. In fall 2022, day-charters are planned to Maria Madre from San Blas & Mazatlan. Hopefully by 2023 new SM charts will be issued, and these nature-preserve islands will be opened to restricted tourism and recreational anchoring.
Pg 294 – 295: Marina Vallarta remodel is complete, new website is www.Marina-Vallarta.com.mx Opequimar Marine Center yard and fuel dock has expanded. New GPS chart of PV municipal harbor.
Pg 315: new docks to 225′ in Marina Puerto de la Navidad at Barra. New marina phone is (314) 337-9014, www.islanavidad.com.mx
Santa Rosalia: The original Marina Santa Rosalia was so severely damaged by a 2015 hurricane that the owners closed it. Fortunately, the Fonatur marina and fuel dock are open and doing well.
Aug 2013: Marina Chiapas (Puerto Chiapas) is hauling yachts out of the water with the brand new 60-ton travel lift, both for repairs or dry storage (paved yard). This new boat yard capability is a huge advantage for cruisers wanting to summer over on the hard in southern Mexico, or needing repairs before or after crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Yes, the Pemex fuel dock is open. FMI, contact Marina Chiapas, www.marina-chiapas.com tel 9626956144 movil, tel office (962) 6204038.
Correction Page 286. Dog leg waypoint between Cabo San Lucas and Punta Mita is 20° 56.0’N and 106° 26.0’W, to avoid 20-n.m. security perimeter around prison islands, which are still No-Go as of January 2020. New chart published since Aug 2012. Stay tuned for news.
Cruising Ports
Pg 42: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Port Clearance: The new Immigration office is open, so boaters can clear in and out of Nicaragua here.
Pg 239: Panama Canal Transit Fees increased for yachts in January 2020.
Pg 198: Replace the first paragraph with the following and update the chart: From the Cayo Vivarillo anchorage (15° 50’N, 83°19’W) we clear the south end of the Cayo and then head SE for 75 miles to an offshore waypoint at (15° 14.4’N, 82°16.6’W). This passes 2.5 miles south of the cay at the south end of the Cocorocuma Reefs. From the latter waypoint we turn SSE and lay a course 120 miles to the east side of Isla Providencia. Total distance is 209 n.m. We easily continue from Isla Providencia to Isla San Andrés.
