Central America to Alaska

Mexico Marinas and Paperwork

For Mexico information you can find complete marinas information here:

http://www.latitudemexico.com/business-listings/marinas.html

For favorite anchorages you can try some of the guides published by Patricia Miller Rains, Mexico Boating Guide or Cruising Ports of Central America, you can find both at Amazon.

If you stop in Mexico you have to go trough some paperwork but now there is a "Ventanilla Unica" service at Puerto Juarez. The new Centro Integral de Servicio (CIS) congregate in a unique Window the National Institute of Migration, Custom; SAGARPA, International Sanity, Harbor authorities and Banejercito.

Here is the page of the CIS of Ensenada (it gives you an idea of the paperwork you have to do regarding immigration, harbor paperwork, sport fishing licenses and customs) http://www.puertoensenada.com.mx/cis.htm

I will try to obtain the web page or telephone of the CIS of Puerto Juarez.

There are a lot of things going on in Mexico to facilitate paperwork, although there is still a lot of work to do.

Hope this helps.

Hi.. Check out www.yachtaidglobal.org and www.c2conline.net

Central America to Alaska notes

Once you enter the Pacific, the journey from Panama to Alaska is a long and interesting one. The criticle timing issue to be aware of is to try to get up to the Seattle area by mid to late May. As June nears the odds of bad weather increase on the San Diego to Seattle run. The trade wind like summer winds out of the NW usually blow 25-30 during the days from Mid to late May until late October.

Down in Central America conditions on the Pacific side of Panama are influenced by enhanced trades in the Caribbean as they blow strong out of the north in the Bay of Panama.

Next area is the Gulfo de Papagayo up in N Costa Rica and Southern to Mid NIcaragua. The Papagayo wind blows out of the NE-E 20-40 knots consistently during the winter. This wind is associated with the Tehuantepecrs that blow in Southern Mexico.

Next area is Gulfo de Fonseca where Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador meet. Again, Easterly component winds, that spring up with Tehuantepecers, but are very regional and cover a small area

Then in S Mexico is the famous Tehuanteper wind out of the NW-NE depending on where you are in the Gulfo. Costal routing is highly recommended?

The crossing from Puerto vallarta to Cabo can be rough with N winds. If So Cal is experiencing strong Santa Ana winds, which occur about once or twice a week during the winter, the N winds in the Sea of Cortez will occor a day later.

Cabo to San Diego is the start of the LONG upwind battle to Cape Flattery. Spring time winds during March, April are frequently the strongest of the year. Prepare your boat and crew for a battle. It is an empty stretch of coast, but personally, my favorite after 1/4 sea miles around the world!

San Diego to Santa Barbara is calm, run inshore the islands.

Then,,, get ready for anoter long hard bash to Cape Flattery.. for sure target your transit through Central America and Mexico to arrive in San Diego by mid to late April, early May at the latest,,, you will then be better positioned for a favorable northbound trip.

While up in the Pacific North west, depending on your craft and the level of risk that is acceptable to you, runnnig at night is not safe due to logs and other debris. With a SOG speed of 10 knots, running daylight only, expect a 7-9 day passage to Juneau from Seattle... it is a tough trip as a delivery with very long days, traffic, currents, fog, fishing boat hazards, bad weather... the works...

On the way south,,, most boats depart San Diego late Oct to early Nov.. depending on the hurricane season. Late season storms frequentlty curve to the NE and strick Baja or head up the sea of cortez.

Ths is just a very skinny overview to assist in the big picture planning.

Rgds to all
Mark Drewelow
C2C inc.