Not Ready to Unplug Permanently? Go “Commuter Cruising” Instead
– by Capt. Pat Rains Reasonably sane people do take their well found yachts and go long-distance cruising to exotic lands: this crazy idea sprouted in the 1940s, but really bloomed in the 1950s thanks to inspiring tales of the sea-faring live written by the Hiscocks, the Wests, the Pardeys, Hal Roth and Jimmy Cornell. In […]
Turtle Bay Fuel Pier Has Pick Up Mooring
The fuel pier at Turtle Bay has a mooring you can pick up off the bow and then back your stern up to the pier. Now you don’t have to use your own anchor. Enrique, the owner, is show here passing the fuel hose.
Fuel in Turtle Bay
Various rumors about the fuel situation in Turtle Bay had been floating around the air waves for months including that there was no functioning fuel dock, so we were interested in seeing firsthand what was going on. The good news is that the rickety old fuel dock is still in operational, as well as the […]
Uber is in Ensenada
We were on the street outside Cruiseport marina trying to flag down a taxi to go to dinner but they were all occupied. After 10 minutes, my shipmate whips out her iphone – “Let’s try this.” Five minutes later we were in an Uber cab and on our way. Turns out Uber was cheaper and […]
Updated Chart on Belcher’s in Mag Bay
In December 2015 we anchored at Belcher’s and did some more soundings and corrected the 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 […]
Clear into Mexico in Ensenada: The best way to go
We made a boat trip from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in December 2015. What follows is a series of blogs with updated information on the several places we stopped on the way. First stop was Ensenada where we went to Cruise Port Village Marina. Jonathon the dockmaster helped us with port clearance. The […]
Agent List Updated Panama Canal
1.) Alessandro Risi (Alex) Megayacht specialist Associated Steamship yachts@shipsagent.com Cell (507) 6614-0485 2.) Roy Bravo Emmanuel Agencies (507) 441-5652 Cell (507) 6678-6820 emanuelagencies@emanuelagenciessa.com Other licensed Canal agents we know of: Enrique Plummer Agencia Naviera Plummer Cel (507) 6674-2086, Fax (507) 314-0895 Email eplummer@hotmail.com Ms. Tina McBride (not under 40’) Panama Canal Transits Cel (507) 6637-2999, […]
Travel Lift in Puerto Chipas
August 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 […]
Marine weather for Pacific Mexico
To get an email with the best marine weather for Pacific Mexico Send a message to query@saildocs.com Put the following in the message body: Send Mexicocomposite For more complete information http://www.weather.solmatesantiago.com/fcstemail.html
“Cruising Ports” praise from cruisers in Panama
“Joy of joys, I found Pat Rains’ ‘Cruising Ports; the Central American Route’ in the Chart Shop in Panama! It’s a wonderful guide book, so clear with understandable illustrations and feels so good to handle. Now I feel confident about our proposed move [from Shelter Bay Marina in Panama] up the Western Caribbean coast. …. […]
