I made it to Mexico in my Bayliner!

[cks]

Kevin-
You are staying at a fantastic marina. Everyone there is helpful. I was there in the fall of 2017. I can’t recall the dockmaster but he was extremely helpful for us in obtaining our TIP. They were many ex-pats living in that arena. Folks have gone visited and stayed there for months.

Enjoy your adventure!

Take care motoring south along the Baja. The water is there can be very rough so keep a weather eye.

 

[JRO]

Yesterday afternoon I entered Marina Hotel Coral in Ensenada Mexico having completed a voyage of over 2800 nautical miles alone in my Bayliner 4788

I left my home port in Seward Alaska on the 2nd of May. Every night I pulled into a harbor or anchorage, and I stayed longer in places that drew my interest.

Last, do not be inpatient. I chose 15 knots of wind as my maximum, and I stuck with that. On one occasion I misjudged the weather and got the snot beat out of me, but otherwise I had a drama free trip.

So... Enjoy the lifestyle, and if you make it to Mexico look me up. I'm in the White Bayliner 4788 docked at your favorite harbor.

Bravo! Congratulations on a great trip! I’m of the same mindset and have clocked thousands of coastal miles on the East coast, Bahamas, Northwest and West coast. See you in Mexico in a couple of years… I left young but time passes no matter how emotionally juvenile your actions are. I’ll be the old guy hitting on the college girls!

 

[ksanders]

Thanks Ross! Yes the trip south will be yet another adventure!!!

 

[Captain DJ]

Warnings of Mexico are for and from those never living there...

Be careful lately in Ensenada…

According to numerous reports, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises canceled their itineraries to Ensenada, Mexico after a weekend of vandalism, looting and threats of mass violence by a drug cartel in that port city and other locations in Northern Baja. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), formerly known as Los Mata Zetas, burned vehicles in the area and threatened violence.

Congrats Kevin!

We may follow your tracks in a few years. We live in San Carlos, Sonora on the Sea of Cortez (Gulfo de California). Just remember that the folks projecting fear for Mexico are usually the ones that have never and will never really know Mexico. For the last 20+ years, more Americans are killed in my birthplace, Chicago every year than in all of Mexico, even if you include suicides (as self-inflicted homicides, the way the Department of State does.) Often the Windy City will have more deaths of Americans in a few months than all of Mexico in a year. And that statistic is not taking into account the extreme efficiency the US major cities have in treating and responding to GSW (gunshot wounds) with Class I Trauma Centers mere minutes away and blazing response times. If the top 12 crime cities in the US had Mexico's response time on GSWs then our death toll would be orders of magnitude greater.

I have lived in Mexico as a Permanent Resident for almost 12 years and have been a Warden for the U.S. Consulate, helping protect U.S. expats and travelers. There is a long and shady history of Travel Advisory notices that I cannot go into on this forum, but as usual, just use common sense and you will be fine.

As a hotel & restaurant owner in Mexico, I am quite often asked "Is it safe to travel in Mexico?"

I always respond - "If you do not get involved in criminal behavior, i.e. buying drugs, using drugs, getting involved with prostitution or money laundering, etc., then you are statistically safer, as a gringo in Mexico, than any city in the USA with over a million people." I have the facts from the FBI and CIA websites to prove this.

In large cities, situational awareness is important, just like anywhere else on this planet. Driving or being in a car at any time is risky in Mexico, but to be avoided at night. There are many reasons for this that may not be obvious.
Cultural attitude about risk-taking and machismo or fatalism is a big ones.
Road and shoulder conditions are another. Livestock on the roads at night is a biggie. But, with all due respect, Mexicans are some of the worst and best drivers on the planet. No test is required to get a license, and many are first-generation drivers in their family and have vehicles they can barely afford, but cannot afford simple maintenance like suspension parts, tires, brakes, and working lights (who really needs those?). And don't get me started on Topes. They can pop up out of nowhere.

Enjoy your time and I will look for you in La Paz or on my side of the Sea, in San Carlos.

Captain DJ

 

[adornato]

I salute your accomplishment. I am curious about what rules and data you used for the 15 knot rule. Living in the SF Bay Area and enjoying going out the Gate salmon fishing, it is rare to find a day that would be 15 kts or less. I would estimate that a 15 kt day would occur only a couple of times in October or late September.

 

[ksanders]

I salute your accomplishment. I am curious about what rules and data you used for the 15 knot rule. Living in the SF Bay Area and enjoying going out the Gate salmon fishing, it is rare to find a day that would be 15 kts or less. I would estimate that a 15 kt day would occur only a couple of times in October or late September.

I use windy and predictwind.

I also micro forecast the winds. For example in many areas the winds are MUCH smaller very close to shore than even 5 miles out.

The same goes for time of day. In most areas the winds build in the afternoon. I avoid that by leaving right at daylight and for the most part being in port by early afternoon.

 

[ksanders]

Congrats Kevin!

We may follow your tracks in a few years. We live in San Carlos, Sonora on the Sea of Cortez (Gulfo de California). Just remember that the folks projecting fear for Mexico are usually the ones that have never and will never really know Mexico. For the last 20+ years, more Americans are killed in my birthplace, Chicago every year than in all of Mexico, even if you include suicides (as self-inflicted homicides, the way the Department of State does.) Often the Windy City will have more deaths of Americans in a few months than all of Mexico in a year. And that statistic is not taking into account the extreme efficiency the US major cities have in treating and responding to GSW (gunshot wounds) with Class I Trauma Centers mere minutes away and blazing response times. If the top 12 crime cities in the US had Mexico's response time on GSWs then our death toll would be orders of magnitude greater.

I have lived in Mexico as a Permanent Resident for almost 12 years and have been a Warden for the U.S. Consulate, helping protect U.S. expats and travelers. There is a long and shady history of Travel Advisory notices that I cannot go into on this forum, but as usual, just use common sense and you will be fine.

As a hotel & restaurant owner in Mexico, I am quite often asked "Is it safe to travel in Mexico?"

I always respond - "If you do not get involved in criminal behavior, i.e. buying drugs, using drugs, getting involved with prostitution or money laundering, etc., then you are statistically safer, as a gringo in Mexico, than any city in the USA with over a million people." I have the facts from the FBI and CIA websites to prove this.

In large cities, situational awareness is important, just like anywhere else on this planet. Driving or being in a car at any time is risky in Mexico, but to be avoided at night. There are many reasons for this that may not be obvious.
Cultural attitude about risk-taking and machismo or fatalism is a big ones.
Road and shoulder conditions are another. Livestock on the roads at night is a biggie. But, with all due respect, Mexicans are some of the worst and best drivers on the planet. No test is required to get a license, and many are first-generation drivers in their family and have vehicles they can barely afford, but cannot afford simple maintenance like suspension parts, tires, brakes, and working lights (who really needs those?). And don't get me started on Topes. They can pop up out of nowhere.

Enjoy your time and I will look for you in La Paz or on my side of the Sea, in San Carlos.

Captain DJ

Well said, and I get the "are you safe" a lot.

I wear a nice Omega watch, and I know many women who wear diamond earrings and wedding/engagement rings in Mexico and never have a problem.

Some have commented to wear inexpensive clothes. That is very funny because Mexicans as a culture dress up for dinner out, and I wear my standard shorts, a tee shirt, and sandals to every occasion.

Guys, Mexico is as safe as you make it. Don't do drugs. Don't buy or especially sell drugs. Do not engage the services of sex workers, and DO NOT be the stupid drunk American wandering the back alleys at two in the morning looking for trouble.

 

[ksanders]

A picture tells a thousand words.

 

[mvweebles]

Well said, and I get the "are you safe" a lot.

I wear a nice Omega watch, and I know many women who wear diamond earrings and wedding/engagement rings in Mexico and never have a problem.

Some have commented to wear inexpensive clothes. That is very funny because Mexicans as a culture dress up for dinner out, and I wear my standard shorts, a tee shirt, and sandals to every occasion.

Guys, Mexico is as safe as you make it. Don't do drugs. Don't buy or especially sell drugs. Do not engage the services of sex workers, and DO NOT be the stupid drunk American wandering the back alleys at two in the morning looking for trouble.

We have had Kevin's attitude towards safety in Mexico, but things are changing. My wife and I stopped at a brew-pub (Agua Mala) a mile or two north of Marina Coral. We met a couple who are in their 30s - he's from Ensenada though now lives in Temecula, NE of San Diego. She was originally from Guadalajara though lives in Tijuana and works in San Diego. Both are well-educated professionals (he's an architect, she's a nurse).

We asked them if they considered Ensenada safe - his answer surprised me: "Not anymore." Certainly you can reduce risk by avoiding certain obvious activities but it was their opinion that cartel/drug violence is starting to bleed away from killing each other to bystander collateral damage.

Now, I have to add that we stay in an apartment in a neighborhood right off downtown. We have a walled courtyard where we park and hang-out so is pretty safe feeling, but we are definitely in the Centro (downtown) area, a very residential/business area (mechanic shop next door, a small dessert place on our other side, etc.). Compared to the 'walled garden' of Marina Coral resort where Kevin is, a bit more grit and dust which is, in many ways, desireable for us as we are within walking distance of just about anything, and a short bike ride from the boatyard where Weebles is being finished.

I also add that while I'd prefer to stay in flip-flops and shorts, when going out, we both wear long pants to fit-in a bit (not much - middle-aged Americans with poor Spanish skills stand-out). In my opinion, wearing flashy jewelry and carrying expensive electronics is a bad idea in general, but certainly in Mexico where even lower-middle class American lifestyles are out-of-reach for the vast majority of Mexicans.

We won't change our general routine, but we are monitoring the safety situation more closely. We really like Mexico, and Ensenada is a decent town - surprsingly few gringos given its proximity to the US (San Diego is 80 miles north). But it's a big city of over 500k. It's extremely difficult to get good information.

Peter

Attached pic is a small festival in a nearby park last Sunday.

 

[Larry M]

…Don't buy or especially sell drugs. Do not engage the services of sex workers, and DO NOT be the stupid drunk American wandering the back alleys at two in the morning looking for trouble.

We spent 5 years cruising Mexico and never had a problem and never paid mordida or locked the doors (we did close them).

The locals accepted the cruisers as we were/are part of their economy. Once, when we were in Melaque, a gringo got robbed. The locals found the guy, beat the crap out of him, then they called the policia, problem solved.

 

[Comodave]

The 4788 is a really nice boat. We looked at one about 5 years ago and didn’t buy it only because I was too big for the engine room. I couldn’t see me doing much maintenance in there. But Bayliner really did a great job of designing the layouts.

 

[ronobrien]

Kevin, Congratulations on your adventure. I agree with the patience part. I have delivered many boats that were on a time schedule and the weather didn't always cooperate. Some of the trips were quite unpleasant. My retirement plan is similar to your but I will be following the weather on the US East coast. My retirement motto will be "If it's blowin I ain't goin."

 

[Bare Necessities]

Congratulations Kevin on fulfilling your dream. Sounds like a mountainous dream but you pulled it off. Enjoyed reading of your adventure.

 

[sunchaser]

Regarding South of the Border safety ---

Having spent time in Latin and South America I agree with Kevin and others, but only to a point, that is be leery and smart. In many cases I traveled with "trained" staff, worked with the State Department on avoidance issues and had kidnap insurance. I had friends and fellow employees kidnapped, murdered, break ins, robbed at gunpoint, car jacked and assaulted.

Watching your six, always, was standard. Watches, rings and jewelry of obvious value was notification that you were a walking ATM machine. Sure, statistically Chicago is unsafe, but avoiding the well known gang bang and drug sale areas is easily done. As for cruising, get the lay of the land, be skeptical of the "no problema" talk and converse in Espanol as best you can with the trustworthy locals.

 

[Fletcher500]

I have been up and down the length of Baja many times on surf trips since the early 80's. The previous posts are all good advice for travelers. Be respectful, avoid known trouble areas, and nothing good happens after midnight. The majority of people get it. I had a few run ins, even while minding our own business in some remote places within Mex. After the last one, I stopped going down about 10 years ago. That's just my personal decision on the risk to reward calculus but I realize a lot of folks go down there and have no issues. Positives and negatives for any location including the shiniest of cities in the U.S.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

My retirement motto will be "If it's. blowin I ain't goin."

Exactly my moto! We have sat for 2 weeks in Oak Harbor and Friday Harbor waiting on nasty weather on the outside to Astoria OR.