re: info: sailing to Mexico

Posted By: elpolvo
Date: 4/5/07 4:08a.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: info: sailing to Mexico (Jerry Jenkins)

i did that portion of my trip on land towing my boat over countless topas on bad roads with no shoulders. still, it was fun to see that lucious green part of mexico. it is very pretty. i never hear or read stories of any cruisers visiting the east coast of mexico between the yucatan and brownsville texas. i'm sure some have but it's uncommon. most cruisers cross straight across the gulf to the US or head for key west. there is a slight counter current heading up the east side of the gulf of mexico and there is also a tendancy toward stormy weather, shallow seas - steep swells. there are not many ports along that coast with cruising friendly marinas and amenities that you might find elsewhere... though there are industrial big-shipping and oil tanker ports at veracruz and tampico. i really have no experience and limited knowledge to offer about sailing that coast of the gulf of mexico. sorry. i have a young friend who just bought a boat in curacao and some of us old codgers are hoping to help him sail it to guatemala via the north coast of columbia visiting cartegena, the san blas islands of panama, providencia island, and the bay islands of honduras. many cruisers rave about the experiences of these caribbean destinations. their stories and pictures are beautiful. if you were to go that way and then visit the rio dulce in guatemala and explore the beautiful waters and islands of belize on the way up to isla mujeras you would probably have a better april, may and june than if you spent the time in the western gulf of mexico. i'd very much like to hear what you find out and what you experience if you do decide to sail the compeche, veracruz, tampico, brownsville route. keep in touch. -elpolvo