More problems in Mexico

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Nasty? Demeaning? Maybe I shoulda put it in quotes.

Scaredy-cat? Not nice tossing around demeaning, nasty words like that at your fellow cruisers.
Better now?

Maybe I shoulda said "fear mongering."

Look, it's simple.

There are those who have decided that there are places in the world they CHOOSE to not travel to.

That's fine. We can all read the State Department bulletins. And warnings made on this and other forums that are well intentioned.

There are others who, while certainly not blissfully unaware, have personal experiences that differ with the doom-and-gloom.

That's all.

Interesting thread.

There are places I've sailed to I won't visit again. Not due to advisories, but based upon my own knowelege about what's happening in the country or region. I am cursed with the perspective of a political scientist, a political animal and experienced sailor.. All things considered my feelings about where things are headed have been very accurate.

Good judgement is not only important in preparing one's boat and honing skills; deciding whether a destination given current and prevailing wind conditions is worth fetching, especially if it'll put your next destination to windward or expose you to a dangerous lee shore... Anticipating changing political and social environments is just as, if not more important.

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by TJ D

Has Mexico become more dangerous in the last 10 years? Yes, it absolutely has. Some of what is happening there is just horrifying.

Has it become more dangerous for cruisers? I submit that it has not. Third day told you that he monitors cruisers nets online and via ssb/ham. He's not talking about his experience only. I can tell you that any incident of violence and theft makes the coconut telegraph very quickly. There just isn't much happening against cruisers. That's not to say that no crime has occured, but the rates really are quite low.

For our part, we're much more concerned with security in the Caribbean than in Mexico. And I don't mean Honduras either. I'm talking about the Eastern Carribbean cruising hotspots. There's far more violence and theft there than there is in Mexico, and there are no state department warnings for most of these places. But, we still sail there, and will go down again this winter, fully aware of the risk that we're taking, and we take precautions accordingly. We will avoid most of the chain from Martinique southward, and if we summer over in Trinidad, we'll go straight into a marina. Many would find this to be over-cautious, but it's the right balance for us in light of recent events in the Grenadines and St. Lucia.

TJ

Yes, TJ has it about right in sum. Don't go off the beaten track in Sinaloa or into the hills in Guerrero and don't go wandering around cities looking for drugs. The Caribbean is getting a rough rep but it is a place where conspicuous wealth is temptation, and is I think more dangerous than Mexico. In my 5 years of cruising the Sea of Cortez out of La Paz, I haven't seen any violence against cruisers. In that time the police mordida traps in various cities driving down Baja has become much less frequent and it wasn't a big problem before, if you slipped a 100 or 200 peso note to the cop or asked to go to the station if you are a crusader.

The main "crime" against cruisers is a small rash of outboard thefts from dinks in the water at night. That's the same in many countries if you leave your dink in the water at night in populated areas. We had 3 stolen in two nights a couple of weeks ago from boats anchored in the bay here, and that is all I've heard of in the last 4 months. There was one incident of armed robbery, not against cruisers, against a group of French tourists on a panga tour of the local islands, that were on the beach a couple of weeks back when two pangas with armed men pulled up and took their money, passport, cameras, etc. It seemed to be a targeted job. I anchored in the next cove over 2 nights ago with no concern for my safety.

What has increased in La Paz this year is drug shootings in the poor neighborhoods over control, it is said, of the crystal meth trade. Maybe 12 or so have been shot, with the violence surge coming from American gangbangers coming down to do business. bajainsider.com owner Tom on SV Seizure, is the source of that info. These Violence In Mexico threads have gotten to be like anchor and gun threads, the same bushes get beaten again each year. The US is, as a state, the most violent in the world, using up more ordnance on other states than anyone else. US cities are among the most dangerous, in the wrong neighborhoods. Traveling the world by boat is far safer.

[Randyonr3]

Got a warning for you...
7 people were shot, gundowned on the street, 3 have died.............
In Stockton California...
Dont go to California, Bad news there................

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Got a warning for you...
7 people were shot, gundowned on the street, 3 have died.............
In Stockton California...
Dont go to California, Bad news there................

Was Martin involved?

[CAELESTIS]

Big problems caught on webcam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozeSrSd1BnI

And watch out for the jejenes!!

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Got a warning for you...
7 people were shot, gundowned on the street, 3 have died.............
In Stockton California...
Dont go to California, Bad news there................

Hey, I live 20 miles from gangland Stockton.....no f'n way I'm ever going downtown there.

[cards26]

All you really need is a 'flash wallet'. Print up some bills on your printer, and stuff them in a wallet. Hand that one over to the crooks, and they'll run thinking they made a big hit. I always have a few laughs everytime I get robbed.

You need to be concerned about Latin American organized crime as well....guys like Jose "Big Tamales" Fernandez can be quite dangerous.

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Was Martin involved?

Dont think he was involved in this one but hey, you know he's a Pirate, so he could be up to anything.....................

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

I like drugs, and...

Ahhh....now it all makes sense in a crazy kinda way.

Originally Posted by Wrong

Is Barra de Navidad in any of the advisories?

Yup....sure is...They found 3 fish head in a bowl of soup and some cats making Tacos. Scary place.

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Was Martin involved?

Dang...can't get away with anything these days!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by cards26

All you really need is a 'flash wallet'. Print up some bills on your printer, and stuff them in a wallet. Hand that one over to the crooks, and they'll run thinking they made a big hit. I always have a few laughs everytime I get robbed.

Are you some type of get robbed magnetic?

[ryon]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

My friend's dad owns an authorized Harley dealership east of LA. Back in the mid-late eighties they decided to pack up two dressers (Electra Glide baggers) and cruise Mexico. They started in Tijuana and headed south through Baja to La Paz(?) to catch a ferry that crosses the Sea of Cortez, and then tour the mainland.

Somewhere half way down Baja they spy a taco stand and decided to pull over and grab some lunch. They ordered chicken tacos and dad went for a pee. My friend noticed lots of cats running around. While dad is in the toilet the tacos come out to the table. Dad returns. My friend says "Let's go." Dad says "Huh? Why?" My friend says "The chicken has fur."

True story.

Rode a Harley to La Paz in the eighties! How better qualified to comment on cruising Mexico can one be? Except for your own credentials, of course. Never heard that taco story before. Maybe you should alert the State Department.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

My wife and I visited Baja many times and always enjoyed our time there. The last time was 1995. .

1995.....30 Years ago...ha ha ah

Need we say anymore folks?

1995 was his last visit to Mexico while Clinton was getting BJs from Monica as a time reference and we give a rats ass what he thinks?...

My friends, we have been trolled...

[sailorboy1]

maybe you still have time to edit

[mikereed100]

Rich,

Your math is suspect, but your analysis is spot on!

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

1995.....30 Years ago...ha ha ah

Need we say anymore folks?

1995 was his last visit to Mexico while Clinton was getting BJs from Monica as a time reference and we give a rats ass what he thinks?...

My friends, we have been trolled...

1995-2015 , 30 years? Im bad at math (not that bad ha) and grammar myself , but ?