Best Year-Round Cruising - US / Caribbean

[zeehag]

some random cruising pix from some random favorite locations i have cruised in the past 3 yrs...... there is gulf coast, caribean and pacific coast.....
cedros village wharf...


south of cedros north of cabo san lucas...



leaving cabo....


sunset at sea, pacific ocean...



hitchhiker in gulf of mexico...




icw leaving lulus...


mardi gras 2010

moon in dry tortugas, and ft jefferson...


sunset in mississippi sound....

gulf storm, sunset in gulf of mexico

st john, usvi

virgin island sailing

[Dkdoyle]

Nicely done



Skyway bridge

[zeehag]

oh yeah--like that bridge, too--- caught a barracuda there but it bit thru my non leadered bottom line and ran ...waaahhhh......and have pix of us sailing under a few times in the gulf coast cruise year.....coool bridge.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Agility

So from what I've heard my two best options are Curacao Marine in the ABC's and Shelter Bay Marina in Panama. Anyone else have comments about those two marina's and cruising grounds.

I had been planning on San Diego but for some reason just can't get excited about the cruising ground. We can get a slip close to the Channel islands but I fear that it doesn't quite have enough interest to keep us coming back for more of the same. Also, once there it's a long way to another tropical ground.

The PNW area is a place we really want to go someday but I don't think the cruising season is long enough and the admiral get's grumpy with cold and wet. We like it hot and sweaty.

Tampa Bay sounds much more interesting than I remember but unless we want to register the boat there anyway it's prohibitively expensive.

I heard someone say Hawaii but from what I've read they just aren't very boat/marina friendly, very expensive and not a great gunk-holing local. Plus, it just a little too far. I want to be able to fly their easily.

Am I missing something? If I cast a wider net, is there another great year round location? I think the Med is too cold in the winter, the South Pacific has Cyclones and Asia is ??? Come to think of it, I know nothing about SE Asia.

This thread makes me appreciate the Sea of Cortez but we do have an insatiable cruiser's wonderlust.

It can indeed be expensive to register your boat in Florida -- unless it's an "antique." I think it only has to be 30 years old to qualify, but that might be 35. In any case, if your boat is "no spring chicken" it would be worth checking out.

[imagine2frolic]

I the taxes have been paid on the boat in another state, or was exmpt at one time. Florida will only charge you the normal filing fee. I know this from experience. I think it cost me less than $100 3 years ago........i2f

[zeehag]

reading the op's original post--mazatlan actually fits the description of what is being sought. yes there are storms with names, but it seems here is a natural named storm repellant.
the summer storms dont seem too bad, so far---- and many folks do keep boats here year round. i remained here thru summer----not too bad with air conditioning.
check out marina mazatlan--is more protected than el cid, see if that is what you seek.

[Agility]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. Shelter Bay Marina it is.

[imagine2frolic]

I think that's a good choice. It's open all year around, and everything is within several days sail for you if not several hours. Hope to run into you personallly, and not our boats to sau HI. I'll be in Las Brisas anchorage this coming week for several months.........i2f

[bigpuff]

great pics

[gpshephe]

wow that Marina is expensive. well over $1000 a month by my calculation

[colemj]

Hey!

When are you going to come move your boat out of Shelter Bay Marina? Our decks are all slippery with drool and we would like them safe again.

Mark

[Agility]

Just after Christmas.

[JamuJoe]

Agility,
Once you find your year-round, natural disaster-free, inexpensive sailing nirvana, best keep it quiet, or you'll have considerable company Another popular option in the Caribbean is winter cruising from Isla Mujeres south to Panama and sheltering for hurricane season in Rio Dulce, Guatemala.

[beachgirl1952]

snif snif, no Curaçao Marine? ...
(don't worry, I'm not objective, I'm a local hahaha) ...
too bad we won't meet, Agility ...
all joking aside: Curaçao would have been a great choice ...
maybe another time ...

I'm boatsitting as I write, at anchor in Spanish water, 3 months on an HR42Ketch ... took the boat to FuikBay for X-mas ...
a nice, very quiet bay (during weekdays) ...
friends sailed to Klein Curaçao for the holidays, others went to Bonaire ...

how come I missed Moondancer? ... or did we meet? ...

good luck, Agility and enjoy ...

[gpshephe]

I'll tell you about the Philippines. A long Typhoon season Aug-Dec. Can come anytime. Local weather forecasters don't predict well. But having said that there is one area that is pretty secluded, not having had a Typhoon hit directly since early 80's. The name of the Island is Bohol. Lacking Marina's, though. Live on the hook here. Sail to Neighboring Islands during good weather. Might see Manta Ray, Whale Sharks, Dolphin. Lots of snorkling and diving here. The locals are freindly, sometimes too much, but be nice and they won't bother you. They're poor, but not desperately. It has 3 malls, food markets, like safeway with cash registers and everything. Foods reasonable. Lots of fruits. Mango, papya, pineapple, oranges, apples.