Hurricane Advice

[Cirruscloud]

Hello all,

I'm considering making a passage from Puerto Vallarta to Nicaragua (Marina Puesto del Sol) Between the dates of June 1- July 10. After July 10, I have to head off to go to work for 6 weeks. It seems that Marina Puesto del Sol is out of the hurricane belt as far as my insurance is concerned. But I'm not sure if this passage will be safe so late in the season.

Can I expect some SEasterlies on this passage?

What are the winds at the Gulf of Tehuantepec like this time of year?

Any chance of hurricanes or depressions?

Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

Brennan

[rebel heart]

I'd recommend the guide books from these guys. For $13 a piece (there are two of them) they cover the areas you're talking about and go into detail on the weather.

Guide Books -- Cruising Guide Books to Central America

[Caribsailors]

But I'm not sure if this passage will be safe so late in the season.

Late in the Season... Hurricane Season begins In June & ends in December on the Caribbean side. Not sure of the Pacific side for sure. For us August, September and October is when I start to really pay attention.

We're planning a trip to Cuba the first two weeks of July and have no worry, but always a watchful eye.

Cheers

[ovrmyhead]

Tehuantepec has a good time of year? I'd say move fast when you get a window. You probably know this already but watch the gulf weather and you can see when it builds and flushes into Tehuantepec. Easier to pick your window that way. And stay out of Salina Cruz if you can. It would take some pretty bad weather to get me to pull into that sh**hole again. I had no troubles in Puerto Chiapas though. And I was there for quite a while. They use to have trouble there and my guidebook still says to stay away but the port Captain and eveyone else was friendly and helpful.

[John A]

Salina Cruz is the mid point of the shoreline of the Bay of Tehuantepec. A saddle or low area created in the Continental Divide seperating the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean channels winds through this area. Gale force winds blow offshore an average of 135 days a year and collide with the long ocean swells of the Pacific Ocean creating enormus swells..

In May of 2001, I was in a group of boats that waited for a week for a four day weather window from SSB weather forcasting before we made our dash south. We motor sailed about a half mile from shore and the seas were so flat that we "cut the cornor" and went further offshore. I was ten miles offshore before the ten to twelve foot building seas forced me to head toward shore to find calmer waters

Treat this short passage with extreme respect!

[GordMay]

Pilot Charts depict averages in prevailing winds and currents, air and sea temperatures, wave heights, ice limits, visibility, barometric pressure, and weather conditions at different times of the year.
The Atlas of Pilot Charts set is comprised of five volumes, each covering a specific geographic region. Each volume is an atlas of twelve pilot charts, each depicting the observed conditions for a particular month of any given year.
The charts are intended to aid the navigator in selecting the fastest and safest routes with regards to the expected weather and ocean conditions. The charts are not intended to be used for navigation.

Atlas of Pilot Charts ➥ Maritime Safety Information

http :// msi.nga.mil / NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_6 2&pubCode=0003

[Cirruscloud]

Thanks for all of your replies. Looking back I think it was a pretty stupid question. Definitely not a good idea to be moving around the pacific coast of Mexico during hurricane season. So instead I took a couple more weeks off work and made the passage down to Nicaragua. I used the Explore Central America Ebooks from S/V Sarana, which were indispensable. My Tehuantepec crossing went really well, I sneaked through there between two wind events. We actually had a bit of southerly onshore winds for the crossing. Marina Puesta del Sol in Nicaragua is really nice spot. Good surfing close by...

[sailronin]

While crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec keep "one foot on the beach", I try to stay on the 50 fathom curve. On that line you're clear of any hazards but still close enough to the beach that should the wind come up there's no fetch so the seas are flat (you will get "sandblasted" but not too bad). I try to be on the 50 curve before I get to Huatulco and head offshore just north of the Guatemala border.

Have a good trip