Advice: Solo- Panama to LA Aug 2023 ~ 30 days

[llamadingo]

Hi all - this is my first post so kindly extend me the courtesy of not knowing this site very well (yet...) I'm happy to receive any advice or links to redirect me. Apologies in advance if this info is readily available on another thread.

Details: Solo sailor, 2010 Beneteau Oceanis 40. Left St. Augustine, Florida April 1st, 2023. Just completed sailing Bahamas- Greater Antilles- Lesser Antilles, ABC's, Columbia, over a 4 month period. Just transited the Panama Canal a few days ago and am now on the Pacific side of the canal. Heading home to Los Angeles and looking to ideally get to LA in 30-40-45 days.

The plan is to head up the coast, have preplanned anchorages/fuel stops in advance and be prepared to "duck in" along the way as needed (of course weather dependent.) Fuel tank is 53 gallons and just purchased another 60 gallons to give me more range options off of a single fuel stop. I'd rather choose to make a stop that "have to" due to fuel limits. I normally anchor and not really interested in going to a marina (unless weather/req fuel stop) and not interested in spending a few days/weeks exploring etc. on my way north. Also don't want to get caught in a "fuel stop" that would take me 2-3 days to check-in and 2-3 days to check out with immigration /customs closed on the weekends (after 12pm Sat) like Columbia...Hence the range extension with additional Jerry cans. Costa Rica comes to mind with the check-in cost and 72 hours advanced notice requirement.

Thought I'd see what others have done/heard/recommend AND how it may apply to August-Sept 2023 (vs. "It's better if you go 6 months from now...) I humbly understand that I may have a "slog" from Cabo to LA if I don't take the Clippers route/Square Riggers route but weighing options (safety, solo, etc.)

Apologies for the long post, but trying to be as complete as possible.
Thoughts?

Respectfully,
Kevin

[Benz]

Hi Kevin,

Checking in anywhere is usually a big and slow-motion pain. It usually consumes a day in any of the central american countries, and often most of a day to check out again, and it's not unusual to have to wait over a weekend, or at least until next day, when some office or bank will be open.
Best bet if not interested in going offshore is to budget for time wasted with officials. You might be allowed to slide if you communicate with a port captain in advance to see if you can just slide in and out for a quick fuel stop. It'd be easiest in a sport-fishing port like Quepos or another in Costa Rica.
Forget stopping quickly in Nicaragua or El Salvador for fuel.
Mexico will be worth checking into, since then you'll have the whole country to legally stop in if you need to, and I can't imagine soloing along an entire coast without wanting to stop for a rest. You have to pay a lot more attention near shore than way offshore.

[llamadingo]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for the info. Some good points. I don't have much experience checking in and out of Central America and Mexico and I assumed it would be like the other countries (always slow and 1-3 hours.) It helps me to have clearer expectations to have a whole day (potentially) for processing.

I'm not against stopping (for fuel and rest). Mexico (we'll call it the last 2/3 of the trip) I will checkin. Btw- Evenings I switch to the wake every 20-25 min and I seem to be managing that well.

So that leaves the other countries Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala. I may check in at Golfito, Costa Rica. Ill get my exit Zarpe and inform them that I will be making a stop (anchoring in Northern C.R.) before departing (per noonsite). Nicaragua I may just bypass due to safety /security concerns. (Thoughts?) Bypass the 4nm of Honduras (also no fuel). Bypassing both looks to be approximately two days.

Here's my thinking - if it's going to take me a day to check in and out of each country and I by pass Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and go straight to the southernmost Port of Entry in Mexico, which appears to be Puerto Madera, Chiapas. I anticipate 4 days of travel. I make it to Mexico and get their version of the Cruising permit and and then hop up the coast to Cabo.

My motoring range is 1000 miles with the additional jerry cans.

Would love to hear any thoughts or comments if I have some flawed logic.

[Benz]

Yeah, your logic sounds good. Golfito is a nice stop after coming around Punta Burica. There's no fuel in norther Costa Rica--at least there wasn't when I passed by--but there's great shelter in the last bay before Nicaragua.
Gulf of Fonseca is a good bailout option if you need rest/shelter. You can put in at Isla Meanguera and not worry about checking in. There's not really fuel or supplies, but you can get some rest.
If you need supplies, then you'll have to check into El Salvador at La Union. There's nowhere else easy....breaking bars.
Puerto Madero (AKA puerto Chiapas) has a fuel dock and a marina now, I believe. Great stop for shelter and supplies.

[llamadingo]

Hey Ben -

First off, thanks for confirming logic. Great!

I'm on route now 2/3 of way to Golfito. I should be there by tomorrow AM.

*Good tip on "the northermost bay in CR before Nicaragua" - assuming you mean the one with the anchorage Bahia Santa Elena. That looks like a good spot.

*Northernmost fuel stop in CR- I see a Fuel Depot at Puerto Culebra
10 38.411'N 85 39.127W (Hopefully this still operational). This should give me comfortable fuel range to hit Mexico.

*Gulf of Fonseca - definitely interested. Excellent anchorage suggestion for Isla Meanguera with no check-in. Great suggestion.

*Puerto Madero - Fuel and check-in. Thanks for confirming.

Are there any issues with ports in Mexico which are better than others? Ones to avoid? (theft, no dinghy doc, questionable safety?)

Very grateful for the comments and suggestions!

Best,
Kevin

[Benz]

Well, Mexico's a mixed bag, but pretty well documented. Once across Tehuantepec, Huatulco is the logical and easy choice for R and R.
Being the Pacific coast, every place that isn't tucked up behind corners will be swelly: Puerto Escondido, Zihuatanejo, etc.
Acapulco is the most theft-likely, IMO, but also a great re-supply spot and scenic city to check out. La Cruz de Huanacaxtle has good cruisers services: sailmakers etc if you need repairs.
Cabo is a rotten anchorage--I'd miss it if I was trying to pass by northbound; you might visit the fuel dock and then split.
Anyway, Mexico's coast is long and varied, and worth taking the time to cruise if you have it someday. Otherwise the latest cruising guide can at least give you the locations of the fuel docks, which might be what your mission needs most.

[llamadingo]

Thanks for the good overview. I think it's an important note, "every place that isn't tucked up behind corners will be swelly". I'll certainly log that in my considerations list if it's that consistent.

Good comments on Mexico overall. I'll be extra vigalent in ports like Acapulco, etc.
Cabo - Fuel stop with poor anchorage. Noted.
Navionics appears to have good fuel depot information.

For Cabo to Los Angeles any suggestions or experience? Other than point north, grin and bear it?

[Benz]

Originally Posted by llamadingo

Thanks for the good overview. I think it's an important note, "every place that isn't tucked up behind corners will be swelly". I'll certainly log that in my considerations list if it's that consistent.

Good comments on Mexico overall. I'll be extra vigalent in ports like Acapulco, etc.
Cabo - Fuel stop with poor anchorage. Noted.
Navionics appears to have good fuel depot information.

For Cabo to Los Angeles any suggestions or experience? Other than point north, grin and bear it?

Other than the obvious fuel stop in Turtle Bay, it's just as you said. I got to do it in a Santa Cruz 70, so pretty fast, but still a bumpy unpleasant slog.

[mvweebles]

Broad chartlet of anchorages along Baja. Most are open roadsteads. Mag Bay and Turtle Bay are well protected. Fuel is available, albeit at a steep price premium as these towns are a long way from the main highway.
La Paz v3.jpg Views: 119 Size: 393.9 KB ID: 279674" style="margin: 2px" />

[llamadingo]

Ben- Thanks again for the info and confirming.

Here is an update on my progress.
* Leg 1 - traveled from Panama Canal to Golfito, C.R.
* Leg 2 - traveled from Golfito to Chiapas, MX

I'll wait out some weather, do some repairs, and plan to head North on Sunday (today is Wed.)

Thanks

[llamadingo]

mvweebles - Thanks for the chartlet!Very handy and identifies some quick reference duck in points. Excellent.

Separate question:
Your chartlet starts at La Paz. Is there any obvious reason (i.e. current, etc.) other than wind at time of passage why I wouldn't want to go to Cabo San Lucas directly from Puerto Vallarta (vs. Mazatlan for example?)

[llamadingo]

I should add that I was heading northbound along C.R. toward the Nicaraguan border. I received this message from another cruiser from their first-hand account:

"So, be aware when you cross from Costa Rica over the Nicaraguan border. When we crossed there, two boats approached us at 3 AM from the stern without any indication of who they were. They didn’t show up on Radar or AIS. And they didn’t announce themselves through VHF or on a bullhorn. They came up fast on us within about 20 feet of our boat. And after a few minutes, they veered off into the darkness. I kept the throttle up and didn’t slow down or stop. Some folks think it could’ve been the Nicaraguan border patrol and others think they could’ve been drug runners looking for either the pick up or drop off boat."

Note: They were 50 nm out and transmitting AIS at the time.

This is when I changed my strategy and made the following adjustments:

1. Stayed 100 miles offshore (went from Golfito directly to Chiapas, MX)
2. Turned off AIS transmission to silent mode (rewired to receive only, no transmit)
3. Spotlight in arms reach, red cover removed
4. Fire extinguisher in cockpit
5. Biggest wrench in cockpit
6. If approached, plan to speed up, not stop, and swerve as needed

I didn't observe any incidents.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by Benz

Other than the obvious fuel stop in Turtle Bay, it's just as you said. I got to do it in a Santa Cruz 70, so pretty fast, but still a bumpy unpleasant slog.

Skip Turtle Bay. Turtle Bay is the "usual" stop, but the fuel guy there is dishonest, and will over charge you for watered down fuel.

Better to stop at Bahia Asuncion for fuel.

[A la carte]

FYI: I've only made the trip from Panama to the US west coast once. Forget what this phenomenon is called, but found crossing northbound to be a challenge (In January) due to a persistent plume of high winds off of Salina Cruz. This graphic shows the wind plume in a mild state.

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Better to stop at Bahia Asuncion for fuel.

Warren - Thanks for the advice. I'll note that fuel stop and plan accordingly. Appreciate the advice! Duly noted.

Best,
Kevin