Sad Day For Chartering In Baja Moorings Says Adios

[s/v Jedi]

May be there is too much killing going on in the country for many tourists to enjoy it anymore. I know of many who go elsewhere because of that.

[John A]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I've seen a couple of "Mexicans" who spent the last 20-30 years in the USA running sport fishers who then take them down to Mexico and run out of there. So sure, it's a "Mexican" who's running the operation but they moved to Los Angeles when they were two years old and barely speak Spanish.

I knew a guy from the UK who secured a "green card" and was running a day charter out of Tampa. I also knew another Brit who was a diesel mechanic in Galveston who'd been there on a two week tourist visa for 3 years and his newborn was given a US Passport.
So your point is.......?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by John A

I knew a guy from the UK who secured a "green card" and was running a day charter out of Tampa. I also knew another Brit who was a diesel mechanic in Galveston who'd been there on a two week tourist visa for 3 years and his newborn was given a US Passport.
So your point is.......?

My point is that the intent in Mexico is for business to largely favor "Mexicans", as in the citizenry that lives in the country. The reality is that very few Mexicans have the financial means to own and operate an ocean going vessel for hire, certainly not at the standards that a typical charter customer would be willing to pay.

[ayachtguy]

Coincidentally, and I'm sure they didn't know Moorings was pulling the plug, CharterSavvy.com just did a huge feature on chartering in Baja with lots of good information.

I'm sorry the sail side of Moorings Baja is going away but, having spent a lot of time both on my own boat and on Moorings power charters, I think sailors might enjoy going over to The Dark Side for a Baja charter.

Winds are often so light and flukey in the Sea of Cortez that it's not much fun to sail. And, I have to say, pulling into an anchorage, dropping the hook, firing up the generator and enjoying the air conditioning while blending a margarita ain't all bad!!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ayachtguy.

[jeremiason]

I am surprised that the Moorings keep the Charter base in La Paz for so long....

We spent six months in the Sea of Cortez and loved it, but for about 3-5 months out of the year it can be an unforgiving place.

The winter storms come down from the north making the Sea a big washing machine. Also from abut Dec-May the Sea of Cortez cools to a chilly 70 degrees.

On the other side the Summer brings the possibility of hurricanes.

I always though a better place for a Charter Base would have been Manzanillo, where there are lots of beautiful anchorages and great wintertime weather.

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

May be there is too much killing going on in the country for many tourists to enjoy it anymore. I know of many who go elsewhere because of that.

I have argued this to death... But I will try one more time.

After cruising from San Francisco, California through the Panama Canal and on to Punta Gorda, Florida (9,500 NM over 33 months) we opinioned the best cruising spot we encountered was the Sea of Cortez followed closely by Pacific Mexico.

The Sea of Cortez and Pacific Mexico have more anchorages and cheaper prices than anywhere in Central America or the Caribbean side of Mexico. The Mexican people were over all more friendly than there cousins to the south as well.

During our time in Mexico many of our friend's made comments just like your Quote...

The only crime we saw during our 19 months in Pacific Mexico was occasional outboard motor theft and one vessel was burglarized when it sat unoccupied at anchor. The famous "drug crimes" of Mexico seldom get around tourist areas and even less frequently visit the Marinas or anchorages.

Those who believe that Mexico is to dangerous to visit are missing out on a wonderful place and an especially wonderful cruising destination...

[Bash]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

I am surprised that the Moorings keep the Charter base in La Paz for so long....

Agreed. Timid charterers have always found such places as the BVI more inviting than the Sea of Cortez. Tourism in Mexico has suffered significantly ever since the US Department of State travel warning went into effect several years ago. Combine this with lack of an infrastructure (such as towboats and coast-guard presence) and a sailing season that doesn't attract clients during the hot summer months, and it's amazing the Moorings fleet remained in La Paz as long as it did.

[nimblemotors]

I would guess the Moorings had trouble finding other people to buy their million dollar boats for them anymore, not so much demand for services declined.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

Those who believe that Mexico is to dangerous to visit are missing out on a wonderful place and an especially wonderful cruising destination...

I think you took my comment wrong; we even cruised Venezuela and aren't feeling places are too dangerous so quick. The thing is that people from many countries don't like it much when so many people are killed. For example, the people in Holland wanted their armed forces to pull out of Afghanistan because too many people were killed there. Even if we're not on the receiving side, we can still not agree with it.

In Mexico it started out with security forces and kartel members being killed, but that has progressed to whole resorts with tourists being murdered etc. Regardless, too much killing going on for the tastes of many and it doesn't matter how safe the cruising is for those who feel that way. Not wonderful at all

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

I am surprised that the Moorings keep the Charter base in La Paz for so long....

We spent six months in the Sea of Cortez and loved it, but for about 3-5 months out of the year it can be an unforgiving place.

The winter storms come down from the north making the Sea a big washing machine. Also from abut Dec-May the Sea of Cortez cools to a chilly 70 degrees.

On the other side the Summer brings the possibility of hurricanes.

I always though a better place for a Charter Base would have been Manzanillo, where there are lots of beautiful anchorages and great wintertime weather.

Yep, the Caribe is a little more consistantly nice water and weather. and the Sea is often down to 63 degrees!
As far as crime..hmmm... I've personally seen or had it happen to friends too much there to just ignore it and say it's no worse than elsewhere. (and that was the 80's-90's!, worse now I imagine) But like all places, the odds are pretty low if you are smart.

[rebel heart]

We're roasting right now in the Sea of Cortez and we're still a month away from the peak heat and humidity. Either way, it will be nice to get out of the marina and swing on the hook again.

As hot as this place is I'll take it any day of the week over the mainland. I went back to Banderas Bay for a couple of days in June: the weather was gross. And again, that's a few months away from the really hot days.

[az_r2d1]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

My point is that the intent in Mexico is for business to largely favor "Mexicans", as in the citizenry that lives in the country. The reality is that very few Mexicans have the financial means to own and operate an ocean going vessel for hire, certainly not at the standards that a typical charter customer would be willing to pay.

This is very true. Non-Mexicans can not own real estate on the coast either. There is a way around it with bank-trusts but you end up paying a lot of money for it.

[settingsun]

I dunno... the Sea of Cortez is an okay sailing destination if you take your own boat, but if I were going to spend big bucks on a charter I don't know if I'd go there.

We watched several Moorings boats really struggling in very ugly conditions. We could sit tight in our own boat and wait out the Norther (they happen all the time in winter -- this was mid-November), but those guys had just one week, so they bashed like crazy to try to get to the first anchorage a few miles from the Moorings base. If I were them I would have been wishing I'd spent my money on a charter somewhere else. The weather didn't let up for 3-4 days...

I remember reading an article about a family's charter in the Sea of Cortez and it started with "We couldn't go out for the first three days because of the weather..." They found things to do in La Paz while they waited, but that wouldn't make me too happy!!! It was unclear if they were reimbursed for those missed days.

[John A]

If you like brown dry barren landscapes than the Sea of Cortez is for you. If you like palm trees and things green than go somewhere else.