Leaving San Diego for Mexico in February ?

[Cheechako]

Left San Diego with a good forecast in near flat seas and very light winds one early February. By midnight had 35 knots of wind and 16 foot seas off the stbd quarter. It was a bit wild but actually a nice fast run. I still remember the sound of those waves breaking behind us in the dark, the boat slowing down as it's sucked up the face of the wave, the run down the face and then the sails going slack in the trough! This lasted most of 3 days. Ended up being very tired so took the time to stop in Cedros. (was going right for Turtle then Mag Bay) It takes more time to make that Cedros diversion than you might think. Cedros was a pit...rocky bottom, swell coming in, and had that company town feel.... didnt feel like the real mexico at all. (1985)

[engele]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Left San Diego with a good forecast in near flat seas and very light winds one early February. By midnight had 35 knots of wind and 16 foot seas off the stbd quarter. It was a bit wild but actually a nice fast run. I still remember the sound of those waves breaking behind us in the dark, the boat slowing down as it's sucked up the face of the wave, the run down the face and then the sails going slack in the trough! This lasted most of 3 days. Ended up being very tired so took the time to stop in Cedros. (was going right for Turtle then Mag Bay) It takes more time to make that Cedros diversion than you might think. Cedros was a pit...rocky bottom, swell coming in, and had that company town feel.... didnt feel like the real mexico at all. (1985)

I sincerely hope that this doesn't happen to us. This isn't normal weather for that time of year down there is it? Obviously we don't get to choose our weather once we leave the dock.

[Cheechako]

Of course the day after we left the marine report called for Near Gale conditions... which is exactly what we had. It may be somewhat "normal" for the pacific many times of year off shore. It's behind you, doable... just dont be towing a dingy! Looking back, it would have been more fun if I had more offshore experience at the time.. The morning after it quit, just at daybreak, I was being followed by what appeared to be a small freighter. I kept changing course and he kept following. I finally called on the Vhf for a position report (sat nav seldom worked). The skipper called back and said he'd send it over with a boarding party! I was boarded by the USCG in the leftover sloppy seas. Those young guys were literally green in the face! They didnt stay long....

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by engele

I sincerely hope that this doesn't happen to us. This isn't normal weather for that time of year down there is it? Obviously we don't get to choose our weather once we leave the dock.

I've done the trip down four times. Three in races and once on the baja ha. I've done the trip back three times as well. On the trip down two times I have had lots of wind (over 30) once was in Feb once was on Baja Ha Ha. I don't remember when the other two races were. I have done the bash three times and all three times I have hit hard weather for a period of time. The weather can be anything from flat calm to blowing a gale. It is really nice to have at least an SSB receiver so that you can listen to the weather forecasts from Herb (I think that is his name) on one of the SSB nets. He was very helpful in getting us up the coast unscathed this last trip. We had to hunker down in Bahia San Carlos for five nights but other then that we had a pretty easy time. There are plenty of stops along the way to take your time going down the coast. You can get most of the way (perhaps all the way) down with nothing more then an overnight sail.

[engele]

This trip is definitely going to be my big initiation into offshore sailing. I have some limited experience on other people's boats outside of protected water, but never on my own. We may have a few very experienced crew, but we may not as well. Schedules vary. I guess I will look for a good ten day forecast, and make the jumps I can when it looks good.

[zeehag]

february is a windy time with nw storms affecting the passage. i left in march on prefrontals for a helluva storm that hit when we got into ensenada. was hoping to make mazatlan in only one leg, but gods of sea have different ideas than you can hope for. this being an l nino year until june 1 ish, is a good ide to be prepared for cold, wet and wild.
some of this c, w , w weathr does leav by cabo, then some other nice big winds come into play. be ready and have smooth sailing.
right now is cold in sea of cortez with northers frequently occurring, bringing more cold.
smooth sailing. yes i am still in mazatlan. we get the south end of the northers and at night has been 46 degrees F. winds to 25 or so mph in the anchorage. still beats the occasional 50-90+ kt winds and cold cold rain on san diego. dont forget is an el nino event until june.
passage weather has best winter forecasting but is still only really good for a coupla few days--no more than 4 in sequence. stuff happens and weather will change on ye.

[engele]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I've done the trip down four times. Three in races and once on the baja ha. I've done the trip back three times as well. On the trip down two times I have had lots of wind (over 30) once was in Feb once was on Baja Ha Ha. I don't remember when the other two races were. I have done the bash three times and all three times I have hit hard weather for a period of time. The weather can be anything from flat calm to blowing a gale. It is really nice to have at least an SSB receiver so that you can listen to the weather forecasts from Herb (I think that is his name) on one of the SSB nets. He was very helpful in getting us up the coast unscathed this last trip. We had to hunker down in Bahia San Carlos for five nights but other then that we had a pretty easy time. There are plenty of stops along the way to take your time going down the coast. You can get most of the way (perhaps all the way) down with nothing more then an overnight sail.

Thank you Charlie,

We have an SSB and Pactor Modem. I still need to get it figured out and buy another control cable. If I can get that figured out, we should have access not only to the cruising and weather nets (which we have now), but also weatherfax and grib files. I've also toyed with the idea of buying a satellite radio as well as a weather backup.

[engele]

Originally Posted by zeehag

february is a windy time with nw storms affecting the passage. i left in march on prefrontals for a helluva storm that hit when we got into ensenada. was hoping to make mazatlan in only one leg, but gods of sea have different ideas than you can hope for. this being an l nino year until june 1 ish, is a good ide to be prepared for cold, wet and wild.
some of this c, w , w weathr does leav by cabo, then some other nice big winds come into play. be ready and have smooth sailing.
right now is cold in sea of cortez with northers frequently occurring, bringing more cold.
smooth sailing. yes i am still in mazatlan. we get the south end of the northers and at night has been 46 degrees F. winds to 25 or so mph in the anchorage. still beats the occasional 50-90+ kt winds and cold cold rain on san diego. dont forget is an el nino event until june.
passage weather has best winter forecasting but is still only really good for a coupla few days--no more than 4 in sequence. stuff happens and weather will change on ye.

The sea gods definitely toy with us at times. I hate breaking things on my boat as well and would like to avoid storms if I can (wouldn't we all). I will watch the weather nets while out and get the best forecast I can before we push off.

[Cheechako]

It helps to set your expectation for strong winds and seas. If you and your crew expect to have those, then no surprises and less fear of the unknown! Personally I would just "get er done" and make the first stop Turtle bay....

[zeehag]

th good thing about the pnw storms is they themselves dont make it south of bahia tortugas.... once south of there, count on a blow north of cabo-- stay inside cedros, as outside is a rough spot--inside just watch put fro punta eugenia and abreojos and other rocky spots. get south of sea of cortez and south of pv. a freind left 5 days ago for la cruz and came back to mazatlan instead of making it to la cruz--is mess out there. there are windows-- check the entire pacific ocean on passage weather to see what you are gonna find. smooth sailing. come see me in old harbor, mazatlan.

[engele]

Originally Posted by zeehag

th good thing about the pnw storms is they themselves dont make it south of bahia tortugas.... once south of there, count on a blow north of cabo-- stay inside cedros, as outside is a rough spot--inside just watch put fro punta eugenia and abreojos and other rocky spots. get south of sea of cortez and south of pv. a freind left 5 days ago for la cruz and came back to mazatlan instead of making it to la cruz--is mess out there. there are windows-- check the entire pacific ocean on passage weather to see what you are gonna find. smooth sailing. come see me in old harbor, mazatlan.

Will do. Thank you for your very helpful advice Zee.

[engele]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

It helps to set your expectation for strong winds and seas. If you and your crew expect to have those, then no surprises and less fear of the unknown! Personally I would just "get er done" and make the first stop Turtle bay....

This was my initial plan. I am 50/50 on clearing in Ensenada, just to give us a bit more flexibility as to where we can head in along the way.

[highseas]

El Nino year? I think rather La Nina is having an effect for sure.This seems a repeat of last year,maybe even cooler.Watch the easterly gap wind west of Lapaz on outside,and north of Cedros.

[zeehag]

is el nino if you listen to the weather gods. also if you look at the patterning of the currents of the pacific. we had la then el then la now el for past few years.

ensenada has easiest check in ... do that and then dont forget to check into each lil place that has a port captain-- they get twitchy whenye dont. is easier to check into intra-mexican ports than to check in first time for the duration. you have 48-72 hours to leave after check out, so is a lil mellow.
do NOT lose your tourist visa. ( dont ask me how i know that one..LOL)

it is downhill, so isnt as bad as trying to bash into seas and headwinds.

[highseas]

According to NOAA,the present La Nina is weakening early this spring followed by a neutral period before predicted strong El Nino begins.