Mexico Advice?

[northoceanbeach]

I bought a boat in Washington and am preparing to go down to Southern California. I'm hoping to go further, especially Baja, but don't want to make too big of plans in case it doesn't go as well as hoped.

But I do want I go to baja and the mainland. The sea of Cortez yes, but I like to surf even more than I like to sail so the parts of Mexico expose are higher on my list.

Plus my favorite climate is dry and arid meets salt water.

I hear too many horror stories about Mexico these days but if I looked up crime in Chicago I would hear lots of horror stores. What is it really like? I like to be left alone. Not that I don't want to talk to people and make friends or am afraid of adventure. But I don't know how to describe this, um, I have a healthy respect for the ocean but it doesn't scare me, the waves don't scare me. Uh...bears don't scare me. But people scare me. So I don't want to go anchor all alone in Alaska. I like making friends, but don't like weird conflict if that makes any sense. Example. Being harrassed by federales. It's why I've always wanted to go to the South Pacific and why part of the year I do like the PNW so much. Nice and friendly. What is Mexico like?

If I be a cheap ass and mostly anchor and way a but like local. What does it cost per month?

[JPA Cate]

If you don't get any current answers, try PMing The Third Day, I think he calls himself, fairly recently returned from Mexico, or Rebel Heart, who is preparing to leave Mexico for the Marquesas.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

What is Mexico like?
If I be a cheap ass and mostly anchor and way a but like local. What does it cost per month?

As a single guy anchoring out, you can live like a king on $1000/mo in Mexico. We cruised Mexico (Sea of Cortez to Southern Mainland) for 4 years as a family of 4 and spent about $1200/mo and we ate out all the time. Key to keeping our expenses low was avoiding the Marinas, which are the same cost (if not more) than they are in Southern California!

Is there crime against cruisers in Mexico? I say it's overblown and hyped.
We saw (or heard througt the Cruiser's Coconut Telegraph) no more crime against Cruisers in Mexico than there is against boaters in general in the United States. It's the fear (rational or not) of having crime happen in a foreign Country I think that gets people nutty...along with not speaking the language. Don't know spanish, sure work on it, but you can speak no more Spanish than "Taco and Si" and be perfectly at home, honestly, Baja California and Baja California Sur (the two states that make up Baja) are more and more becomming extensions of Southern California.

Deciding to anchor out, you could pick anchorages with no one around and not see people for weeks, or you can follow the standard well traveled cruiser circut and have 30 boats in an anchorage...it's all up to you. Be a hermit or a Potluck organizer...your choice...there are all types and all have the space to cruise how they want.


Our daily interactions with Mexicans and I believe the "average Mexican", are nicer and friendlier than the "average american". Hey...plus the food is better! I'm driving down to Ensenada this weekend and am already dreaming of the Taco Carts!

Want good real-time info on Mexico?
Join the Yahoo Southbound Group


The ONLY reason we came back to the US was so our two kids could go to "normal" high school, but as soon as they are done, we are moving back to Mexico with the intent of only coming back to the US to visit family.

[chouliha]

Rich hits it...... Stay out of marinas and you will cut your living expenses by more than 50%. 7 years in Mexico it was the one biggest expense.

Spend some money on oversize anchor gear and it will be money very well spent

Chuck

[zeehag]

y'all forgot zeehag sitting in barra de navidad, jalisco , mexico with rebuilding engine and repairs...lol
all i do is make weather reporting an d pix for souls in mexico during furycame season and updating of paperwork issues..
for official weather site, use sonrisanet.org. is mexico weather and warnings. good site
and SO, here goes.
info on mexicoi current needs paperwork issues.
you will need passport, document, an dinsurance. liability is mandatory in cruising mexico.
is also mandatory in gaining marina slippage especially during storm season, when those of us with insurance ar e welcomed into marinas. must pay for slip an dmust have insurance. electricity is metered in most marinas.
you wil also NEED temporary import permits for BOTH boat and youe sport boat, ie, fastassd ink. these ar econsidered sport boats in mexico.
new regulations demand this. i believe i this is for our safety as many of these disappear from folks with lax security, as well a ssome with good security habits.
if you have only a rowboat, you do nopt need a tip for it. you DO need one for your
lil zoom dink with your fancy fast planing engine. caribe, avon, achilles, allll the tenderrs with planing capabilities are sport boats.
do not fail to buy your tip for them.
from latitude 38:

Understanding Mexican Import Rules

September 3, 2014 – The West Coast of Mexico

As regular readers know, various agencies of the Mexican government have been taking steps lately to streamline immigration and boat-import procedures. In some cases it's been two steps forward, one step back — especially in terms of government website glitches. But the general trend is very positive.

The latest example of this is that the SAT agency (sort of a Mexican IRS) has just taken a proactive step to keep visiting boaters out of trouble by establishing a grace period to get their "sport boats," which we take to mean dinghies, in compliance with the law. The issue is that when you apply online for a Temporary Import Permit (TIP), unless you enter info in a specific way, you may end up with a 10-year permit for your mothership, but only 180 days for your dinghy. To address this situation, SAT has posted signs in at least one popular marina stating:

"Do you need to update the Temporary Import Permit data of your boat? Do it before December 31. If you have a 'sport boat', you can ask for the substitution of your Temporary Import Permit to modify the boat or importer data.

"1) Go to the Banjercito module and present your Temporary Import Permit and the hologram.

"2) Submit the documentation that certifies the boat or owner data and the data of the person who did the import.

"3) Submit the accurate documentation to prove the ownership of the previous Temporary Import boat.

"4) Pay the equivalent in national (Mexican) currency of $51 USD plus VAT in respect of proceedings.

"The new temporary import permit will be emitted by the time left on the previous permit."

Sound complicated? Yeah, a little. That's another reason that the we are imploring all Baja Ha-Ha boat owners to hold off on applying for either TIPs or visas online until they receive specific instructions from the Rally Committee. That will happen in the next couple of weeks.

- latitude / andy

i am soo glad i row......rodlmffao.
do not forget i AM and have been in mexico for over 3 1/2 years, now..i kinda know rules and regs pretty well, not to mention spanish and where the GOOD mechanics are.
and many friends, workers and govt officials alike. is nice here.
just ask.

[Greg4cocokai]

Zee, it's an old thread.


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[zeehag]

greg-- so what. mexico advice is still relevant.
if you wish, i will start another new mexico advice thread so they can merge them and still have same situation.
it doesnt make sense to have 9000000000 mexico advice threads, as mexico advice is still relevant and in dire need by cruisers coming here.

if you look at the dates of posts, i believe we are still in 2014, and dates on posts are 2014, so it seems someone cannot read dates or doesnt know in what year we are still living.
you need to read this info if you are considering coming here to mexico.
advice is advice and always relevant.
isnt like this thread is dated 1999 or something,...rodlmffao

"Zee, it's an old thread.


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__________________
GREG, s/v COCOKAI
currently, Salvador, Brazil"