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10-05-2021, 11:48
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Daytona beach fl
Boat: Morgan 383 1982
Posts: 31
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Sailing to Mexico from key west
I'm wanting to get out of fla for hurricane season thinking of Mexico can any one tell me if June would be a good time to get south, how about the current, or should I go thur Bahamas down to purta Rico,thanks
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10-05-2021, 11:49
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: San Diego, CA
Boat: 1987 Pearson 39-2
Posts: 126
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedomson
I'm wanting to get out of fla for hurricane season thinking of Mexico can any one tell me if June would be a good time to get south, how about the current, or should I go thur Bahamas down to purta Rico,thanks
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What makes you think any of those options are better than Florida?
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10-05-2021, 16:43
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: San Diego, CA
Boat: 1987 Pearson 39-2
Posts: 126
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedomson
What makes you think it won't!
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Historical hurricane tracks. You might be able to tuck into the northwest Gulf, if mother nature cooperates.
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10-05-2021, 16:45
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Naples, FL
Boat: Leopard Catamaran
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
IN recent years, both Mexico, and Puerto Rico have had several major hurricane strikes.
It's too late this year, but next year I plan on making Granada by June to below the hurricane belt.
Puerto Rico on the backside may be less risky than the Atlantic coast of Florida, but the time to leave was a few weeks ago, (months?).
My boat successfully rode out a hurricane on the Florida West coast last year in a fairly protected marina, That is all I can say.
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10-05-2021, 17:08
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,037
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
I too am perplexed by OP's statement to avoid hurricanes. The Yucatan, Bahamas, and Caribbean gets socked with regularity and with fewer refuge options than Florida.
But to answer the OP's question on best time to cross from Florida to Mexico, Pilot Charts show May through mid-June is decent for crossing Straits of Florida. Gulf Stream is against so you need some sort of strategy. Getting back is more of a challenge as winds are mostly from the east.
Good luck -
Peter
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10-05-2021, 17:15
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Daytona beach fl
Boat: Morgan 383 1982
Posts: 31
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
I'm getting a late start due to repairs if I can get down near Guatemala so any thanks
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10-05-2021, 18:04
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,037
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Hopefully, Belizesailor will chime in - he's very knowledgeable about this area. If it were me, I'd leave ASAP and move through to Rio ASAP. It's a longer trek than you think - Isla Mujeres is around halfway.
Good luck -
Peter
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11-05-2021, 10:05
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 14
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
When we came through Isla Mujeres on our trip from Panama to Tampa in early May of 2018, there were a bunch of folks that arrived in a race from FL to Isla Mujeres. The trip reportedly was not too bad, although different tactics used by different captains had different results  Not sure about waiting until June though, as you are probably more likely to hit at least some pretty good thunderstorm activity (we did in May). BTW, there is a very good, well protected marina up the channel in Isla Mujeres, MX. Having said that, I would vote for riding out hurricane season in FL as a better option. Best options would be to endure the season in Panama or Trinidad, in my opinion. Panama is below the hurricane belt, and we spent three years there. Guatemala is another decent option, according to friends that spend a lot of time on Rio Dulce.
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11-05-2021, 10:15
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#9
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Moderator

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Between Caribbean and Canada
Boat: Murray 33-Chouette & Pape Steelmaid-44-Safara-both steel cutters
Posts: 8,906
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Trinidad is still closed with no signs of opening.
luperon comes to mind, tough to get to but easy ride back with option of going forward.
We spent 3 seasons on the hard in Grenada.
We are thinking of staging our of PR in the future. Forget the marina name but on East end, huge, lots of tie downs, has taken direct hits before with minimum damage.
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11-05-2021, 11:11
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Daytona beach fl
Boat: Morgan 383 1982
Posts: 31
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Quote:
Originally Posted by hpeer
Trinidad is still closed with no signs of opening.
luperon comes to mind, tough to get to but easy ride back with option of going forward.
We spent 3 seasons on the hard in Grenada.
We are thinking of staging our of PR in the future. Forget the marina name but on East end, huge, lots of tie downs, has taken direct hits before with minimum damage.
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Thanks for the info
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11-05-2021, 11:14
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Daytona beach fl
Boat: Morgan 383 1982
Posts: 31
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Quote:
Originally Posted by capn_billl
IN recent years, both Mexico, and Puerto Rico have had several major hurricane strikes.
It's too late this year, but next year I plan on making Granada by June to below the hurricane belt.
Puerto Rico on the backside may be less risky than the Atlantic coast of Florida, but the time to leave was a few weeks ago, (months?).
My boat successfully rode out a hurricane on the Florida West coast last year in a fairly protected marina, That is all I can say.
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Thanks for the info
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11-05-2021, 11:20
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 2,691
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedomson
I'm getting a late start due to repairs if I can get down near Guatemala so any thanks
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Remember to check your insurance before you go. Many policies' coverage date turns on June 1st as the "bewitching hour", so you may need a rider if you intend to effectively be sailing into it...
Fair winds - and I do mean that!
Warmly,
LittleWing77
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11-05-2021, 11:59
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#13
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cruiser
Join Date: May 2011
Boat: Hitchhiker, Catamaran, 40'
Posts: 1,826
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
After buying our boat and spending six months repairing it in south Florida we had the same dilemma. We sailed directly from Key West to Guatemala in June 2011. This is by far a better choice than stopping in Mexico first. You basically motor across the Gulf Stream (as opposed to against it). You want to round the western tip of Cuba as close as possible (we could see it). At some point you exit the Gulf Stream and maybe (if you are lucky) encounter a favorable counter current for awhile and at this point should also encounter favorable wind. One look at this Windy.com view of the current (we didn't have this back then) will show why to avoid Mexico as a stop on this route. https://www.windy.com/-Show---add-mo....054,-77.937,6
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12-05-2021, 07:46
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Wichita/Pensacola
Boat: Lagoon TPI 37'
Posts: 560
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Re: Sailing to Mexico from key west
Rio Dulce, find a river off the ICW in west Florida, or pull boat out and anchor.
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