Heading South: Latitude 38's Guide to Sailing and Cruising the Coast of Mexico and Central America
Cruising News for Mexico and Beyond
The 30th Annual Latitude 38 Baja Ha-Ha Was One of the Best Ever!
Stay Tuned for Information on Baja Ha-Ha 2026.
The Latest Cruising News
Entries for the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ edition of the Baja Ha-Ha keep rolling in, having just reached 144. We’ll spare you the ‘gross’ jokes and instead remind anyone thinking of doing this annual rally from San Diego the Cabo San Lucas in late October, that just four weeks remain to enter before the September 10 deadline.…
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We want to thank everyone who responded to Monday’s mention that there were a couple of slots open on Profligate for the Ha-Ha. Due to the overwhelming response, we can’t take anymore inquiries. Doña de Mallorca will be putting together the team by this weekend, and will be letting everyone know whether they are on…
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"We’re entry #47 in this fall’s Baja Ha-Ha and we intend to take our two dogs," writes David Bloom of the Long Beach-based Vector 39 Thee Amazing Grace. "We only know that paperwork/documentation must be done within 30 days of our arrival in Mexico. We were hoping to find more specifics in the Ha-Ha literature,…
Read MoreA couple of months ago, we decided that we wouldn’t be too disappointed if we ended up with only 100 entries for the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ Baja Ha-Ha, which departs San Diego on October 26 for Cabo, with R&R stops at Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria. After all, the local, state, national and world economies…
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Our fingers are sore from stuffing packets. Inside, sponsor flyers pitch attractive offers – such as up to 50% off on berthing along the coast. latitude/Annie©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Despite our gloomy economy — or perhaps because of it — there is no shortage of cruisers preparing to head south this year with the…
Read MoreCruising Resources - Articles From the Latitude 38 Archives
Read the 2023 First Timer’s Guide to Mexico
Latitude 38's First Timer's Guide to Mexico Update for 2023.
Why Cruise Mexico?
Walk the docks of any marina from Vancouver to San Diego this summer and you're likely to find dozens of sailors fitting out their boats for extended cruising. Where are they headed? While some undoubtedly have lofty dreams of eventually cruising the South Pacific, the Caribbean or the Med, destination numero uno for almost all of them is Mexico.
Fitting Out: The Cruisers Back Porch
A centuries-old adage claims, "You can tell a lot about a sailor by the cut of his jib." But when it comes to modern cruisers, nothing reveals more about their sailing style than the 'back porch' of their boat. That is, the stern section, which may house everything from solar panels to surfboards, and barbecues to radar domes.
Favorite Sailing Apps
One of the frustrating aspects of living in this 'app-happy' era of endless innovation is that is it seems almost impossible to keep up with the latest, greatest developments in technology — including smartphone, tablet and computer software related to boating.
The Info on AIS
Now more than ever, the modern sailor has lots to choose from when it comes to navigation and safety instruments. Communication devices such as the Iridium GO! and Garmin inReach (which also has GPS capabilities) have complemented the single-sideband radio and VHF. Chartplotters have digitized and dramatically simplified navigation, and radar has long been an important tool for identifying marine traffic, obstacles and weather.
Offshore Communication
With the ever-expanding assortment of communications devices designed for offshore sailing, comes the dilemma of deciding which ones belong on your 'must-have' list, and which ones you can live without — especially if you're on a limited budget. With that in mind, we'll share some tips and insights here that we hope will reduce your befuddlement.
Communications: Idiots Guide to SSB
Despite several advances in offshore voice communications such as satphones, marine single sideband (SSB) isn't going away anytime soon. That's because SSB, unlike satphones, allows an unlimited number of people to listen to a transmission at the same time.
Small Boat Adventuring in the Sea of Cortez
You don't have to own a fully equipped 50-ft cruising boat to enjoy the spectacular Sea of Cortez, a vast, sparsely developed wonderland for sailors and adventurers.
Latitude reader Derek Rice and a buddy recently had big fun tapping into the region's magic aboard a 44-year-old Catalina 22 daysailer.
Cruising Notes—Things to Know Before You Go
