Heading South: Latitude 38's Guide to Sailing and Cruising the Coast of Mexico and Central America
Cruising News for Mexico and Beyond
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The Latest Cruising News
Flintstones, meet the Flintstones, the modern sailing family . . . latitude/JR© Latitude 38 Media, LLC Roughly 600 sailors gathered in San Diego for the annual Baja Ha-Ha Costume Kickoff Party which, by any measure, was a smash hit. Despite the fact that every boater who’s about to go cruising has a to-do list a…
Read MoreIf you’re heading south to the sunny latitudes of Mexico and are new to the cruising life you may not be aware of the cruiser nets that keep sailors updated on weather, local events and other topical news. In San Diego, the local cruisers’ net is run by Downwind Marine on VHF Channel 68, daily…
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From the Grand Poobah himself, here is some important info relating to the Ha-Ha: 1) Offshore flow is returning to SoCal and the air quality is much better. In any event, the conditions on the waterfront are nowhere nearly as bad as they were in 2003. "You can even see the stars at night," announced…
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There are only two ways to get an official Baja Ha-Ha tattoo: Participate in the event, or fly down to Cabo with a bunch of Latitudes – thus becoming an instant Ha-Ha hero! latitude/Andy©2007 Latitude 38 Media, LLC Is anyone out there flying down to Cabo to rendezvous with the Baja Ha-Ha XIV fleet? If…
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Although this Bristol Channel Cutter is traditionally rigged, that doesn’t mean she needs to have a stodgy paint job. © 2007 Terry Nugent Despite the fact that Terry Nugent’s 26-ft Bristol Channel Cutter Eye of Infinity IV is the smallest boat in this year’s Baja Ha-Ha fleet, she definitely won’t go unnoticed. In fact, her…
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 SSBÂ
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
Thanks to the 204 Baja Ha-Ha Sponsors!
