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 Departs November 4th!Â
The Latest Cruising News
The Alameda-based Tayana 47 Oceanaire was looking good flying twin blue headsails on the approach to Turtle Bay.latitude/Andy© Latitude 38 Media, LLC Over the past two days, the Baja Ha-Ha XVIII fleet arrived at the small fishing town of Bahia Tortugas (Turtle Bay), where they received an exceedingly warm welcome from the local population, as…
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The conditions couldn’t be any more perfect for the fleet of the Baja Ha-Ha 18, says the Grand Poobah. The crew of the mothership, Profligate, called in via sat phone this morning to let us know that — despite an anomaly in their Spot track that shows they sailed a couple miles inland on Cedros…
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“Party like a Roman!” Many crews picked a theme to show their unity. latitude/Andy© Latitude 38 Media, LLC Despite gloomy gray skies, the 137-boat Baja Ha-Ha XVIII rally fleet headed south with boundless enthusiasm. It was no wonder the mood was upbeat, though, because for many of the 503 participants this 750-mile cruise to Cabo…
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With this morning’s start of Baja Ha-Ha XVIII — the ‘Barely Legal’ Ha-Ha — Saturday and Sunday were the Costco runs for much of the Ha-Ha fleet. With 12 to 14 crew on the mothership Profligate each year, the Costco run has become a hallowed tradition. On your marks, get set . . . latitude/Richard©2011…
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The October issue of Latitude 38 hits the streets today, just in time for the weekend! latitude/Annie© Latitude 38 Media, LLC As you’ll read in the October edition of Latitude 38 magazine (which hits the streets today), the process of prepping for October’s Baja Ha-Ha rally has been long and arduous for many new cruisers.…
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 Gold Sponsors Naos Yachts and Marina Puerto Escondido and all Sponsors Below!
