Fall in Baja and the Sea of Cortez marks a return to pleasant temperatures and the beginning of the small ship cruise season. NEW! We love it here in Mexico. How to RV Full-time with a RZR. The Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California) is my new favorite sea. Sea of Cortez. I had suspected the sailing was very challenging but few people talk about it in detail. Less chafe on the sheets? AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIES NON-STOP TO LA PAZ (LAP) from Phoenix and Dallas! 1. And no time of year is better for recreation on the Sea than mid-October to late November. Hope to see more pictures of the sailing conditions. The ship was warmly greeted in all of the ports. the Sea of Cortez and really not to hot. In the Sea of Cortez, the wind either doesn’t blow at all, or it blows like crazy from exactly where you want to go. shoot us an email at sailingcinderella@gmail.com WiFi has been few and far between here in the South Pacific, but we get email pretty regularly. Skip the time from the end of August to the end of September. While we were here, we did not find any wind prediction software to be accurate, nor the charts for that matter. A cruise ship anchored in the deep east-west channel that bisects the bay swung une… They visit places like Los Cabos, Los Frailes, Bahia de los Muertos, Balandra Cove, Isla Rocas, La Paz and So much more. Sea of Cortez Sailing is at its best in October and May. Lots of cruisers take a ‘vacation’ from cruising in August and September when it’s so very hot in the Sea of Cortez. Sailing Around the World Powered by the Sun. Ideally we landed in any of the hundreds of majestical, calm anchorages before the wind shut off for the night. Most blogs you read about sailing in Mexico describe the amazing things there are to see and why it’s worth spending a few seasons there. We attempted sailing North in both a Norte and without a Norte. This is an isolated, unpopulated coastal area with eight beaches, an interior salt lagoon and a rock formation called “El Hongo” (the mushroom) which has become the symbol of La Paz. They also go snorkeling with whale sharks. learn to sail in the sea of cortez, it’s breathtaking Fantastic sailing conditions, and breathtaking marine life, make this an amazing place to conduct our sailing lessons and courses. Recently, I was lucky enough to take a cruise with UnCruise Adventures — a company known for their awesome adventurous cruises. For a very funny read about this area, check out The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck. For about 4 hours a day, you have perfect sailing conditions. When the Norte blows, you have 30+ kts on your nose and it’s a bashingly numbing ride. Volume 2 (middle) gives detailed info that can't be found in any of the guidebooks about the glorious cruising ground between Manzanillo and the Guatemala border. A large colony is found on Los Islotes, with professional tours leaving from the town of La Paz. We wish we had more time to stick around and spend a few seasons really exploring. Think we are missing something? Loreto’s gorgeous new Villa del Palmar was a shocking contrast to the leaping manta rays of UNESCO World Heritage SIte Isla Coronado. The Sea of Cortez, Mexico: The Best Islands To Visit And What To Pack . We’re Alive and Well and Camping in Arizona! In the lulls you drift aimlessly in circles, listening to sails flog. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Now, in a much more charted world, it’s your turn to discover these pristine, protected islands, jam-packed with marine life. Between 2010 and 2013 we sailed our 2008 Hunter 44DS sailboat along Mexico’s entire Pacific coast, from Ensenada in the north and Mexico’s border with Guatemala in the south. You'll have time for night dives, when the undersea world bustles with animals that hide during the day. 3. From languid tropical bliss to raging, violent storms, the Sea has shown us her glory and her fury, as she does to every sailor that ventures there. FLIGHTS ARE COMING DAILY TO CABO! I am a fairly experienced sailor, but have not owned a board for many years. This video is about sailing North in the Sea of Cortez exploring remote anchorages snorkelling and scuba diving That mass of water moving south also tends to push a sizable current. Good to know! The Moorings, which charters sail and power cat boats out of La Paz, has produced cruising charts for its customers. After a summer in the Sea, you do the Baja Bash home in November, when Baja winds tend to be the lightest. When the light wind starts to blow in the early afternoon, we would weigh anchor and ride the puffs North. We tried PredictWind, Sailflow, Windy, and NOAA’s GRIBs, but none of them were accurate when a Norte wasn’t blowing. Drag Boat Races in AZ – Top Speed FUN on the Colorado River! Americas Mailbox – Mail Forwarding & So Much More in South Dakota! Sailing in the Sea Of Cortez, on Rhythm, our 1979 Pearson 424 sailboat When I tell people that Jerry Montgomery and I spent eight days cruising in Baja California on his Montgomery 15, they often look at me as if I were crazy. You’ll know it when you get there. Copy, reproduction or use of text or images is not permitted without written permission from the author or photographer. In the lulls you drift aimlessly in circles, listening to sails flog. Seligman, Arizona – Birthplace of Route 66! with a light displacement racer/cruiser for the calm days and under cover when the Norte blows. Learn the Language: In La Paz, you will be able to find English-speakers, but once you sail north, they are few and far between. In late March or early April, cross into the Sea of Cortez and spend the rest of your time there. Great to hear both the pluses and minuses of Sea of Cortez cruising. Sometimes the water was cloudy, other times like swimming in someone’s aquarium. This area is surrounded by low reddish mountains that contain the occasional desert tree and huge cardón cactus. Best way to sail the Sea is to take the south winds up into the Sea, which start May/ June, spend the summer and hurricane season (June to November) in the upper Sea, north of Santa Rosalia and sail the north winds back down from November (to April) at the next season. My wife Patti and I (Tom) just bought a Gemini 34 105 MC catamaran based in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. It’s young, having formed some five million years ago by tectonic plate action. May, 2011 – Puerto Escondido surprised us with an RV park and unfinished canals, while charming Loreto offered up a farmer’s market and special Dia de la Marina. According to the NOAA, we have a 0.29% chance to get hit and sometimes there is a little rain. By the way, November is normally the best month to do the ‘Baja Bash’ back to California. Guidebook: Sea of Cortez, A Cruiser’s Guidebook, 3rd Edition by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer . The only drawback I can think of is water tankage, as most racer/cruisers don’t have very much. Why does it appear your foresail is slightly reefed while becalmed? Snorkeling and scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez peak during the same time period with visibility sometimes in excess of 20 meters. Kurt. Spring in the Sea of Cortez is the best time to see large pods of dolphins and various species of whales, whilst one of the great wildlife spectacles is in full swing at Isla Rasa - the nesting of thousands of Heermann's gulls and elegant and royal terns. It’s less sail weight for the wind to hold open and it stops all the heavy sail from banging around if the boat is rocking back and forth. Roads Less Traveled is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn money by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Baja Expeditions takes you to sites that have earned the Sea of Cortez its world-famous reputation for diving excellence. 15 kts!! Would love to hear thoughts on our plans and suggestions. On any given week from November to May, the Sea of Cortez north of La Paz offers a combination of calm mornings, afternoon breezes from the north, and often a day or two of whitecaps and winds in the 20s. I would say April, May, and June. The Sea of Cortez is a truly beautiful place with natural wonders, wildlife and culture. I’m planning to cruise for a year or two and am thus deciding on what boat to buy… Sounds like the Sea of Cortez would be more fun (and cheaper as far as fuel costs?) Living costs there seem very reasonable. All too often, people skip straight to Mexico’s popular, touristy resort destinations, so I was thrilled to discover Mexico’s best-kept secret and visit the islands! Just time it with the tides… In August you will find yourself baking beyond belief (but the water will be a balmy 90+ degrees F! We left Dysart Rd. So just when is the best months to sail the Sea of Cortez? Live-aboard diving with Baja Expeditions is the ONLY way to dive! The first major city heading north, La Paz, even closes their harbor when they see 15kts of breeze from the North. You will be traveling… Copyright © 2020 Emily Fagan - All rights reserved, November, 2011 – An impending Norther sent us into La Paz where Groovy joined the other anchored boats in the “La Paz Waltz.”. How do you get to the Sea of Cortez? Bahia San Lucas is a pleasant anchorage with good shelter from the northerly winds that predominate during the winter months. We had friends that went there, and it seems to be affordable, but I am unsure. April, 2011 – Bahía San Gabriel and Puerto Balandra are classic and gorgeous Sea of Cortez anchorages near La Paz, but Watch Out! If you are not familiar with the location of these popular anchorages in the Sea of Cortez, check out Maps of Mexico’s Anchorages for more detail. And there are many for sale in Mexico! La Paz to Puerto Balandra– Arrive La Paz, depart marina and anchor at Puerto Balandra (8 miles, 1.5hrs) passing Roca Lobos to see sea lions. All Catamaran courses receive free Cabo to La Paz airport transfers! Sea of Cortez Sailing is at its best in October and May. La Paz: Doing The “La Paz Waltz” and Hiding from Northers, La Paz: Isla Coyote, Isla San Francisco & Isla Partida – Remote Islands, Loreto Area: La Ramada Cove, Isla Coronado & Puerto Escondido – Gifts From and To the Sea, Bahía Concepción & Punta Chivato – Great Sea of Cortez Anchorages, Bahía Concepción – From Fury to Fantasy in the Sea of Cortez, Loreto: Fun times in Puerto Escondido and Loreto, Loreto: Isla Coronado & Villa del Palmar – Taming the Sea of Cortez, Loreto: Agua Verde – “The Best of the Sea of Cortez”, La Paz: Ensenada Grande & Isla San Francisco – Stunning Anchorages, La Paz: La Paz, Bahía San Gabriel & Puerto Balandra – Beauty & The Beast. Guidebooks provide chartlets of harbors, appropriately marking them “not for navigation.” The newest is Sea of Cortez, A Cruiser’s Guidebook, written and published by Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer. Ask almost anyone who participated in the 2018 Baja Haha how many hours their motors were running when they were up in the Sea. Come December, you sail to Cartagena, then to the San Blas Islands, transit the Canal, and start working your way up the west coast of Central America and Mexico, making sure you get up into the Sea of Cortez by the start of hurricane season in July. Never miss a post -- it's free! Come November, either sail or truck your boat home. Expect lots of lulls and lots of drifting. We're leaving tonight to sail across the Sea of Cortez from the Baja peninsula to the mainland of Mexico. A much-sought-after encounter in the Sea of Cortez is the opportunity to swim alongside a colony of sea lions. 4. A Norte is a strong northerly wind that seems to occur once every week or so and last a few days during winter months. That should give you an idea of what it’s like to sail here. Before we installed our watermaker, we had to provision every week or so. Small Boats Can Handle Mexico's Sea of Cortez From Sea Magazine, March 1984 Story and Photography by Diego Kahr Contributed by Randy Watkins, M-15 #194 . Hernan Cortez discovered the pearls in 1542. Volume 3 (right) provides all the info you need to get off the boat for an adventure-filled trip to Oaxaca. Thanks for some great info! Watch whales and giant manta rays glide by the boat, snorkel with playful sea lions, and catch Mahi Mahi, Yellowfin Tuna, Grouper and Snapper for your evening meal. Anchorages can be very crowded as the cruisers move through. We were met by Mariachi bands and entertained by young singers and dancers in beautiful Mexican dress. After a couple of months back in California, you … Beneteau and Jeanneau monohulls in the best time to sail in the sea of cortez life in the lulls you aimlessly... Calm days and under cover when the winds are light ( really light ) or if there is middle! 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