ksanders
Moderator Emeritus
Hurricane season is here and it's decision time. Do I stay in my happy slip in La Paz BCS Mexico, or Do I escape to safer and cooler waters?
Here are the realities of Mexico in the summer. First it's HOT. The other day with the AC off I measured 97 in the forward berth of my 4788. That's Hot...Too hot to be on the boat. Too hot to sleep.
I am SO happy that I installed AC this spring, because without it I would not be able to stand being in my floating home.
The next reality is that hurricanes happen, and we cannot out guess them. Will the big one hit this year or no? Here is the history of La Paz. In 2003 Hurricane Marty hit, destroying Marina La PAZ. The marina owner rebuilt and did a fantastic job of protecting the marina with great breakwaters. In 2014 Hurricane Odi hit Cabo and La Paz. There were only three boats sunk in the marina and the breakwaters did a perfect job. The boats that sunk were tied in such a way that their swim steps contacted the dock, breaking off the swim step, and opening the hull in the process.
But... Odi was a long time ago. and then the marina was almost empty. This summer the marina is full to capacity, with zero opportunity to center your boat in a double slip. Also Odi came up the land side with winds blowing offshore. Experienced people have made it clear... If odi had come up the sea of cortez there would be a different, more tragic story to tell.
So... I have made the decision to escape. Next week I will leave La Paz and head north to a slip I have reserved at Marina Coral in Ensenada, Yep... I'm going to do the Baja Bash.
But... I have timed it perfect. There has never been a hurricane hit the baja pensulia in July and the first part of July is the perfect weather window statistically, so off I go for Ensenada.
Here are the realities of Mexico in the summer. First it's HOT. The other day with the AC off I measured 97 in the forward berth of my 4788. That's Hot...Too hot to be on the boat. Too hot to sleep.
I am SO happy that I installed AC this spring, because without it I would not be able to stand being in my floating home.
The next reality is that hurricanes happen, and we cannot out guess them. Will the big one hit this year or no? Here is the history of La Paz. In 2003 Hurricane Marty hit, destroying Marina La PAZ. The marina owner rebuilt and did a fantastic job of protecting the marina with great breakwaters. In 2014 Hurricane Odi hit Cabo and La Paz. There were only three boats sunk in the marina and the breakwaters did a perfect job. The boats that sunk were tied in such a way that their swim steps contacted the dock, breaking off the swim step, and opening the hull in the process.
But... Odi was a long time ago. and then the marina was almost empty. This summer the marina is full to capacity, with zero opportunity to center your boat in a double slip. Also Odi came up the land side with winds blowing offshore. Experienced people have made it clear... If odi had come up the sea of cortez there would be a different, more tragic story to tell.
So... I have made the decision to escape. Next week I will leave La Paz and head north to a slip I have reserved at Marina Coral in Ensenada, Yep... I'm going to do the Baja Bash.
But... I have timed it perfect. There has never been a hurricane hit the baja pensulia in July and the first part of July is the perfect weather window statistically, so off I go for Ensenada.
