Florida to Isla Mujeres

[Davil1]

Looking at places to sail this winter.
Have done Isla Mujeres on my way back from Panama San Blas years ago and like it.
Posting on this forum as although have a sailboat looks like will be mostly motoring considering the currents.
Wonder if anybody has done it from the Keys on, looking at Windy seems daunting!!

Any insight from those that have done it.

Have plan B will post another thread as not confuse it.

Thanks

 

[mvweebles]

I havdn't done it but it's on my list so have been watching for a while. I live south of Tampa so managing the Gulf Stream (GS) is much different than if coming from Key West.

Attached are two pics from PredictWind that includes routing for currents. I was a bit surprised - the GS ox-bow is much narrower (E-W) than I recall seeing it before.

I've been slowly meandering down the Pacific towards the Panama Canal. Mixed feelings on ocean current models - they seem to look more accurate than they are, and the forecasting more than a day or so isn't very useful. I haven't used it for the GS so maybe it's more accurate there, but I suspect the counter-current eddies are not very accurate but it doesn't hurt to hunt for them.

Most of the folks who try planning this trip from east Florida seem to jump-off from Dry Tortugas (maybe Key West) and then edge towards Cuba in hopes of catching a counter-current along the coast of Cuba. I think a better plan might be to jump-off from near Naples.

According to the Pilot Charts, May is the best time that is non-Hurricane. The summer runs either extreme - it's either calm (like right now); or there's a hurricane. I am planning my run from Panama to Florida for either next May, or May 2026 depending on how distracted we get in San Blas (thinking of Colombia.....)

Peter

 

[Davil1]

agree, crossed the canal and spent a season on the San Blas, lovely, on return sailed out of Isla Mujeres my goal was Cuba (was legally ok) but got busted by a sudden Northeastern and eventually made landfall in Saint Petersburg!!
My idea is to spring from Dry Tortugas and is doable for my diesel range, nevertheless seems could be a rough currents and countercurrents trip.
Was thinking of consulting with Parker as he has been very helpful for my cruising.
Have followed your powering cruise and like your approach,I did it on a Tartan 34 late 90's

 

[mvweebles]

Much better weather info compared to late 90s. I was delivering then and into early 2000s (canal transit in 2004 to FLL - I had a weather router for the trip up Caribbean). PredictWind is a tremendous improvement . Not perfect but, coupled with Starlink, a quantum leap in information.

I am pretty nervous about coming up the Caribbean. When I came up in 2004, I either didn't know there were piracy issues off Nicuragua (ignorance is bliss) or they had not blossomed yet. NE winds and seas put me within a dozen miles of Gracias Dios, the tip of Nicuragua. This time I'll stay over 100 miles east.

I purchased predictwinds uber-expensive subscription that includes ocean currents this year so I could carefully see the Caribbean conditions for when I do go, sort of what you're asking about FL to Mujeres. I have a pretty good idea of what I'll wait for and understand it could take over a month. I'll probably leave from Bocas and head to Providencia, then aim for a tiny atoll Semilla towards Caymen to stay well off from Nicuragua. I have the subscription through the end of the year if you want me to run any departure scenarios that include ocean currents.

I'm guessing your run from Panama to Isla Mujeres in a Tartan 34 was pretty wet. But it's probably better suited to the trip than my Willard 36 even though it's stabilized. Can get some pretty big water headed north.

Good luck and stay in touch.

Peter

 

[Davil1]

thank you, Peter
Will

 

[Larry M]

Search for member SeaLife. He went from Dry Tortugas to Isla Mujeres in January maybe 5 years ago in his Krogen 42. If I remember right, the current was a major route decider.