HURRICANE SEASON OPTIONS
If you go to 'Sea of Cortez Sailors and Cruisers in Mexico' Facebook page, you'll see a video of considerable damage to docks and boats at Costa Baja Marina. I'm a little bit surprised because I thought that marina was pretty well protected.
Now that I look at the aerial photo, I'm reminded that the outer docks have very little protection from the north, the direction the winds came from.
I've also included aerial photos of Marina Palmira, Marina Cortez, and Marina de La Paz so people can see what kind of protection they offer.
It's worth noting that Norma, as I understand it, didn't even reach hurricane force. Assuming that the top winds were in the 60-knot range, think what the damage would have been like if there had been 120-knot winds, remembering the force would be four times as strong, not just two times as strong.
I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but I can't help but think that next summer a lot of owners aren't going to want to keep their boats in Marina Cortez or the outer docks of Marina Costa Baja.
Where could they go? La Paz is wonderful, of course, and both Marina Palmira and Marina de La Paz have done well in hurricanes. But what other options offer good hurricane protection and/or room for the overflow?
The only completely hurricane-free marina/boatyard is Cabrales way up in the top of the Sea of Cortez. It's a long way north, but it's becoming more popular all the time. We happened to talk to Salvador Cabrales yesterday, and he told us that their operation has gone from 80% commercial boats to 80% pleasure boats in the last few years.
I'm not familiar enough with the current situation at Puerto Escondido and marinas on the mainland side of the Sea, so I can’t comment on them.
The other options are marinas on the mainland south of the Sea, which are even more fully in the hurricane zone than anywhere in the Sea. However, all these marinas are behind breakwaters, and my recollection is that for whatever reason they haven't gotten hit badly in many years.
The marinas in Banderas Bay haven't ever suffered any significant hurricane damage. The mountains to the south have been fantastic barriers to hurricanes trying to come into the bay, and the few that have gotten in haven't significantly penetrated the breakwaters.
This includes Nayarit Riviera Marina in La Cruz, Paradise Marina in Nuevo Nayarit, Nuevo Nayarit Marina, and Marina Vallarta, the last being the most protected.
Despite some near and direct hits, my recollection is that Grand Marina in Barra, and even the lagoon, have historically protected the boats there even in strong hurricanes.
I believe the same is true for Mazatlán and San Blas, even though the latter got leveled about 20 years ago.
For the record, we've kept Profligate at Riviera Nayarit most of the way through hurricane season for about the last 12 years, and have done great.
I don't have an interest in where people go, I'm just trying to make boat owners aware of possible options for next hurricane season.
If I've missed something or have made mistakes, I encourage you to correct me.
richard@latitude38.com
Marina Costa Baja. I'm assuming that most of the damage was at the outer docks.
Marina Palmira has a big breakwater and almost no chance for significant fetch.
Marina Cortez is the only marina we know that doesn't have a breakwater. It's my understanding that this is where most of the boats were damaged by Norma.
Marina de La Paz has breakwaters.
Boats reportedly suffered only minor damage. Neal and his crew are very hands on.
El Cid in Mazatlán has breakwater protection, but can get quite a bit of surge. Marina Mazatlán is well inland. It would take a direct hit to cause a lot of damage to a boat there.
The marina and yard in San Blas are well in from the sea.
Nayarit Riviera Marina, where we keep Profligate through most of hurricane season, has a good breakwater and little chance for fetch. Like the other Banderas Bay marinas, the surrounding mountains have done a great job of keeping hurricanes away.
Paradise Marina has good protection except for A Dock.
Nuevo Nayarit has pretty good protection.
Marina Vallarta is tucked way back in and around the corner. It offers great protection, but it can get hot and still in there, even during the season.
Grand Marina in Barra is tucked in, around the corner, and at the base of a hill. Anchored boats in the lagoon have even fared well in some very powerful hurricanes.
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