Sailing on the Gulf side of Mexico

[Volksdraggin]

I am looking to get some information on sailing along the coast of Mexico on the Gulf side. I've looked around for guides and come up pretty empty handed. I was going to take the long route around, via the ICW to FL, through the islands and across South America to Panama but figured I would just do a straight shot down. I am curious what the weather usually looks like for this voyage, I will be leaving Late Jan if weather is safe enough.

[AdriftAtSea]

Volks—

Welcome to sailfar.net. 

Depending on where you're located on the ICW and how long it takes you to get down to Florida, you might be able to try a mid-March/late-March crossing from the southern Bahamas to Panama. 

However, according to Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes, you've missed the windows for the Southern Bahamas to Panama trip.  The best times of the year for that trip are April-to-May and November-to-December.  Otherwise, the Gulf of Mexico can be rather nasty. June-to-November is hurricane season, and January-to-March is problematic because of the strong winter trade winds.

That isn't to say it isn't doable, but it isn't ideal ATM.  You'd really need to watch your weather windows.

BTW, what boat are you sailing? 

I hope this helps. :)

[Volksdraggin]

I should have been a bit more clear.

I am taking the boat I have lived on for the last 4 months, a 1979 27' Watkins. I will be leaving from Kemah, Texas (Houston/Galveston area) and will be taking my 5 yr old female pitbull. I have a 10.5' sea eagle with a 7.5 hp temperamental outboard and a good pair of oars I have become skilled in using... the hard way.  ::) hehe I also only have a 9.9 outboard that tends to be very angry when the seas are above 6' and causes the boat to spin in circles because its locking mechanism doesn't seem to function anymore. I don't look to do a ton of motoring so it functions in situations like navigating protected waters and mild bumpy water.

I am looking to go down the ICW part of the ways to Corpus and do the gulf down to Brownsville, but to find maps and information worth a darn past Brownsville is very limited. I have been limited to my dog who won't poop or pee on the boat (be it a blessing and a curse) she is required to get off once a day. I also look to just stick close to land for the mental assurance me and the mutt can swim to shore if all heck breaks loose.

[CharlieJ]

Past Brownsville ( or actually Port Isabel), there really ISN'T much. You'll be fairly well limited to sailing offshore, and there aren't many ports 'twixt Port I and Veracruz. From Kemah to Corpus is a fairly simple trip. We've done that several times. Easiest thing to do is get Ed Campbell's book "Cruising Texas" He lists anchorages and stops all along the Texas coast.

Ed slips his boat directly across the dock from Tehani here in Port Lavaca by the way.

And I say Port Isabel because actually going to Brownsville is rather pointless- from PI to Brownsville is simply an industrial channel. We consider the ICW to end at the turning basin at Port I, just south of Long Island. You would be going out through the Brazos Santiago channel so no need to do the miles to Brownsville.

Plan to spend a day or two in Port Lavaca, at least to say hi.

[AdriftAtSea]

Oh... that changes things a bit. Hmm.. I don't know of many people that would consider going the long way round though, since, as Charlie said, there isn't much past Port Isabel—and you would be having to go offshore until Veracruz. I don't know if your dog would be capable of handling that part of the voyage.

I would highly recommend you look at the pilot charts for the area, and see what the likely winds you're going to encounter are.  This will tell you how feasible it would be to sail that particular journey without use of a reliable engine.  You can download the pilot charts and sailing directions for most areas here. The sailing directions will also give you possible ports to replenish food and fuel at.

BTW, the sun will be fairly damaging to the Sea Eagle, so if you've not made a set of UV chaps for it, you might consider doing so before heading off...or the poor thing will probably end up getting UV damaged in relatively short order.  This is more important on PVC boats than on Hypalon ones, but IIRC, Sea Eagles are not Hypalon.

BTW, you can get all of the US charts for the coastline from the NOAA offices, in electronic form—either BSB (raster) or ENC (vector) formats.

[CharlieJ]

OOPS- I misspoke- forgot about Tampico, which is about halfway to Vercruz. I know nothing about the port though.

Unless we are having a frontal passage, the prevailing winds here along the Texas coast are SE, winter and summer. Swinging through the north as fronts past through, sometimes with STRONG northerly winds.

The GOM is quite shallow along the coast here, not getting to the 100 fathom curve until a good ways out ( 70- 80 miles), so strong winds can kick up a terrible sea state. That 100 fathom curve IS much closer inshore from Aransas Pass southward, and even closer south of Port Isabel, but it can still be a nasty stretch in strong winds.

[Volksdraggin]

Gosh I am getting nervous considering this route, I have a opportunity in Panama for some business so I wanted to try to get there safely in 3-4 months if it meant taking my sweet time. I didn't mind being out on beaches far from people for 100s of miles, but I fear being stuck out in the Gulf with a good distance before the next safe place to shoot into if the weather gets crazy.

Would it be better idea to go east towards FL and just ride the islands down and across South America?

[AdriftAtSea]

That would be the Florida-Bahamas-Panama route that is mentioned in Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes, as I mentioned before.

The other problem with the western route is that it can get really nasty if the current eddy that occasionally gets spun off the Gulf stream is there, as seen in this graphic



If you're far enough out that the current eddy is helping you in Step 4, and you have a southerly wind, you can get wind against current situations that make for steep nasty chop.

[Grime]

Justin,
If you decide to go by FLA way let me know an I'll drive over to see you off.  Don't forget to give me a call if you come this way. My boat is in the same marina over in Port Lavaca as Charlie Jones.

I need to get Ed Campbellsbook myself.
Happy New Year
David

[thistlecap]

I ran ships in the Gulf, or what we called the washing machine.  I've been able to clearly see four different wave patters simultaneously.  The seas rebound from the shore, and since the shore goes all the way around, that's where the sea echo comes from.  The western route is fine for the return trip,  or more reasonalbe, a lot of boats do it.  But even coming back, I've preferred going east of Jamaica.  Going south, the route Adrift At Sea highlighted, the eastern track, is definitely better.

[dnice]

I would highly recommend you look at the pilot charts for the area, and see what the likely winds you're going to encounter are.  This will tell you how feasible it would be to sail that particular journey without use of a reliable engine.  You can download the pilot charts and sailing directions for most areas here. The sailing directions will also give you possible ports to replenish food and fuel at.

very nice resource adrift... I'll bookmark that for later :)

Justin: its all about what cultures you want to experience... We all want to experience the most we can.. but you have to choose. In my opinion heading down the Central Amercian coast will be most pleasant. Much cheaper than FL and the Caribbean, much more out of the way spots... much less western culture...equal amount of beauty....

As far as the actual routing goes.. I don't know. but just consult your pilot charts, and if it all looks good go for it.
Sailing down the coast will be just as much offshore time as crossing the Caribbean, just spaced apart a little, with more possibilities inbetween.

[2far2drive]

Ive never sailed in but have been to Tampico (stayed 3 days here with a local... my ex girlfriend) and I have stayed the night in Tuxpan. Both beautiful little places and both have major ports so you might find dockage or at least a good place to anchor. Both situated on big rivers so depth shouldnt be a problem. Tampico has one of the largest jetties (Escolleras in spanish) I have ever seen, you can drive on the thing! There are many many rivers to check out south of Veracruz and its very doable.

If you want a hint of one of the most beautiful places in Mexico I saw on my overland trip... south of veracruz there is a large point jutting out. Please guys... dont repeat this place, I dont want a gringo horde here buying up the land and building hotels in gringo fashion... better yet.,.. just pm me for the name.