T-pecker

Shawna catches a Bonita

Chris chills after the Tehuantepeck crossing

The infamous Gulfo de Tehuantepeck was no big deal when we crossed in early May, although other times of the year the storms that brew here cause sailors to delay on both side for days or weeks while they wait for a weather window to avoid strong wind and steep waves. A narrow portion of land separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Pacific Ocean here. The wind flows from the Gulf side and blows strongly into the Pacific when weather systems are flowing that direction. Two mountain ranges meet with a lowland gap between, creating a funnel to accelerate the wind. The storms are nicknamed "T-Peckers" and are best given due respect.

The winds were on our tail for the first day and we had a great day of sailing and fishing. I caught a Pacific Bonita and got to try the offshore fishing pole we picked up in Acapulco. There was a waning moon  and calm seas that night. The second day found us motoring into the harbor after a 36 hour passage in late afternoon where we were greeted by Mexican marines and drug sniffing dogs. The marina at Chiapas is the last stop before exiting the country, so as a border marina it is very strict with inspections. All incoming and out going boats are subject to rigorous inspections for drugs and money.

The marina itself is not one you would want to enter at night or at low tide since there are dogleg turns and shallow channels to navigate before entering the marina proper. the first two docks have 50 amp service and the back docks have only 30 amps, so we relocated the next morning so we could easily run our AC onboard. The marina manager and staff are bilingual and most helpful. Upon arrival we decided to stay a week  and explore inland a bit. This is a perfect marina for hauling out and storing a boat on the hard since they have a large travel lift and secure yard, the best in this part of the world. While we were here they hauled out several boats including a Tayana 55 like ours. The rates are very reasonable for summer stay at $250/mo and we were tempted to leave our boat here for the duration of the rainy season, but in the end we decided to sail on to Nicaragua and Costa Rica with a possibility of sailing back here later in the season. We're just not ready to get off the boat yet!