Cruising World - February 2016

FEBRUARY

2016

cruisingworld.com

36

I

sla Mujeres (Spanish for “island of women”) is a colorful

little jewel off the northeastern tip of Mexico’s Yucatan

Peninsula, a stone’s throw from Cancún. It got its name

in 1517 from Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, a conquistador

who discovered a variety of female idols there while pillaging for

Mayan slaves to take to Cuba. Getting to Isla Mujeres is no sim-

ple feat for sailors, and clearing customs is another

puzzle, but the rewards merit the challenge.

Coming from the Florida Keys, sailing to Isla

Mujeres is tricky, because it requires crossing the

winding Gulf Stream twice, and the Yucatan Chan-

nel can dish up some nasty waves. Luckily, an ideal

weather window opened up shortly after our arrival

in Key West, so my husband, Ken, and I slipped off

the mooring and got our Morgan 38, Mary T, under-

way. Weather guru Chris Parker gave us some helpful

waypoints, and a northeast-to-east wind ranging from 12 to 23

knots graced our entire trip.

Departing Key West, we sailed to a waypoint slightly south-

west of the Dry Tortugas, the uninhabited islets 70 miles to

the west. We enjoyed a lively ride in four- to seven-foot follow-

ing seas southwest toward the western tip of Cuba. We never

laid eyes on that mysterious island, keeping 15 miles off , but we

smelled the sweet aroma of pine smoke wafting from its shores.

There was plenty of shipping traffi c in the Yucatan Channel,

but the AIS took the stress out of that aspect of the voyage.

Our fi nal push westward toward Isla Mujeres was the only te-

dious part of the trip. The increasing wind was directly behind

us as we crossed the Gulf Stream in the Yucatan Channel. To

avoid jibing downwind, we cranked up the Perkins and motor-

sailed for eight hours straight toward the southern tip of the

island.

The 390-mile

journey took only

67 hours, quicker

than we’d esti-

mated, putting us

in Isla Mujeres at

200. We chose to
     anchor on the west
     side of the island
     rather than navi-
     gate an unknown
     harbor at night.
     With a nearly full
     moon, we could
     see the sandy
     bottom, and the
     anchor held immediately. Relief.
     After they complete the passage to
     Isla Mujeres, the next hurdle for foreign
     cruisers is clearing in. It’s a frequent topic
     of discussion among sailors, and for every
     question, there are at least three answers.
     We were advised before leaving the
     States to make dozens of copies of our
     passports, boat documentation and crew
     list. It was also necessary to pick up a
     zarpe from a Customs and Border Protec-
     tion offi ce, which is a document showing

Whether you’re heading north or south, this Caribbean crossroads off Mexico’s Yucatan

Peninsula is a favorite stop for cruising sailors.

BY AMY FLANNERY

The author off ers Death a coconut

(above) in one of Isla Mujeres’ many

vibrant markets. The island’s beaches

and watersports opportunities (left)

are main attractions for day-trippers

coming by ferry from Cancún.

DISCOVERING

isla MUJERES

Waypoints

AMY FLANNERY (BOTTOM); KEN KURLYCHEK