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
- 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