2015: A very busy season for hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific and Mexico

According to NOAA, the 2015 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season was a record-setting season:

The eastern Pacific saw 18 named storms, including 13 hurricanes, nine of which became major.  This is the first year since reliable record keeping began in 1971 that the eastern Pacific saw nine major hurricanes. Hurricane Patricia was the strongest hurricane on record in the Western Hemisphere in terms of maximum wind speed at 200 miles per hour and lowest air pressure at 879 millibars. Hurricane Sandra, which formed at the tail end of the season, was the strongest hurricane in the eastern Pacific so late in the year, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 145 miles per hour.

The central Pacific shattered its records too, with 14 named storms, including eight hurricanes, five of which became major hurricanes, the most active season since reliable record-keeping began in 1971. Three major hurricanes (Ignacio, Kilo and Jimena) churned at the same time east of the International Dateline, the first time that was ever recorded.

2015 Tropical Storms/Hurricanes

Source: NOAA


Hurricanes approaching Baja California as early as early June (H. Blanca) and as late as late November (H. Sandra).

Something to think about when planning sailing to/from Baja California!

Super Hurricane Patricia comes ashore near Manzanillo

A huge hurricane,  Patricia packed winds of at least 150 knots.  Coming ashore near Manzanillo,  Patricia is the strongest  hurricane ever to hit the Americas (and possibly anywhere).

Our thoughts go out to friends with boats in the area, and especially to the Mexicans living and working in the area.



AFTER THE HURRICANE UPDATE:
Cruising boats in Barra de Navidad fared pretty well; locals not so well. Friends Betty Anne and David on SV Confidence have a full description of the experience of Hurricane Patricia on their blog: http://cruiseoftheconfidence.blogspot.gr/2015/10/hurricane-patricia-2015-part-three.html

MV Tiberborg reaches (and has now left) Ensenada -- no issues with hurricane Blanca

A quick update:

MV Tiberborg, with Pelagia on board, safely reached Ensenada, having stayed safely ahead and away from Hurricane Blanca.  Tiberborg has now left Ensenada, and is estimated to arrive Chemainus B.C. late on June 14th.

Hurricane Blanca is now a tropical depression midway up the Baja peninsula -- it does not appear to have caused substantial damage. La Paz appears to have not seen winds over 40-50 knots.

Pelagia loaded on freighter, on its way to and around the cape

As is hurricane Blanca....

Hurricane Blanca heading towards the Baja Loading onto the MV Tiberborg went quickly,  smoothly and ahead of schedule.  Lifting Pelagia high up on to the deck was not so scary as David was nearby to watch two boats ahead of him (including SV Sunshine) go up with all going well. Impressed with the Tiberborg and Raven Offshore Yacht Shipping crews.  Tiberborg left La Paz approximately 1030pm last night,  and is currently off the East Cape (of Baja);  it is making time to get around Cabo San Lucas and north ahead of Hurricane Blanca.  Just to keep it exciting.

Hurricane watch...

Hurricane BLANCA,  the second hurricane this season (the earliest 2nd hurricane on record)  is headed right for Cabo and La Paz.  It is a major hurricane (winds >100 knots)  but is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm when it hits later this weekend (but,  models can be wrong). David is in La Paz,  getting ready to load Pelagia on to a freighter Thursday at 5pm. This is cutting it close!  It wasn't supposed to be like this.  Our contract with Sevenstar Yacht Shipping had us out of here in May,  before the onset of hurricanes. Obviously,  that didn't happen.  (More on the whole shipping process in a later post,  when all is complete.)  It's like Deja Vu all over again... waiting for and watching a hurricane head directly at Pelagia  (as we did for Hurricane Vance last November in Mazatlan).

They're back...! Hurricane Andres is this season's first hurricane.

Hurricane ANDRES -- 1st east Pacific hurricane for 2015

ANDRES is 770 miles SSW of the tip of Baja -- very unlikely to affect La Paz.

Meanwhile, our ship (for shipping Pelagia), the MV Tiberborg,  is steaming north from Panama, due to reach La Paz next Wednesday. Can't come too soon....

Wednesday morning: VANCE fizzles out just before Mazatlan

As predicted (and as hoped for),  conditions were not conducive for Vance to remain a storm.  It fizzled to a tropical depression by 2am.

Go to here to see Vance's history:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2014/graphics/ep21/loop_5W.shtml

The heavy rainfall,  however,  sure didn't fizzle!  Camaron Sabalo,  the main street here in the Zona Dorada,  had many parts that resembled lakes or rivers. 

Quite a bit of water leaked into Pelagia yesterday before they put new tarps on her.  Hopefully they did the job for last night's heavier rain. (Update: the new tarps did their job.)

Hurricane Vance watch: as of Monday morning

Vance is now a Category 1 hurricane and headed straight for Mazatlan.  However,  Vance is forecast to rapidly decrease so that,  hopefully, it will only be a tropical depression (winds less than 35kn) by the time it reaches Mazatlan

Tropical depressions still bring A LOT of rain.  And Pelagia still has her windows out.  Hopefully they will go in today - -  fingers crossed!

Hurricane Vance watch: Will he stay or will he go (away)?

Returned last night to Mazatlan (more on Copper Canyon trip to come).  Currently watching (and, of course, worrying about) Tropical Storm/Hurricane Vance.  Predicted to head right at Mazatlan,  but hopefully, by then, diminished to a "tropical depression".  

Pelagia still on the hard....

Hurricane Odile hits Baja hard

Hurricane Odile hit Baja hard.  Lectronic Latitude had been posting updates:

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2014-09-19

The Cape area (including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo)  was hard hit with significant damage.  Surprisingly,  little damage to cruising boats in the marinas.

La Paz and Puerto Escondido were also hit hard,  with many anchored or moored cruising boats aground or sunk (at least 25 in La Paz)  and the deaths of at least three cruisers (including the iconic Gunther on SV Princess). Boats in the La Paz marinas did fine. Numerous boats in the Atalanta boatyard were blown over.

The older marina up in Santa Rosalia was swept away and destroyed,  carrying boats with it (no information available yet).

Untold number of Mexicans with lost or damaged property.

Very, very, sad.

Although we are glad Pelagia is "safe" over in Mazatlan,  we realize that Odile (or some later hurricane) could easily have veered East and hit Mazatlan instead -- it is all a bit of a crapshoot.  (In the case of such an event,  we are glad we have removed everything from Pelagia's decks,  including all sails,  dodger,  bimini, and solar panels,  and have a boat management company looking after Pelagia.)

Watching the weather (in Mexico) while we travel...

We may be off trekking in Nepal or near the beaches in Bali (where we are at present), but our attention is never too far away from the weather in Pacific Mexico: it is hurricane season.

Just a week ago, Hurricane Norbert hit the Cabo area, and, especially, Magdalena Bay area. At the beginning of a tropical cyclone, it is often not clear the direction it will travel. For Norbert, it turns out Pelagia was safe in Mazatlan.

Norbert's track

Now we have Hurricane Odile heading up the coast, packing gusts up to 135 knot (250 km/h). Current projections suggest Odile will miss mainland Mexico (and Mazatlan) and again hit Baja California Sur.

Odile..

Odile's projected track

Marina Mazatlan is well inside of the estuary; Pelagia has all its sails and canvas off and is well tied down. Importantly, we are relying on Tony's Boat Management to keep Pelagia as safe as possible. 

Fingers crossed!

Preparing Pelagia for a Summer in Mazatlan

Pelagia ready for the Summer (... we hope)

Bimini, dodger, solar stored...

 
We have spent most of the past 9 days "de-commissioning" Pelagia for the Summer in Mazatlan. We've found it very tiring, all the worse as it is hot and humid here in Mazatlan.

So, what did we do? In preparation for a Summer of heat, sun, humidity and rain, and possibly for a hurricane, we have done the following:

• Removed, bagged and stored below all sails
• Removed dodger and bimini (to be washed, dried, and stored below)
• Removed solar panels (stored in v-berth)
• double-up on mooring lines (a total of 7 mooring lines)
• purchased additional fenders; all fenders covered by old t-shirts (for sun protection)
• items on deck (BBQ, stern anchor, jerry cans, etc) removed and stored in anchor locker

The above items were done in case of significant winds (e.g., hurricanes)

• put tin foil on ~ half of the windows
• wrapped tin foil on nav lights, GPS antennae, cowl vents, and other plastic items that would be damaged by sun
• reflective tarp put over boom
• fluttering VCR tape place on lifelines etc, hopefully as a bird-retardant
• drained fuel from outboard engine; covered with old t-shirt
• engine oil & filter changed; transmission fluid changed
• diesel fuel tanks topped-up
• removed (gave away) all perishable food or tinned food nearing "expiration"
• all other food (tins or unopened packages) placed in bin in refrigerator icebox (fridge turned off, washed, and lid left open)
• water tanks topped up and biocide added
• cockroach "bait" placed in many locations 
• stuffed exterior vents with mosquito screening (metal) -- hopefully to discourage rats and other critters
• Disconnected and stored (in plastic bags) major electronic equipment
• Propane shut off at bottles and hoses disconnected
• Shower sump flushed with fresh water
• Toilet & holding tank thoroughly flushed with fresh water then "pickled" with treatment
• Bilge washed; bilge pumps flushed
• speedo removed and replaced by dummy plug
• All clothes, linens etc washed; most bagged and stored
• Cupboards, floors, etc washed to retard mildew
• cushions moved to allow air circulation
• cupboard doors left open for air circulation
• AC fan purchased and left on
• All seacocks closed
• DC electronics turned off

Likely the above list has missed some things -- it has been a lot to think of and do.

We have arranged (i) engine work to be carried-out over the Summer (by Rafa') (ii) haulout, bottom work, minor welding, etc next October, and (iii) exterior woodwork and window repair/replacement.

Finally, we have arranged for Tony, Grant and Hector of Tony's Boat Management to watch over Pelagia, regularly opening up Pelagia's hatches for air, checking mooring lines, batteries, bilges, and looking for any bugs or mildew. They will also run the engine and wash boat monthly, as well as arrange bottom cleaning, zinc changing etc. This gives us significant peace of mind.