Northers: Where to Go when the North Winds Blow

In October, I gave a seminar on Mexico Cruising Itineraries. Someone asked, “Since we’re heading to Mexico in January, is there any reason not scoot up to the northern end of the Sea of Cortez first, then slowly cruise our way south starting from there?”

“Sorry. First, it will still be winter there, meaning cold air and sea temperatures. Second, it’s just the start of the season of northers.”

WHAT’S ARE NORTHERS?

Winter and early spring weather affects boating in the north end of the Sea of Cortez, sometimes with worse conditions than it brings to Southern California and the Pacific side of the Baja down to Magdalena Bay.

A unique weather pattern called a Plateau High can develop over the mountain plateaus of mid and southern Nevada, and that area of high pressure forces the surface winds to flow outward from the center.

For boaters in northwest Mexico, winds that originated in the Nevada Plateau are felt as cold and dry, blowing from the north toward the south and southwest. Of course, most of the time you’ll find good cruising and fishing weather. Not every breath of wind from the north came from Nevada. Sometimes it’s just a short-duration blast of north wind that spilled over from a winter storm sliding down from the Pacific Northwest.

But when a Plateau High settles in, as it can from late January through March, then those north winds in northern Mexico tend to increase (15 to 28 knots or more) and can blow steadily, day and night, sometimes lasting five or six days with no respite.

That’s called a “Nortada” or a “Norther.” When a true Norther blows, it can rake Baja California’s Pacific coast down to about Magdalena Bay, and in the elongated Sea of Cortez, a strong Norther can affect the whole 700-mile length.

Northers usually start in the far upper Sea of Cortez, right where that boater had thought to start cruising. This north end is infamous for extreme tidal ranges at the spring and neep tides, and combined with shallow coastal areas on the mainland side, those new northers can menace boating even for the locals.

Then that little Norther may build in strength and spread laterally to include the outside of Baja. They taper off in strength as you look south. True Northers rarely reach south of Isla Cerralvo on the Baja side or south of Punta Mita on the mainland side.

SCREAMING BLUE NORTHER

A Norther’s gale-force winds and big square seas can disrupt navigation for commercial ships, so they can easily inhibit movement for us relatively small cruising yachts and recreational sport fishers. Seeking shelter, we get securely anchored or plugged into a cozy slip, but after that it’s difficult to unplug and go elsewhere. You’re kind of stuck.

As a Norther persists, the sea surface and horizon can actually become obscurred by salty blue-white spume. Visibility drops to zero. Boat windows are glazed in salt. That’s what’s cologuially called a Blue Norther.

But for us cruising folks, when we get pinned down for days on end, can’t poke our noses out, can’t even get ashore, that’s when the screaming starts – on the VHF radio, across the galley  at each other, and screaming into the wind-blasted heavens: Stop Blowing!

Seriously, the reasonable approach is to know (a.) when a Norther is going to start and (b.) where to head for shelter before it does.

HOW TO WIND WATCH

Watch U.S. weather reports for the first signs of a potential Norther in Mexico, i.e. a zone of high pressure (perhaps 1039 millibars or higher) that gets stationary over mid to southern Nevada. If a Plateau High is setting up, watch it like a hawk, and if a Norther is starting to blow, look for postst on both forecast areas: Baja Outside; Sea of Cortez. Subsequently, high-wind warnings may be posted for land traffic traversing the desert and mountain passes, such as big rig trucks that get blown over.

If you have access to the internet, go to www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAOFFPZ7.shtml which is marine weather for the entire coast of Mexico issued by NOAA, broken down into segments. Look at the Sea of Cortez segment’s three sections:  Northern, Central, Southern.

The web program www.Windy.com shows very precise and granular spot forecasts that take into account terrain features like canyons that can create localized wind funnels into the Sea of Cortez, not only Northers but Elefantes too.

No internet access? Boaters with amateur radio can tune into the Chubasco Net 7.192 Khz (lower sideband) for an excellent 15- to 20-minute marine weather report at 0750 PST and DST. At the end of the report, hams can ask for a more precise or spot forecast for their exact location. You don’t need a ham license to listen in; many dozens do.

NORTHER SHELTERS

Here are 26 of reliable anchorages and marinas to seek shelter before a Norther starts blowing on the outside of Baja and inside the Sea of Cortez to Topolobampo. Port Captains often close their ports to vessels departing into dangerously bad weather, but boats can always enter, especially to seek shelter from bad weather. However, consider that after a blow starts, the best shelters might already be filled.

Ensenada: The enclosed yacht basins of Marina Coral and Cruiseport Village Marina are excellent Norther shelters. Docks in the north end of Ensenada harbor are also good.

San Quintin: South of the big sandspit that forms this 2.5 n.m. wide outer bay, anchor off the sandspit’s middle or east end. This has room for 20 or 30 boats.

Turtle Bay: Anchorages in the north and east sides of this nearly circular bay offer the most reliable Norther shelter, plus access to town supplies and Hwy 1, however the bay’s east side may get some refraction waves.

Bahia Asuncion: Decent shelter if the Norther isn’t too strong from the NE.

Cedros Island: Anchor inside the deeper east half of Cedros Harbor, or outside the harbor south of the south breakwater.

Santa Maria Bay: Anchor well into the north curve of the bay, away from Punta Hughs and outside breakers at the shallow estuary mouth, or anchor anywhere below the tall western hills except directly below the landmark notch. Expect sand aboard if you anchor off the eastern sand dunes.

Los Cabos: Slips in the interior marinas at both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo provide good Norther shelter.

Cabo Los Frailes: The narrow ledge on the south side of this landmark headland has room for maybe six boats.

Costa Palmas Marina: the north opening breakwater might get closed out, but if you can get in before that, this would be a lovely place to shelter for a week.

La Paz: The enclosed yacht basins at Marina CostaBaja and Marina Palmira offer the best Norther shelters in town. The linear anchorage fringing El Mogote peninsula has promise.

Isla San Francisco: The Hook anchorage has Norther shelter but windblown sand may come over the low spot.

San Evaristo: The North Cove has small Norther shelter.

Bahia Gato Y Toro: Gato Cove has 5-boat shelter below the pink sandstone formations.

Isla Carmen: La Salina Bay is sheltered from Northers, room for a dozen boats.

Puerto Escondido: Norther shelter is found at the bay’s north end but away from the Windows, also in the back marina basin and the residential channels. To avoid danger, it’s OK to anchor or tie up temporarily in the Elipse and the outer Waiting Room.

San Juanico: I’ve seen 20 sailboats tucked into the north end during a Norther.

Bahia Concepcion: Santispac Bay is the largest Norther anchorage, but also try El Burro and El Coyote bays.

Isla San Marcos: Norther shelter is in the island’s big south bay, but gypsum may blow aboard.

Santa Rosalia: This entire little harbor is good shelter from Northers, the only such shelter in many miles.

Puerto Don Juan at LA Bay: This small anchorage in the upper Sea of Cortez has the best Norther shelter in many miles, room for up to about 40 boats. (See photo.)

Isla Gonzaga: Willard Bay is shielded from Northers but very tidal, so also try Cinco Pedsos off the island’s eastern peninsula into Gonzaga Bay.

San Felipe: Anchor in the small shoaly marina’s north corner.

Puerto Penasco: The enclosed harbor has good Norther shelter, but the marinas and docks in the north end are better than anchoring in the deep middle.

Cabo Tepoca: Anchor east of the headland and south of the town.

San Carlos: The enclosed yacht basins at Marina Real and Marina San Carlos are best in a Norther, but anchoring in Bahia San Carlos usually works.

Guaymas: Marina Fonatur Guaymas and the anchorage area in the north end of Guaymas harbor provide good shelter during Northers.

Topolobampo: The anchorage just insider Punta Santa Maria and the basin east of the ferry terminal are best, but also Marina Topolobampo at the end of the secondary channel is also good shelter in a Norther. This is about as far down as most Northers are problematic.