What would it be like to sail into the Mazatlán? The world of sailing is foreign to so many of us, yet the only way of life for others. The Marina Mazatlán or as some people call it the “New Marina” is a fantastic port for boaters. Their arrival here is made extremely easy by the wonderful services offered. The Marina is one of the less expensive in all Mexico, and the best to visit. Dani and Chris Golian love the Mazatlán Marina. They have been staying there for almost a year now. They have a 44 foot sailboat, a Cartwright 44, designed by Jerry Cartwright in Lake Ontario, Canada, named the “Kinship”. It is about 11 years old. In their journeys they had discovered they liked Mexico. They needed to spend the hurricane season somewhere, but the insurance company would only insure them for that season in Mazatlán, it is a safer port than most. Dani admits this is not as romantic as saying they came here and fell in love with it, but because of the insurance situation, they did fall in love with it. They occasionally go out for day trips and spent three weeks in the Sea of Cortez. While talking to Dani, I realized there is a lot to know about traveling by sea, and thought you might like to know a little about it. The more information you have the better. There are cruising guides and charts. Cruising guides will tell you on what frequency the marina operates, and their telephone numbers, etc. As soon as you know where you are headed you should radio, phone, or e-mail the marina to let them know of your arrival. As you get closer, a call to ask specific question like whether or not the dredge is working that day is advisable. Then it is a matter of finding the entrance from the sea. Boaters try to arrive,

especially at a new port, during daylight hours. Once they are inside the marina, they should call again to get their slip assignment and location. By the time they arrive at their slip, the marina personnel are there, guiding them in and catching dock lines. The boating community is extremely supportive of one another. Information is freely shared between captains and crew about ports, weather and seas. Mazatlán itself is geared to boating. It helps that there are so many boat mechanics here to work on the fishing and shrimp boats. Marina Mazatlán currently has 245 slips, but there will be 320 available by the end of May. Each slip can be rented by the day, the week or the month and the cost depends on the size of your boat, the amenities you desire, and the length of your stay. According to Jamie Ruiz, the Harbor Master, the marina is running between 80 and 95% full, year round. In the summer many boats are stored in Mazatlán for a few months. The list of available services at Marina Mazatlán is a long one. There is everything from locker boxes on every dock and laundry pick up to electric dock keys and a scuba tank refill service. Documentation is required to come into Mazatlán no matter how you arrive. When coming in by boat from a foreign country, it is required you have a current vessel registration, Mexican liability insurance, passports(for all on boat), crew list, completed contract form (which you can print from your boat and fill out before arrival), and a temporary import permit. If you arrive from another port in Mexico, additionally you are required to have a check out form from the last port. Each boat does have an agricultural inspection.