Landmark· Cabo Corrientes· Mexico
Cabo Corrientes
20° 24.5′ N · 105° 41.7′ W
The bold cape that marks the southern horn of Banderas Bay, a landmark on the earliest charts of the coast. Cruisers call it 'Mexico's Point Conception' because wind and sea stack up as you round it.
Practical
Coordinate from Wikipedia. Southbound boats leave the bay on a reach and then run before building northwesterlies: SV Delos (January 2010) had 15 knots leaving the bay, 20 to 25 two hours after rounding and 30 gusting 35 that night on the run toward Tenacatita, surfing to 14 knots. The north-northwesterly regime along Baja and the Mexican Riviera is driven by a thermal trough extending from Southern California toward Cabo Corrientes and is locally enhanced by funnelling and a daily strengthening (Weather Routing Inc. via Latitude 38). The ocean current enters the bay around the cape and sets along the south and east shores (Vallarta Yacht Club). Hurricane warnings in October 2026 (Simon, Trudy) used Cabo Corrientes as a breakpoint. See passage 'Rounding Cabo Corrientes'.
Best for
Timing the departure south to the Costalegre