Public domain, NOAA GOES-16 imagery, Wikimedia CommonsSeasonal· Acapulco· Mexico
Hurricane Otis Debris Hazard (Acapulco)
16° 50.4′ N · 99° 52.8′ W
On October 25, 2023, Hurricane Otis exploded from a tropical storm into a Category 5 storm in about a day and hit Acapulco with 160 mph winds: the first Pacific hurricane on record to make landfall at Category 5. It destroyed hundreds of tour boats, sank at least 33 vessels in the bay and wrecked the marinas.
Practical
Position is the OpenStreetMap centroid of the Bahía de Acapulco. Practical Sailor (2025) reports Otis sank every boat in the bay and advises against anchoring anywhere near Acapulco because of debris on the seafloor; take one of Vicente's moorings or a marina berth. Two small vessels ended up in Puerto Marqués. The lesson for hurricane season (May 15-Nov 30): forecasts can badly miss rapid intensification on this coast, so do not plan to ride out the season anywhere along the Guerrero coast.
Best for
Understanding why Acapulco is mooring-only
Nearby
- Río de la Plata Wreck (Acapulco)0.6 NM away
- Acapulco Club de Yates1.4 NM away
- Fuerte de San Diego1.4 NM away
- Acapulco Bay Moorings (Vicente)1.5 NM away
- Piedra Hierbabuena Reef (Acapulco)1.5 NM away
- Acapulco Port Captain1.6 NM away
- La Marina Acapulco1.6 NM away
- Servicios Marítimos de Acapulco (Chandlery)1.6 NM away