Anchorage· Isla Mujeres· Mexico

Isla Mujeres Harbor Anchorage

21° 14.9′ N · 86° 44.8′ W

The big sand-bottomed bay on the lee (west) side of Isla Mujeres between the ferry docks and Marina Paraíso, where most cruisers arriving from Florida, Cuba or Belize drop the hook. Town, ferries to Cancún and every service are a short dinghy ride away.

Practical

Position is the anchorage logged by the yacht Five Islands in April 2016 (21°14.874'N 86°44.823'W). Approach through the marked channel and call the Isla Mujeres port captain on VHF 16 just outside the red buoys before entering (say 'Isla Mujeres' or Cancún answers). Noonsite describes the municipal anchorage on the western side of the harbor channel in about 3 m (10 ft) over mud and sand, free of charge; stay out of the channel and clear of the ferry docks. Cruising World and other reports call it well sheltered from all directions except north, with good holding, but Noonsite and noforeignland reviewers say dragging is common in the shifty winds of a norte, so dig in and lay plenty of scope. Ferries, tour boats and fishing pangas throw wake all day. Dinghy landing: cruisers have used the restaurant dinghy dock across from the port captain's office and the dinghy docks at the marinas (ask; small fees usual - verify locally). The cruisers' VHF net and hailing channel is 13. In a hurricane the port may be closed; see Laguna Makax. CruisersWiki also lists a morning NW Caribbean HF net on 6209 kHz USB (verify).

Best for

Clearing in and staging for the Mexican Caribbean, with town and ferries at hand

Season

Year-round; Nov–Mar nortes blow straight in from the north - re-anchor or move into a marina

Practical

Best for

Season

Nearby