Check-In - Isla Mujeres

[Capt Major]

FYI,
The Isla Port Captain was and is well aware of the U.S. Customs clearance form. I wasn't the first nor will I be the last to have the form available. Commercial ships and charter boats have been using the form for a long while. The vast majority of private recreational boats (ie.,Cruisers) don't have the form and they don't get harassed or "shook down" as some cruisers refer to it. Also, foreign cruising visitors to the U.S. (who have cleared in) should also clear out before heading off to other countries. Mexico is trying to manage the flow of visitors to their country just like the U.S. and most other countries. If you ever noticed the assortment of power boats at the Mx Navy dock you would be aware that some visitors arrive with "extra" passengers or "extra" cargo or they arrive on someone Else's boat. In the U.S. we call them illegal aliens, human traffickers, drug smugglers and boat thieves. Does a clearance form solve all these problems? No way, but they do help to separate those that do abide by the law from those that flout the law. Is the request for a Clearance form within the law? Maybe not. If you were responsible for managing a port of entry, would you use every means available to help ensure both the legal status of visitors and the security of the port? Compared to those individuals crossing borders in their land travels, cruisers have generally very relaxed procedures to comply with. I've only been cruising on my boat to other countries throughout the Caribbean since 1992 and traveled by air to England, Africa and SE Asia so I probably don't have the same "experience" as you. Remember you are the Captain of your vessel with certain legal and procedural obligations.
Captain Major

[chuck]

We are not discussing England, Africa or Southeast Asia here we are discussing and the original question was check-ins at Isla. We know this Port Captain intimately and if you give him an inch he will take $10.00. My point is that if unreasonable requests are met by some cruisers they will be quickly demanded of others, so we need to think first even though it might appear to be the reasonable thing to do at a first glance. I am sorry if you can not see it that way, but we have experienced it first hand in all to many situations. Chuck

[Louis Riel]

Does anyone know what the temporary import permit for Mexico costs today? I've heard varying figures quoted.I hope I get your answer before they lock this discussion, as these are political issues, and are thus forbidden on this chatline . They usually get locked.
I got kicked out of Xmas Island during hurricane season, with a hurricane in the area, because the immigration lady didn't like my outward clearance form Canada Customs , which I had to argue with Canada customs to even get. Canada Customs insisted I didn't need one.

[Southern Mist II]

I paid $50.00 US in 2008. It must be paid in US funds, I don't know why that's just the way it is!!

[suestover]

We just arrived in Isla Mujeres from the Dry Tortugas on 4/8/2010 and had the same thing happen. We were asked for our zarpe. When we explained that the US does not give zarpes, we were told we were wrong--that they were now given by Homeland Security and required in Mexico. They asked if we had anything that could prove we had been in Florida. My husband produced a bus pass from the Key West Transit system. They accepted it and asked to retain the original. Amazing!!!

[Louis Riel]

At Christmas Island I was told that my Canadian Yacht needed US registry and a US coastguard certificate of seaworthiness. I told her 'The US is a different country." She said "Don't lie to me . Leave immediately."
I said "It's hurricane season and there is a hurricane in the area." She said "That's your problem."
When clearing into some countries , don't expect to be dealing with anyone with better than a grade three education.
Next time I pass Christmas Island, I may leave a little reminder of what it costs to insult a Canadian.

[chuck]

Brent, What part of Christmas Island has anything to do with checking in at Isla Mujeras, except to further your political rhetoric?

[CaptCharles]

First Warning..

[Louis Riel]

Usanians do need passports to get back into their own country now. Now doesn't that make you feel more 'Secure?"

[chuckr]

a few quesitons here -- if i could please

first - is the port cap'n still requiring a zarpe - on noonsite says yes - of so can we get something from the feds in key west?

second - what charts are being used? i thought i read somewhere that the mexican gov't borrowed a couple of our survey ships and resurveyed their entire coast and created new charts - anyone heard of this?

third - i also thought i read that the mexican gov't also put out a cruising guide to eastern mexico - anyone heard of it?

thanks to all

chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the hook st marys city md

[Draco]

chuckr - did you ever get any more info in reference to your second and third questions above?
(new charts or cruising guide for east coast of Mexico?

Anyone else have any info on these two items?

Thanks,
Frank
S/V Draco

[chuckr]

Frank -- we did not get answers on any thing --

however a bit of research and a phone call or two and we did find the mexican gov't site - thanks a lot to pat rains who writes the cruising guides

the link is http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php ... Itemid=214

you will need to read spanish to figure it out --

and pat rains has a new guide or i should say an update to her guide on the east coast of central america and we hope it out before we leave this fall/winter -

we are also talking with bellingham charts - at least for mexico we may do a comparison and go with both - at least for mexico - the rest will be bellingham and we have ordered sample charts from them to compare a 2/3 charts with a full size and see which one works for us

take care and good luck
chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the hook deltaville, va

[Draco]

ChuckR - Thanks for the new leads. The Rains guide looks like its definitely worth having. And the Mexican website will take me a while to sort out, but looks like it has a lot of good info.
Let me know how you make out with Bellingham.

Thanks again -
Frank
S/V Draco

[chuckr]

We got the 2/3 size chart of Isla Mujeres and a full size from bellingham - both are very usable -
if we using it for our only source of navigation we would go with the full size -
but as the paper are our back up system we are going with the 2/3 -
reason is i am getting older and the eyes just don't work as well as they use to -

we also decided not to go with the mexican gov't charts as they only cover mexico and and nothing south - no surprise in that -
so we went with a package from belligham -

we also are getting the pavlids guide to the nw carib - later this year we are hoping that the new pat rains is out and we will get it before we leave

hope this helps

chuck patty and svsoulmates
in deltaville boat yard for upgrades - deltaville va