Pacific Mexico
A Cruiser’s Guidebook

By Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer
Blue Latitude Press
ISBN 978-0-9800901-2-3

Shawn Breeding and Heather Bansmer have earned themselves unanimous praise for their excellent guide to the Sea of Cortez, the body of water that lies between Baja California and the Mexican mainland, which they explored over a number of years on their Westsail 32 Om Shanti.

They have just published an even more ambitious guidebook that covers the Pacific coast of Mexico south of the Sea of Cortez, from Mazatlan to Huatulco. Following the user- a friendly model of their previous volume, the book deals in detail with every cove, anchorage, port and marina, each accompanied by a detailed chartlet. These plans stand out for their attention to detail, a fact from which this reviewer profited greatly on a week charter in the Sea of Cortez earlier this year when the electronic charts displayed on the chart plotter were dangerously inaccurate and our only reliable means of navigation were the chartlets published in their guidebook.

Pacific Mexico is richly illustrated by hundreds of colour photographs depicting ports and anchorages thus making it easier to identify certain landmarks. The description of the various places, with their amenities and services, local art, customs and feasts are all accompanied by excellent photographs. This attractive book can only be described as a true labour of love as the affection of the authors for all things Mexican permeates each page. Pacific Mexico is worth buying even if you never plan to sail in those waters although you may change your mind before you finally manage to put it down.

Our thanks to Jimmy Cornell for this review.

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