SOUTH PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE SEASON OUTLOOK

SOUTH PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE SEASON

NOVEMBER 1-APRIL 30

NEW OUTLOOK RELEASED

Tropical cyclones, like hurricanes, are known for their powerful winds, heavy rains, and potential to cause significant destruction.  Tropical cyclones frequently affect the southern Pacific and can pose serious threats to both public health and infrastructure.  All vessels are advised to have a plan of action for the cyclone season.

Tropical cyclone risk for the 2024-25 season

According to New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and Metservice, the South Pacific may see either fewer or a normal number of tropical cyclones this season.  The cyclone season in the South Pacific starts November 1 and runs until the April 30, with the typical 'peak' of the season being January - March.   The outlook that has recently been released, "Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone Outlook - October 2024" describes a slower start to the Cyclone season, potentially less cyclone risk overall in the eastern region while potentially elevated risk in the western region.  According to the NIWA Outlook, "As of early October 2024, sea surface temperatures across the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean are below average and close to La Niña thresholds."  Forecasters are observing more La Niña-like characteristics that tend to reduce risk in the east and elevate risk in the west where warmer water may 'stack up' later in the season.  As with many weather outlooks of late there continues to be caution that while there may be less risk in the frequency of tropical storms this season, there is still a risk that those that come may intensify more rapidly or simply be very intense.

Number of predicted named tropical cyclones interacting with an island group for the 2024-25 season

For cruisers in French Polynesia South Pacific Posse member Scott on Tartaruga shares:

What is critical to following storms in FP is the location of the MJO. Madden Julien Oscillation. You can research that but when that is over French Poly that is when the highest probability of big storms occur. Per some local Tahiti sailors they almost never have any cyclonic storms outside of MJO events. This last season Fiji announced the MJO forecast and when it would be over FP and boom the storms came. Also note that Fiji is the official metrological organization for these storms. Another important data point is they name their storms very early, mean the wind scale starts at a much lower number....NOAA tracks (the MJO) closely as well. I would educate yourself on how to read the graph. It is a bit strange.

Fiji Meteorological Service Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre Nadi-Tropical Cyclone Centre also just released a forecast on the upcoming tropical Cyclone season.  Their predictions are similar.

Total number of TCs forecasted for the RSMC Nadi-TCC AoR.

Stay alert on great weather sites including:


FLEET UPDATE 2024-10-15

FLEET UPDATE 2024-10-15

OCEAN POSSE 🧭 Fleet Updates

FLEET UPDATE 2024-10-15

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11) PEOPLE'ING IN THE AMERICAS

12) MEET THE FLEET SY JUBEL

130 GARGOLYE IN THE CORINTH CANAL

14) ORIGINAL GUNK HOLES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC 

15) ALERT MARINE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS 

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Ho-okipa on the dock in Sweden

MV HO’OKIPA 🇺🇸  Lisa & Lucky Chucky – Selene 43′ in 🇸🇪  Sweden 

3) OCEAN POSSE EVENTS & GATHERINGS

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24-25′ PANAMA POSSE KICK OFF WEEKEND 🇲🇽 BARRA DE NAVIDAD, MEXICO WHEN: December 4-8 2024 WHERE: Barra de Navidad, MX at the Marina Puerto de la Navidad RSVP PLEASE AND CONTACT THE MARINA DIRECTLY TO RESERVE A SLIP

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Bonfire on the beach
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Tenacatita – Inner Bay @ 19° 17.8725′ N 104° 50.1806′ W

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 14° 41.9416′ N  092° 23.555′ W

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AMENITIES

  •     70 Space with a maximimum LOA of 150 feet
  •     Draft of 15 feet at low tide
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  •     Restaurant
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Dry storage 200 SPACES  

  •     Travel lift   60 tons, with a ramp of 21 feet wide,
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Marina Chiapas Office

Marina Chiapas has almost ALL THE BURGEES and plenty of Amazon shipments

Road Playa Linda km 6.50 Puerto Chiapas México

Tel: +52 962.111.82.91

Tel: +52 962.620.40.38

EMAIL: memogarcia@marinachiapas.com.mx

EMAIL: rmarichal@marinachiapas.com.mx

PALENQUE

WHAT TO DO NEARBY ? 
with over 17 must see attractions in southern Mexico including PALENQUE Marina Chiapas sits in the cultural epicenter of Mayan culture and San Cristobal de las Casas.

SAN CRISOBAL DE LAS CASAS

https://oceanposse.com/italy/#italy
PORTOFINO
CINQUETERRE
LA SPECIE
LIGURIA

7) GOOD NAUTICAL  

 BAHIA DE LOS MUERTOS 🇲🇽  BCS MEXICO

Bahia los Muertos

8NM
south of Punta Arena. The bay is quite steep too leaving little
anchoring space for more than a couple of yachts. The Bay provides some
shelter from the north but is open from NE through to south and can be
rolly. 

Tuck
in below the headland on the northern side of the bay and anchor in
10.5m on a sandy bottom. This bay can be a washing machine in strong
winds.

Los Muertos

Anchorage @

23° 59.3600' N 109° 49.5520' W

35.00 ft / 10.50 m 

Los Muertos

8)  POSSE PERK SATELLITE CHARTS

9) MARYLAND MY MARYLAND

THINKING BACK ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY

 MARYLAND THINKING BACK ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
SKIPJACK

11) PEOPLE'ING IN THE AMERICAS

This stone artifact is one of many found on the Channel Islands off the coast of California that suggest mariners have traveled to this site for at least 10,000 years. Photo Credit: National Park Service

This
stone artifact is one of many found on the Channel Islands off the
coast of California that suggest mariners have traveled to this site for
at least 10,000 years. Photo Credit: National Park Service

12) MEET THE FLEET  

13) SV GARGOYLE TRANSITS 
THE CORINTH CANAL IN GREECE
 

14) THE ORIGINAL GUNK HOLES 
OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Bay of Islands - Russell, New Zealand 

 is
an historic spot, dating from the early 19th century and known until
the early 1840s as Kororāreka. In the 1830s it was a lawless trading
center where whalers, seafarers and merchants mixed with adventurers,
deserters and escaped convicts from Australia. 

Pressures
on Māori from European settlers  Europeans settled permanently in
New Zealand and wanted to buy land for farms and houses. Most settlers
did not understand Māori land tenure processes and Māori law concepts,
or structures for social cohesion and due to these misunderstandings
many skirmishes – some quite bloody – occurred.

On
6 February 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi was
signed at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, North-land New Zealand by
Captain William Hobson, several English residents, and between 43 and 46
Māori rangatira / chiefs 

Why did the British Crown want a Treaty?

The
British Government was considering establishing a form of civil
government in New Zealand because of the increasing number of British
people who were coming to live in New Zealand. However, a plan for
private settlement by the New Zealand Company forced the British
Government to act. The government instructed Captain William Hobson to
act for the British Crown in negotiating a treaty on the grounds that it
was necessary to obtain Māori consent before establishing any form of
government.

Reasons
why chiefs signed the treaty included wanting controls on sales of
Māori land to Europeans, and on European settlers. They also wanted to
trade with Europeans, and believed the new relationship with Britain
would stop fighting between tribes

....more  >>> 

tREATY
tREATY
tREATY
tREATY

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FIRE
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EXTINGUISHERS

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20) VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Hurricane Beryl (/ˈbɛr.əl/) was a deadly and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that impacted parts of the Caribbean, the Yucatán Peninsula, and the Gulf Coast of the United States in late June and early July 2024. It was the earliest-forming Category 5 hurricane on record and the second such storm in the month of July, the other being 2005's Hurricane Emily. Beryl was also the strongest hurricane to develop within the Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic before the month of July. The second named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane[nb 1] of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl broke many meteorological records for the months of June and July, primarily for its unusual location, intensity, and longevity.

NZ Navy Ship Catches Fire, Sinks After Hitting Reef in Samoa

NZ Navy Ship Catches Fire, Sinks After Hitting Reef

21) THE PANAMA CANAL 

PANAMA CANAL


MEXICO ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS

MEXICO ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS

FOR FOREIGN FLAGGED VESSELS

New guide for private boats visiting Mexico is very helpful.
Knowing entry and exit requirements for the countries you plan to visit will make the impending procedure so much easier.  Quick internet searches will often guide you right to the government website that will lay out requirements which include paperwork and fees.  Many countries have been upgrading and modernizing their systems. Mexico’s system has been changing over the last few years and unfortunately made many waves forcing some cruisers to abandon their cruising plans or turn their bow a completely different direction last year.  Mexico now has many of their entry and exit procedures available online.  The online resources do not eliminate the need to visit government offices upon entry or exit; rather, they hasten the process of getting information into the 'system' that ultimately keeps track of who and what is coming and going across their boarders.  Knowing the recent pitfalls and the newest procedures available will save a lot of time and avoid potential mishaps.
The VISITING MEXICO BY PRIVATE BOAT Quick Guide put out by the tourism board is a succinct introduction to private vessel and crew entry requirements.  The guide has detailed and simplified Mexican check in procedures. The key take away is that there are two main requirements foreign flagged vessels and crew must fulfill in order to properly clear into Mexico. The wonderful news is that both procedures can be started online now.
  1. Paperwork and fees for the people (and animals) onboard the vessel.
    • This involves getting tourist visas through Immigration and going through customs.  Visitors need to provide their passport, crew list, and vessel documentation.
  2. Paperwork and fees for the Vessel to obtain a TIP.
    • TIP’s are temporary Import Permits that boat owners apply for and pay for upon entry into Mexico. Captains present vessel and ownership documentation for permit.  The TIP is on the vessel and the ownership of the vessel is unimportant. The fee is less than $100 and yet the paperwork associated with it is the vessel’s Golden ticket into Mexico.  TIP’s for foreign flagged vessels are valid for ten years in Mexican waters. Foreign vessels are meant to cancel their TIP upon exiting Mexican waters.

When a vessel leaves Mexico without cancelling their TIP and this same vessel tries to enter Mexico complications arise.  In recent years, one of the biggest challenges cruisers entering Mexico have faced is discovering that their vessel has an uncanceled TIP.  If a vessel is found in Mexico without their ‘Golden Ticket’. The vessel can be impounded immediately.  Only fees, paperwork and stress build in this scenario.

The Mexican Government has been upgrading and computerizing their TIP database that catalogs what vessels have TIPS.  There are a variety of complications that have arisen from computerizing TIPs.  In the process of creating a formal and universal database some vessels came up as having more than one TIP issued to it.  Some vessels that had a TIP and left did so without cancelling their TIP.
Most recently new complications have arisen for TIPs issued before 2005 through the Mexican government agency called Aduana. This branch of the government has since been disbanded in the past few years.  In turn, last year all TIPS issued and uncanceled through Aduana prior to 2005 were completely frozen. These TIPs could not be cancelled or re-issued. These are the vessels who were forced to completely change their plans.  As of THIS WEEK, vessels with TIPS that fall into this category HAVE NEW HOPE!
The details of this recent turn of events can be found here in an article just released October 18th, 2024 in which a couple went to Ensenada with the sole intention to cancel two pre-2005 TIPs.  Their success is offering a beacon of hope and potentially a path forward for Mexican authorities to assist vessels seeking cruising clearance into Mexico this season.
Ideally vessels with TIPs issued before 2005 will now fall into yet a new category: vessels with TIP complications that are challenging AND solvable.  Like most places sometimes a little more paperwork and fees goes a long way!  Fortunately, there are people and companies that specialize in assisting people with their TIPs. That said, If a boat owner choses to use a representative to help obtain or cancel a TIP it is very important to be certain that others before you have used their services successfully.  Last year there was an issue in Mexico's Northwesternmost port, Ensenada, whereby someone was accepting money for the service of obtaining TIPs for vessels. These vessels cruised Mexico only to discover upon exiting the country that their TIPs were not valid. In fact, they were fake and had never been properly issued. This created huge problems. The Ocean Posse has a vetted company that helps with TIP challenges.
NOTE: The majority of boats do not have TIP issues but those that do have long convoluted yarns.  
For all vessels and crew entering and exiting Mexico from the north or the south know that the system of entry and exit is improving and one can get the process rolling on the new online system available.  The online system has not replaced office visits, inspections, or the issuance of official papers with even more official stamps.  Be very sure to keep all stamped paperwork and receipts from the Entry and Exit Processes.  The same actually holds true when flying or driving in or out of Mexico: keep entry and exit receipts and paperwork.  Entry Papers are required upon exiting Mexico and, most of the time, the subsequent country of entry requires the exit papers from the last country visited.  Follow the procedures properly and clearance will ideally be smooth and easy.