Boarded by the Mexican Navy
We have never been boarded by the Mexican Navy in the two years we’ve lived in Mexico. However, there’s always a first time, right?
Leaving the La Paz channel was easy, and we’ve done it so many times now it’s not intimidating in the least... that and the fact that the red and green buoys (or channel markers) have been re-positioned and there are more of them than last year!. So, we exited the channel and I quickly set the autopilot... sitting back in the squishy, comfy chair that Jim calls ‘the Con’ and enjoying the fresh sea breeze. Thirty minutes later, Bailey began barking and her hackles were up. A panga full of official looking men approached Hotspur and asked to come on board. The cruiser rumors had been buzzing in La Paz before we left, so we already expected this.
Jim was down below and I was at the helm. I took the autopilot off and let off the fuel. I really wasn’t sure if I should put the boat in neutral or let it putt-putt ahead at the lowest speed possible. I called for Jim and asked him to come up on deck ASAP! He's the Captain after all!
As usual with our past experiences in Mexico, the officials were very polite and asked first if they could come aboard. The boss man boarded first. They spoke Spanish and asked for our paperwork. The two officers that followed him were carrying automatic weapons. It can feel very threatening to an outsider, but truly it is a normal thing for the servicemen in Mexico to carry automatic rifles. We have run across them in the car or on the bus at the inspection sites many times. Every single time, we have experienced only polite and reasonable requests.
They checked our paperwork... US boat certificate, Mexican import documents and Mexican liability insurance. Then, they asked to go below. They took a quick look around and made the comment that our aft cabin was very big... and it is!
We all said our thank-yous and goodbyes. It was a pleasant experience that took less than 15 minutes. I asked permission to take their picture and they acquiesced... they also took a picture of me taking a picture of them!
Some people get the willies when they see the armed guards. We have actually heard that some people refuse to come to Mexico because they are afraid of the armed servicemen. We accepted a long time ago that this is their way. They have a job to do the same as the Border Patrol or Coast Guard in the US have a job to do. So, for any cruisers out there that plan on entering or exiting La Paz, this is an acceptable procedure now. Don't panic... they are simply checking boat documents.
