Mexico

[Auzzee]

As my plans to head for San Carlos, Sonora, to launch the new boat take shape I confess to a real excitement fed by those people who have already written about the wonders of Mexico.

I need to buy a few bits for the new craft from a new dinghy and outboard, right down to flares and even glassware and cutlery. Is there a good chandlery in the San Carlos vicinity?

I know there is a West Marine in Phoenix and I have recently aquired a cattledog from Defender Marine. How does Defender compare to West? As the boat is currently under a Temporary Import Permit, can I send gear from the US to 'yacht in transit' in San Carlos to legally avoid sales taxes? Do I need to pay import tax if I ship boat gear from the US to Mexico?

Mexico receives bad press internationally. What is the reality? Is it the drug ridden, lawless, criminal free-for-all I read about, or is the bad publicity similar in substance to piracy and shark attacks where the reality is infrequent occurrence, but a publicity magnet when it does happen?

Do they have nice beer?
Do they have preeety gorls?
Do The Cisco Kid and Pancho still ride the ranges?
Can you trust the cab drivers?
Are the police like Thai police, or can they be trusted?

Any and all information is welcome and will be appreciated, especially as it relates to the boat; and also anchorages and costs of such.