A trip to Alacranes National Park is a 2 or 3 day expedition.  We will need a guest list to prepare the dispatch and pay the entrance fees to go into the park.  These fees are about $1500 pesos for a 2 day trip and about $2000 pesos on a 3 day trip for up to 6 guests.  You could pay about $500 pesos each and have an annual pass to all of Mexico’s National Parks. 

It is a 66 mile run to Isla Perez from Progreso which takes about 3 ½ hours on the Reel Blessed.  We have a new 5 man tent for camping out on Isla Perez which is the only island where camping is permitted.  There are 5 islands in Alacranes National Park.  They are Isla Perez, Isla Chica, Isla Blanca, Isla Muertos and Desterrada.  The first 3 are within sight of Isla Perez and Desterrada is about 12 miles northwest of Isla Perez. 
The reef arches north around the east side for about 14 miles and is about 6 miles wide which gives about 100 square miles of reefs and shallow water to explore.  There is a lighthouse keeper, a small group of Mexican Marines and park officials and a few nice palapas and bathrooms and not much more construction.  There are bird colonies on all of the islands and you can explore them all.  Visibility for diving is usually over 100 feet.  Most divers that I have spoken to who dove both places like Alacranes better than Cozumel.  Spear fishing is permitted in the park with the proper permit which cost $10 or less.  This permit also doubles as a fishing permit which each person is required to have in order to fish in Mexican waters. 

Be sure to look in the gallery for the Alacranes photos and fishing photos.  The fishing is very good usually with different species prevalent depending on the time of year.  Tuna and wahoo are usually available all year long.  September, October and November are the peak times for me.  I have had days in October where I caught 5 of 15 wahoos 30 to 50 pounds each, 2 tunas, a 25 pound Doarado, lost a 300 pound blue marlin and caught 3 to 5 groupers to 35 pounds and about 30 triggerfish.  Another day we caught 9 tunas, 2 wahoo, 4 groupers, barracudas, etc.  It can be really good.  You can usually get 1 to 3 bites a day of sailfish and marlin if one wants to put the effort in.  You can get 10 to 30 bites a day on sails north of Isla Mujeres in the right season. 

There are large grouper and amberjacks available on the rocks away from the reef.  We have caught black groupers (negrillos) to over 75 pounds and amberjacks to 70 pounds last season.  There are many yellowtail snapper which are great eating and good live bait, too.  There are many barracudas, sometimes too many.  I have made over 120 trips to Alacranes on the Sea Queen over the last 17 years.  We have lots of great places to fish out there that I have accumulated over the years.  The water off of the south end of the reef is about 160 feet deep and about 220 feet deep off of the north end.  If one goes northwest from Desterrada about 30 miles the bottom falls from 600 feet to 4000 feet of water pretty quickly.  I have hooked and fought large blue marlin out that way and seen pods of whales out there.  Most guests prefer to fishing for large groupers and amberjacks than trolling miles away from the reef.  Trolling along the reef can be quite productive and used to be almost all that we did.  Trolling out on a few select places away from the reef can be quite good as well for tunas and wahoos. 

One important thing about Alacranes is that you must choose your days for your trip as weather permits.  If you go in bad weather, many will get seasick on the crossing and then you won’t be able to go everywhere that you want because of the wind and waves.  I have been there in bad weather on several occasions and it reduces your choices of what you can do significantly. 

I highly recommend trips to Alacranes.  Everyone should go at least once in their life. There is nothing like it in the Gulf of Mexico or anywhere else.  It is a hidden jewel, truly unique. In the past, only the wealthy and the commercial fisherman have enjoyed Alacranes Reef.  It has been their private playground but now you can see and experience this natural wonder for yourself.  You can see the stars as never before.  I would like to introduce this beautiful place to the rest of the world. 

We provide: the bait, ice for drinking and 300 pounds of ice ground up for the fish, fishing rods, fishing tackle, 40 liters of drinking water, one tent, 1000 liters of gasoline, 2 cases of soft drinks your choice and about 100 liters of fresh water to bathe with and a grill top to cook on. 

You provide: your food, drinks, beer, stuff to cook and eat with, charcoal and lighter, sleeping bags or blankets, sheets, pillows, clothes as appropriate, swim suits, sun block, snorkel gear, dive gear, spear guns and cameras.

Our price for 2 day, one night trip for up to 6 guests is $26,000 pesos plus the permit and entry fees as necessary.
The 3 day, 2 night trip for up to 6 guests is $32,000 pesos plus the permit and entry fees as necessary. 

Call me at 1-901-881-4452 or on my Mexican cell at 011-521-999-949-1342 to make your reservations.  Please make your reservations in advance as we have only one boat in the fleet at this time. You can also e-mail me at info@reelblessedadventures.com.
                                                    At Your Service,

                                             Captain Clifford G. McCaa