Ask Gerry

We are sad to report that Gerry died of heart failure on May 15, 2010.

Many of you knew him as a sailor, outdoorsman, innovator, and expert on the Sea of Cortez. We intend to keep the legacy he left in those areas alive and useful to others. This web site will continue to be a resource for those of you who want access to his expertise. As most of the day-to-day business operations had already been taken over by his grandaughter Heather, Gerry Sea of Cortez Charts will continue to function under family direction.

Gerry Cunningham, well known designer of outdoor sports equipment, started surveying and charting the anchorages of the Gulf of California, or Sea of Cortez, over 40 years ago. He published charts of the San Carlos area in 1970, and the first edition of Cruising Guide to San Carlos in 1985. Gerry searched out and surveyed all viable anchorages in an area. Where you see an anchor symbol on his charts, that means that he personally had his hook down there. There are no speculative anchorages. If he gives a GPSM position, that means he sat in that spot for at least 15 minutes, recording the readings every minute in order to eliminate any momentary anomalies, and to give you the best possible fix.

Gerry accurately surveyed and charted over 270 anchorages, which are described in his 3 Cruising Guides covering the Sea of Cortez from Cabo San Lucas up the Baja coast to Bahia de los Angeles, across the Midriff Islands to Bahia Kino and down the mainland coast past San Carlos to Guaymas harbor.

Large-scale Navigation Charts with considerable detail of the individual anchorages in photos and text are available in 5 Chart Packets, including one from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and around to La Paz, based on the accurate DMA 21100 chart Series.

Gerry's Navigation Charts are based on the only modern aerial survey of the Gulf, not on the old 1873 surveys of the Ranger and Narraganset. They can be used with a GPS.

You may contact Heather Cunningham by calling
408-568-4352 or
by e-mail