Golfito
We anchored at 08 37.160N 83 09.230W
16ft of water - Slight tidal current back and forth in the bay
SUMMARY
Services
Fuel - Yes - Fuel Docks
Cell Service - Yes 4G LTE
Wifi - Yes. Several Wifi signals in the anchorage
Dingy Landing - Yes- Via marinas or "Land and Sea"
Garbage - Yes. Via the dock you choose to land at
Re-cycle - Yes - Via Fish Hook
Potable Water - Yes- Via marinas
Showers - Yes- Via marinas or Land and Sea
Laundry - Yes - Via Fish Hook Marina
Groceries- Yes. Several options
ATM - Yes
Water Taxi - No.
Fuel - Yes - Fuel Docks
Cell Service - Yes 4G LTE
Wifi - Yes. Several Wifi signals in the anchorage
Dingy Landing - Yes- Via marinas or "Land and Sea"
Garbage - Yes. Via the dock you choose to land at
Re-cycle - Yes - Via Fish Hook
Potable Water - Yes- Via marinas
Showers - Yes- Via marinas or Land and Sea
Laundry - Yes - Via Fish Hook Marina
Groceries- Yes. Several options
ATM - Yes
Water Taxi - No.
Golfito
Golfito is a small town with a population of approximately 11 000 people tucked deep in the Golfo Dulce. It has a "working town" rather than a "tourist town" feel. Up until 1985, it was the local headquarters for the United Fruit Company and was a major port shipping bananas worldwide. It was the true "Banana Republic". Nowadays it serves as a launch point for people going to one of the many Parks and Eco Resorts in the area. It also serves as a shopping destination with the local "Duty Free Zone" and some of the cheapest goods in Costa Rica. Like most coastal towns there is also a small crew of local fishermen to round it all out.
All of this makes for a comfortable anchorage with a good variety of stores and supplies available. There is even a small airport with daily flights to San Jose. Since there is so much traffic through here there is also a good variety of restaurants and places to grab a drink or two. Even though it is a useful place to stop Golfito definitely has a solid mix of run down and cute. It can feel both dirty and lush and wonderful. I guess at heart Golfito is still a working town in the jungle more than a cutesy tourist spot.
One way or another all of this adds up to a great base camp while we waited for our next guest to arrive. :-)
All of this makes for a comfortable anchorage with a good variety of stores and supplies available. There is even a small airport with daily flights to San Jose. Since there is so much traffic through here there is also a good variety of restaurants and places to grab a drink or two. Even though it is a useful place to stop Golfito definitely has a solid mix of run down and cute. It can feel both dirty and lush and wonderful. I guess at heart Golfito is still a working town in the jungle more than a cutesy tourist spot.
One way or another all of this adds up to a great base camp while we waited for our next guest to arrive. :-)
Anchoring
Entry / Approach
The channel can accomodate large ships so there is plenty of room for any cruising vessel.
Of course we came in at the worst possible tide timing. It was mid tide on an ebb from an 8 ft tide. Even so we only experienced about 1 knot of current. Seems like it’s not too bad even if you can’t time it right.
Depth – 32-40ft (8-11ft tide)
We anchored in front of Fish Hook Marina. Great holding. There is tidal current that swings you back and forth but it’s not very strong. My unofficial guess is 1.5 knots or less. There is a little bit of wind vs current here so you may not always be pointed into the wind.
There is tons of room here for almost any number of boats.
We chose this area because it was the most convenient for getting ashore.
Water temp and Clarity
Because of the tidal flow through here the visibilityy was rarely above 5ft.
Marina Info
You can also choose one of the many marinas or mooring ball options in the bay.
We didn't stay at any of these but this is the info we have so far.
Fish Hook Marina
www.fish-hook-marina.com
Banana Bay
http://www.bananabaymarinagolfito.com
Land and Sea
http://www.marinaservices-yachtdelivery.com
IGY Marina
http://www.igy-golfitomarina.com
The channel can accomodate large ships so there is plenty of room for any cruising vessel.
Of course we came in at the worst possible tide timing. It was mid tide on an ebb from an 8 ft tide. Even so we only experienced about 1 knot of current. Seems like it’s not too bad even if you can’t time it right.
Depth – 32-40ft (8-11ft tide)
We anchored in front of Fish Hook Marina. Great holding. There is tidal current that swings you back and forth but it’s not very strong. My unofficial guess is 1.5 knots or less. There is a little bit of wind vs current here so you may not always be pointed into the wind.
There is tons of room here for almost any number of boats.
We chose this area because it was the most convenient for getting ashore.
Water temp and Clarity
Because of the tidal flow through here the visibilityy was rarely above 5ft.
Marina Info
You can also choose one of the many marinas or mooring ball options in the bay.
We didn't stay at any of these but this is the info we have so far.
Fish Hook Marina
www.fish-hook-marina.com
Banana Bay
http://www.bananabaymarinagolfito.com
Land and Sea
http://www.marinaservices-yachtdelivery.com
IGY Marina
http://www.igy-golfitomarina.com
WIND / SWELL
Very little wind and no swell.
Getting to Shore
We went to shore at the southern option here. Here you can choose between Fish Hook Marina, Land and Sea or Banana Bay Marina. There is a fee for Banana Bay and "Land and Sea". Fish Hook just asks that you patronize their bar/restaurant.
Land & Sea dock is about $7USD/day
The only free place to get to shore is near the public pier (the middle option) It's not really that enticing. The landing is mostly rock, mud, broken up concrete and garbage. Not only that but there aren't that many easy spots to lock up your dingy.
You could also choose to land your dingy at the new marina in the northern end of the bay. You would be closer to the Duty Free Area, the Port Captain and the Customs office but farther from what is considered the "town". You will need to get permission to tie your dinghy here.
Water Taxi
None
Land & Sea dock is about $7USD/day
The only free place to get to shore is near the public pier (the middle option) It's not really that enticing. The landing is mostly rock, mud, broken up concrete and garbage. Not only that but there aren't that many easy spots to lock up your dingy.
You could also choose to land your dingy at the new marina in the northern end of the bay. You would be closer to the Duty Free Area, the Port Captain and the Customs office but farther from what is considered the "town". You will need to get permission to tie your dinghy here.
Water Taxi
None
Diesel / Gas
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Head up to the new marina at the north end of the bay.
Huge new dock. Nice friendly people. Also you may want to get fuel BEFORE you check out of the country if you are headed towards Panama. There has been issues with NOT selling fuel to people who have already checked out. |
Officialdom - CHecking In/out
There is a bit of song and dance here just like anywhere else. You will need to visit the Immigration, Customs and the Port Captain. Thankfully all the offices are here in town and you should be able to get Check In / Out.
***NOTE: If you are arriving from other parts in Costa Rica and already have a National Zarpe the Port Captain does NOT need you to check in.
You will need to check out though.
We were checking out to Panama so we needed an INTERNATIONAL ZARPE.
***NOTE: If you are arriving from other parts in Costa Rica and already have a National Zarpe the Port Captain does NOT need you to check in.
You will need to check out though.
We were checking out to Panama so we needed an INTERNATIONAL ZARPE.
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1. First we went to the Immigration Office.
It's on the corner of the building with the red and white radio antenna across the street from the Samona del Sur Hotel to the East on the main drag.. Look for the Honda red and black sign. 08’37.729N 83’09.446W If you want to take your dinghy it is possible to leave it at the Samona del Sur Dock for 500 colones an hour and cross the street to Immigration to get this step done. We just walked up from Fish Hook. We got there at 10am and were informed that the Immigration officer would not be there until 11am. Not sure if he was running late or if they just open at 11am. The Immigration officer is super nice and speaks english. He will ask for your documents and the 3 copies. He will then make collated packets of paperwork for himself, one for the Aduana and one for the Capitan del Puerto. This process took us about 15-20 minutes. |
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Next is Customs or "Aduana".
This is down in the "Duty Free Zone". It's best to either take a cab from immigration or take your dingy up to the new marina and do the long walk from there. We just took a cab for 1200 Colones. 08’38.796 N 83’10.727 W The cab dropped us off at the Area Entrance. Work your way in towards the security gates and guards. Off to the left is the window where you would get your paperwork if you wanted to go shopping the next day. You actually would need to follow this building even farther out to the left. Just ask someone. It's easier. Also, remember that if you arrive at lunchtime you’ll have to wait. Luckily the gals directly across the Aduana’s office have a thriving lunch counter going and the food is delicious. We waited for about 10 minutes before someone even came to the desk for us. After that the Customs paperwork took about 20 minutes. |
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Next is the Bank.
There is a bank you can use in the Duty Free Zone. It is in an area further into the open market area past the large ticket items. Ask someone for directions to the Banco National. You will need a copy of the boat documentation so they can see the length of your boat and you will need to explain that you are paying for an International Zarpe. You should be informed as to what the current fees are. The Bank just collects money and gives you a receipt. It's up to you to get a receipt for the right amount. This cost for us was $50USD for a 50ft boat. The bank process took about 20-30 minutes. |
Finally you will need to go to the Port Captains office to get your Zarpe.
There’s a bus stop right out from the front of the open-air market area with lots of cabs. We took a cab for a 1200 Colones to the Capitan del Puerto’s office which is near the new mega yacht marina. The door with a sign saying “Reception” will most likely be locked and they will have to buzz you in. There we presented all the documents, he asked for our paperwork and asked when we were going to leave.
This took about 15-20 minutes.
Then we walked out to the main road and flagged a cab to get back to Fish Hook.
There’s a bus stop right out from the front of the open-air market area with lots of cabs. We took a cab for a 1200 Colones to the Capitan del Puerto’s office which is near the new mega yacht marina. The door with a sign saying “Reception” will most likely be locked and they will have to buzz you in. There we presented all the documents, he asked for our paperwork and asked when we were going to leave.
This took about 15-20 minutes.
Then we walked out to the main road and flagged a cab to get back to Fish Hook.
IN TOWN
You can find almost anything here in town.
There are plenty of bars, restaurants, grocery stores and even a Duty Free Shopping area.
You will find a Ferreteria, several stores selling Fishing/Boat related items and even a small fabric store. If you are looking for something specific just ask around. It's surprising what you can get here...
There are plenty of bars, restaurants, grocery stores and even a Duty Free Shopping area.
You will find a Ferreteria, several stores selling Fishing/Boat related items and even a small fabric store. If you are looking for something specific just ask around. It's surprising what you can get here...
Groceries
There are several different options for groceries in town. 3 larger grocery stores and several Fruit and Vegetable type stores as well. There is a big difference in what is available depending on what day you go. It's best to find out when the deliveries come in if you have the time.
We mostly shopped at Pearson and the Super Commercio (with the Coca Cola sign).
We mostly shopped at Pearson and the Super Commercio (with the Coca Cola sign).
Bank / ATM
Bank / ATM
We used the bank ATM in the Duty Free Zone since we figured this would be more secure and probably have a better exchange rate. Not sure if that was true but we were there anyway. There are other options if something closer works better for you.
At the southern end there is an ATM just off the main street as you walk North to town from Fish Hook Marina.
Bank / ATM
We used the bank ATM in the Duty Free Zone since we figured this would be more secure and probably have a better exchange rate. Not sure if that was true but we were there anyway. There are other options if something closer works better for you.
At the southern end there is an ATM just off the main street as you walk North to town from Fish Hook Marina.
Airport
We had a friend come visit us and they flew in from San Jose instead of taking the bus. Not the biggest airport or runway but it was way better than the bus. Flight was $80 one way.
MISC
Propane
You can get US style propane bottles refilled here.
You will need to drop them off at the grocery store across from the gas station. Drop off on Monday and pick it up a week later on Monday.
Make sure they are well marked with your NAME or BOAT NAME and be sure to add "RETURN TO PEARSON - GOLFITO"–
Price was about 8650 Colones for a full size BBQ tank.
You can get US style propane bottles refilled here.
You will need to drop them off at the grocery store across from the gas station. Drop off on Monday and pick it up a week later on Monday.
Make sure they are well marked with your NAME or BOAT NAME and be sure to add "RETURN TO PEARSON - GOLFITO"–
Price was about 8650 Colones for a full size BBQ tank.
ANNOYANCES
There is no easy free dinghy landing.
It wasn't terrible buying a beer or a meal at Fish Hook but it we weren't always feeling like drinking or eating.
Lots of growth on the chain after 10 days on the hook. Our chain looked like it had a fur coat. Yuk...
There can be plenty of large sticks and small logs floating in here.
It wasn't terrible buying a beer or a meal at Fish Hook but it we weren't always feeling like drinking or eating.
Lots of growth on the chain after 10 days on the hook. Our chain looked like it had a fur coat. Yuk...
There can be plenty of large sticks and small logs floating in here.
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No video of this anchorage... :-( |
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Download our Google Earth KAP files for use in OpenCPN. | ||
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Download our gpx track to approach this area
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