Marina Vista Mar
Marina at 08 028.932N 79 56.622W
SUMMARY
Fuel - Yes
Cell Service - 4G LTE
Wifi - Yes
Dingy Landing - Marina
Garbage - Yes
Potable Water - Yes
Showers - Yes
Laundry - Yes
Groceries- No but Coronado is a short distance away
ATM - No
Water Taxi - No
Cell Service - 4G LTE
Wifi - Yes
Dingy Landing - Marina
Garbage - Yes
Potable Water - Yes
Showers - Yes
Laundry - Yes
Groceries- No but Coronado is a short distance away
ATM - No
Water Taxi - No
Marina Vista MAR- June to Oct 2018
Our approach to the Marina was the culmination of a hard won battle. Our water pump had died earlier and it was the one thing we didn’t have a spare for so we were engineless. We had a slow tedious light air passage from the Islas Secas with finicky wind and strange currents. When the wind died completely within sight of the marina the staff met us a mile out with their onsite mini-barge and towed us in the last mile. We were pretty happy to be in. J
The marina is only a few years old and in may ways still under development. On one hand the docks look and feel brand new with artificial wood and fancy moveable cleats. There is also a nice pool that we have access to (10 min walk down the causeway)
On the other hand the bathrooms and showers are dirty and well below average and the wifi is pretty bad.
Another thing to note is that when a larger swell combines with a spring tide the surge in the marina is pretty harsh. You will need a solid chafe protection for your dock lines and should expect to sacrifice a line or two if you are staying more than a few weeks. We had seen some lines without chafe protection chew through in a few days….
For the time being we had a great promotional rate and were happy to have access to all the facilities so we could get all our summer projects done.
The marina is only a few years old and in may ways still under development. On one hand the docks look and feel brand new with artificial wood and fancy moveable cleats. There is also a nice pool that we have access to (10 min walk down the causeway)
On the other hand the bathrooms and showers are dirty and well below average and the wifi is pretty bad.
Another thing to note is that when a larger swell combines with a spring tide the surge in the marina is pretty harsh. You will need a solid chafe protection for your dock lines and should expect to sacrifice a line or two if you are staying more than a few weeks. We had seen some lines without chafe protection chew through in a few days….
For the time being we had a great promotional rate and were happy to have access to all the facilities so we could get all our summer projects done.
MARINA
Approach
The approach is super easy with no hazards and a gently sloping sea floor rising to meet you from miles out. The trickiest thing is that there is no easy way to tell which side of the breakwater to enter. At night you can see the Red / Green on the east side but during the day it’s really hard to tell.
Once you are close the entrance on the east side is a wide easy no pressure entry. Hail the Marina on VHF Ch 71. They aren't always by the radio so keep trying every 10 to 15 min if you don't reach them right away.
Water temp and Clarity
Water temp was 83 deg when we arrived in June. Clarity was about 5-10ft in the Marina.
Prevailing wind/swell
Mostly winds were light and variable. Occasional squalls kept things interesting but it felt like the Marina was getting significantly less rain than the surrounding areas.
The Marina is protected from the swell however the mix of large offshore swell and high tide has a lot of reflected waves come in. This causes more intense surge.
The swell was generally from the south west when we were there from June to Oct.
The approach is super easy with no hazards and a gently sloping sea floor rising to meet you from miles out. The trickiest thing is that there is no easy way to tell which side of the breakwater to enter. At night you can see the Red / Green on the east side but during the day it’s really hard to tell.
Once you are close the entrance on the east side is a wide easy no pressure entry. Hail the Marina on VHF Ch 71. They aren't always by the radio so keep trying every 10 to 15 min if you don't reach them right away.
Water temp and Clarity
Water temp was 83 deg when we arrived in June. Clarity was about 5-10ft in the Marina.
Prevailing wind/swell
Mostly winds were light and variable. Occasional squalls kept things interesting but it felt like the Marina was getting significantly less rain than the surrounding areas.
The Marina is protected from the swell however the mix of large offshore swell and high tide has a lot of reflected waves come in. This causes more intense surge.
The swell was generally from the south west when we were there from June to Oct.
Groceries
The on-site mini store was not open when we were there however there were significantly better options in Coronado (15min away)
The marina runs a daily shuttle at 11am for $2 USD that will drop you off almost anywhere in town. You do your shopping and then just take a taxi back. Taxi's from Coronado to the Marina usually cost $5 or $6 USD but be sure to agree on a price before you get in the cab...
Super 99 – Basic groceries
Rey – Good all around grocery store
Riba Smith – Slightly fancier with more US type items
Machetazo – More like a small Wal-Mart with groceries on the first floor and household on the 2ndand misc on the 3rdfloor.
There is also an upscale deli right beside the Do It Center. It will have many of the specialty food items you may be looking for with the associated prices.
Price Smart is a Costco like store but it is about an hour away.
The marina runs a daily shuttle at 11am for $2 USD that will drop you off almost anywhere in town. You do your shopping and then just take a taxi back. Taxi's from Coronado to the Marina usually cost $5 or $6 USD but be sure to agree on a price before you get in the cab...
Super 99 – Basic groceries
Rey – Good all around grocery store
Riba Smith – Slightly fancier with more US type items
Machetazo – More like a small Wal-Mart with groceries on the first floor and household on the 2ndand misc on the 3rdfloor.
There is also an upscale deli right beside the Do It Center. It will have many of the specialty food items you may be looking for with the associated prices.
Price Smart is a Costco like store but it is about an hour away.
HARDWARE
Do it Center
The Do it Center is a large hardware type store. It’s sort of a lower quality version of Home Depot without the building supplies. (No 2x4’s or plywood etc.) We would get basic items here and consumeables here.
Novey
A slightly nicer hardware store. They carried slightly different items and seemed to have slightly better quality.
Cochez
Building supplies like 2x4’s and plywood. We were not able to find marine plywood here.
Sherwin Williams
We bought paint at Sherwin Williams. Small store but they had the primer and paint we needed for a steel boat.
The Do it Center is a large hardware type store. It’s sort of a lower quality version of Home Depot without the building supplies. (No 2x4’s or plywood etc.) We would get basic items here and consumeables here.
Novey
A slightly nicer hardware store. They carried slightly different items and seemed to have slightly better quality.
Cochez
Building supplies like 2x4’s and plywood. We were not able to find marine plywood here.
Sherwin Williams
We bought paint at Sherwin Williams. Small store but they had the primer and paint we needed for a steel boat.
Chandlery
Abernathy – before Super 99 on the approach to Coronado - Reasonably well stocked for a small town chandlery. Also has fishing and sporting equipment.
Misc
Local phone
We were going to be in Panama for 4 or 5 months so we wanted a local SIM card for our phones. We chose Movistar and got a SIM and Plan from the small office in Coronado. It was $40 a month for Unlimited 4G LTE Data.
Mail Boxes Etc
We had a few things shipped from Amazon in the US to a local box at Mail Boxes Etc in Coronado. It wasn’t cheap but it was reliable and timely. Packages are charged by weight not volume and we paid about $8 a pound. It worked really well for small light items that we couldn’t source locally.
Other
There is a small dental clinic and optometrist in the strip mall behind “Riba Smith”
We were going to be in Panama for 4 or 5 months so we wanted a local SIM card for our phones. We chose Movistar and got a SIM and Plan from the small office in Coronado. It was $40 a month for Unlimited 4G LTE Data.
Mail Boxes Etc
We had a few things shipped from Amazon in the US to a local box at Mail Boxes Etc in Coronado. It wasn’t cheap but it was reliable and timely. Packages are charged by weight not volume and we paid about $8 a pound. It worked really well for small light items that we couldn’t source locally.
Other
There is a small dental clinic and optometrist in the strip mall behind “Riba Smith”
Bars and Restaurants
Boga Bar
Pretty much what you would expect. Expensive Bar food and slightly expensive beers ($3ea) but friendly staff and great location.
Pretty much what you would expect. Expensive Bar food and slightly expensive beers ($3ea) but friendly staff and great location.
Propane
Soto the dock manager lives near one of the Propane fill stations. He was doing a propane run for marina folk on his day off if we could collect 3 or 4 tanks to make it worth his while. We dropped off on Wednesday and had it returned on Friday.
You could also bring it to one of the stores in San Carlos. Similar process as above with a 2-3day turnaround.
Novey – Behind Whole Foods - You can also switch out propane tanks at Novey behind Riba Smith if you have a local tank.
You could also bring it to one of the stores in San Carlos. Similar process as above with a 2-3day turnaround.
Novey – Behind Whole Foods - You can also switch out propane tanks at Novey behind Riba Smith if you have a local tank.
CAR RENTAL
Many Central American countries are notorious for “bait and switch” or other car rental scams. Beware of prices that seem too low to be realistic. Forcing local insurance at inflated prices is a common scam.
Coronado Cars
We rented from them a few times and were very happy with product and service. With a minimum 3 day rental they will pick up and drop off at the marina. Prices were reasonable and we were charged exactly what we were quoted. Their office is in the same building as the Super 99. You can reserve online
Coronado Cars
We rented from them a few times and were very happy with product and service. With a minimum 3 day rental they will pick up and drop off at the marina. Prices were reasonable and we were charged exactly what we were quoted. Their office is in the same building as the Super 99. You can reserve online
ANNOYANCES
Bathrooms are dirty and often have no toilet paper.
Showers are dirty, have no hot water and don't drain properly.
Wifi is spotty, slow and easily overloaded. It also doesn't reach all the slips.
Surge can be very intense when a large swell combines with high tide.
Showers are dirty, have no hot water and don't drain properly.
Wifi is spotty, slow and easily overloaded. It also doesn't reach all the slips.
Surge can be very intense when a large swell combines with high tide.
At the pool looking out at the Marina
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