Transient dockage Pacific side Panama canal

[skitterbug]

Oooops, I previously asked about the Atlantic side, sorry, meant to ask how many marinas there are with dockage for transients at Panama Canal entrance Pacific side. Thanks

[s/v Moondancer]

The marinas, La Playita and la Brisa are very cruiser non-friendly and rarely let cruisers dock. La Playita lets you use their dinghy dock for $35/ week if you anchor off the marina. Fuel and water are available.

You might get a mooring at Balboa Yacht

I am told there is a new dock on the La Brisa side but not yet useable.

Best option is to anchor off La Playita and use their dinghy dock but you must pay their fee.

We left March 2015 to cross the Pacific.

[skitterbug]

Thanks Moondancer

[teneicm]

Moondacer nailed it, but the key is to get provisioned and get the hell out of Playita as quickly as possible as that is some of the foulest water (as far as bottom/barnacle growth) we've ever seen. You'll also not want to be spending too long there enjoying the tug boat wakes that will set the boat rocking.

[Paul L]

The marina is Flamenco, not Las Brisas. La Brisas is the anchorage.
Flamenco is more game fishing and large yacht marina, not cruiser friendly Welcome to Fuerte Amador | Fuerte Amador
There are two anchorages La Playita and Las Brisas. Best one depends on the season you are there. The Balboa Yacht Club also had moorings Balboa Yacht Club: Panama City Panama Canal Restaurant | Balboa Yacht Club | Panama City Restaurant

[DefinitelyMe]

We went through last year. There are three yacht clubs/marinas.

Balboa Yacht Club is where you will go to drop off your advisor if you are coming from the Atlantic. They have moorings, for a fee, but they are often full. If so you can anchor, for a fee. They have a launch which is free and will take you to shore. They are on the canal side and close to the channel. Ship wake and loud horns are regular.

La Playita is a marina with berths. You can also anchor off for free and use their dinghy dock for something like 50 dollars per week. It is also on the canal side, but further from the channel.

Flamenco is the most up-market marina. I have not seen it recently but I was there in 2003 and it was very nice. Interesting what PaulL has to say about it though.

We stayed at the Las Brisas Anchorage. It is free. The holding is good, but if the weather doesn't cooperate you could find nasty situation as it is open to the E and NE (fairly rare). Having said that, there are several boats that have made Las Brisas their home. These semi-permanent cruisers have set up a very sketchy but useable (assuming you are fairly nimble) system to get ashore from an old concrete floating dock and a dinghy on a continuous line to shore. It is free, and we are at the lower end of the budget scale, so it's what we chose, but if you're willing to pay the dinghy fees for Las Brisas then it might be worth it if only for the relative ease of loading provisions. The tides are large (something like 20 feet if I remember correctly) so getting to shore is the problem.

[skitterbug]

Thank you for the info. Much appreciated.