Bocas Del Toros Panama

[thomasthetank]

Anyone have experience with sailing in Bocas Del Toros panama?

I have been looking for a place to hide out for hurricane season and Bocas Del Toros seem to fit the bill.

I have heard that in some south american countries the government officials charge randon fees for no reason. Is this common practice and better to just pay them off? or should I just anchor there without checking in and hope they never come for me.

Thanks

[Triumphant]

Have you looked at Rio Dulce Guatemala?

[model 10]

I suppose you plan to check into Panama? There is a port captain & migracion etc there. You need to check in and out with them and you need to check out with the port captain to leave for another port in Panama too.

They are going to start flights into the Rio Dulce soon so it will be just as easy to come and go as it is in Bocas.

[Pete the Cat]

Bocas is a great place to stop and hole up and has most of the amenities you would find and I think think, from what I have heard, that it is a good deal safer than the Rio Dulce in terms of crime and it has no bar to get over to get into the area. Very well protected. Not an especially great place to provision, but you are not far from Shelter Bay where you could get a van into Colon to do that. I left my boat for a hurricane season and the price was right and it was safe through a couple named storms. Great local village with good restaurants. Fast growing expat community.
Not sure if they have their own Port Captain yet, but you need to have a zarpe from every port in all the Central American oountries as I am sure you know.

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Pete the Cat;
Not sure if they have their own Port Captain yet, but you need to have a zarpe from every port in all the Central American oountries as I am sure you know.[/QUOTE]


Well that ain't true, at all. Panama is the only country I know about in CA and I've been to all of them.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by thomasthetank

I have heard that in some south american countries the government officials charge randon fees for no reason. Is this common practice and better to just pay them off? or should I just anchor there without checking in and hope they never come for me.



Thanks

The random fees can happen, but most of the times it’s the Ugly American who is charged, you know him, he wears the gold Rolex and doesn’t seem to know his name, cause he often asks other people if they know who he is.

[belizesailor]

We spent a couple of seasons in Bocas and have cruised most of the Carib coast of Panama. Its been a while since I last cleared in at Bocas, but they did charge more BS fees than other ports in Panama, mostly for visits/inspections by various officials. I have heard they stopped that practice, but dont know for sure.

Fees often vary by port of entry in Central American ports, even within the same country. Sometimes even at the same port depending on who is working that day.

One big variable cost in Panama is whether they try and collect $100/passport to clear in. I dont think this is a valid fee, but some ports have tried to collect it in the past. Some may still try to collect this. The port captain in Puerto Lindo tried to collect this from friends of mine, they declined, took a taxi to Portobelo and cleared in for $3/passport. This has now become the normal routine at Puerto Lindo.

The biggest single cost for clearing into Panama is the cruising permit. I paid $180 for mine last year. Seems to me that fee has varied a little over the years, but always in about that range. Its good for one year.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by thomasthetank

Anyone have experience with sailing in Bocas Del Toros panama?

I have been looking for a place to hide out for hurricane season and Bocas Del Toros seem to fit the bill.

I have heard that in some south american countries the government officials charge randon fees for no reason. Is this common practice and better to just pay them off? or should I just anchor there without checking in and hope they never come for me.

Thanks

Bocas is a good hurricane hide out. Several marinas to choose from and a number of unofficial storage options (usually people who charge below market rates to stow on their private dock or mooring). Also a number of good anchorages if you plan to stay aboard.

The Bocas Archipeligo is a good little cruising ground, but almost never has any wind for sailing. Bocas Town is a popular tourist destination and people tend to either love it or hate it.

Random fees happen, but never blatantly offer to bride an official. Its insulting and might land you in hot water. There are more subtle ways to approach that subject.

I dont suggest you skip clearing in. This could land you in very deep poo. Odds are reasonable that you could get away with not clearing a boat in (though Panamanian officials do sometimes make sweeps in more popular areas), but being in country without an entry stamp in your passport has a high probability of getting you in a jam. Checkpoints on the road are common and they often check passports. Also, you wont be able to legally leave the country, having never entered legally. If you tried to leave your boat in Bocas and fly out for example, you would run into trouble at the airport. Most marinas will want a copy of your cruising permit too.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Pete the Cat

Bocas is a great place to stop and hole up and has most of the amenities you would find and I think think, from what I have heard, that it is a good deal safer than the Rio Dulce in terms of crime and it has no bar to get over to get into the area. Very well protected. Not an especially great place to provision, but you are not far from Shelter Bay where you could get a van into Colon to do that. I left my boat for a hurricane season and the price was right and it was safe through a couple named storms. Great local village with good restaurants. Fast growing expat community.
Not sure if they have their own Port Captain yet, but you need to have a zarpe from every port in all the Central American oountries as I am sure you know.

Bocas has had their own Port Captain for many years. I first cleared in there in 2012 and they had one long before then. Ive worked with 2 different Port Captains there and they were both very helpful.

You will need a Zarpe from your last port of departure.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Ecos

I suppose you plan to check into Panama? There is a port captain & migracion etc there. You need to check in and out with them and you need to check out with the port captain to leave for another port in Panama too.

They are going to start flights into the Rio Dulce soon so it will be just as easy to come and go as it is in Bocas.

Panama used to require local Zarpes to move between ports in Panama, but they have discontinued that practice.

You can book charter flights into Rio Dulce via TAG, but who is planning routine flights?

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

the Ugly American... he wears the gold Rolex and doesn’t seem to know his name, cause he often asks other people if they know who he is.

LOL

[model 10]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Panama used to require local Zarpes to move between ports in Panama, but they have discontinued that practice.

You can book charter flights into Rio Dulce via TAG, but who is planning routine flights?

The local airline? $180 to GUA

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Ecos

The local airline? $180 to GUA

TAG is the only thing resembling a local air line. Where did you see this?

[model 10]

The Rio is abuz with the news but I have seen nothing in print. The bus trip to GUA has gotten to be an expensive pain. The new bus stop outside the city is taxi bait for getting to and from the airport.

[belizesailor]

Would be a very nice option. Ive done the flight a few times aboard a friend's private plane. It is a very scenic 45 minute flight. Plane & pilot do need to be well prepared for mountain flying though...lots of rocks in the clouds on that route.