Panama City Anchorages

Panama Bay on a blustery day

We’ve just spent a year in Panama City and must admit that, in spite of the yacht traffic generated by the Panama Canal, this city is possibly the least cruiser-friendly we’ve ever encountered.  Marinas, when they consider accepting your yacht, are expensive; anchorages are rolly or slippery; and dinghy docks either prohibitively expensive or downright dangerous.  Yet, this city offers the last opportunity to provision, fuel-up, fix your boat, or import parts duty-free before you jump across the Pacific.  What, then, are your anchoring or mooring choices?

This is the main anchorage, free of charge and with plenty of room.  With splendid views of the City’s skyline, the Bridge of the Americas and the new Biodiversity Museum, separated from the Canal by the “Causeway,” this is quite a good anchorage.  Slippery? Although it has the reputation of not having good holding ground, we’ve never slipped here, not even in sudden 45kt T-storms.  All cruisers are advised to drop their heaviest anchors, add 200’ of CHAIN (not rode) and thoroughly test their holding before leaving the yacht.  We usually anchor near the Smithsonian Institution dock, where we can connect to the INTERNET PARA TODOS free Internet service from the Government.  Most of the bay’s bottom is mud and shale, so the anchor ends up sinking deep into the mud and it’s quite a mess to pull it up.  However, in a few spots, you’ll find gravel and construction debris.  Test your holding and if your anchor comes up with gravel, just move a few hundred yards.  Don’t underestimate the sudden storms: boats with undersized tackle or who don’t test their anchor will drag at the first T-storm.  We’ve found Las Brisas an excellent anchorage, even in the “Verano” (Jan-March) when the Northerlies blow and the swell gets in.  We’d rather deal with the wind swells than the constant wild rocking from boat wakes that plague the other anchorages, as we’ll see later.

The Bridge of the Americas and the new Biodiverstiy Museum, from Las Brisas Anchorage

Sadly, though, the dock at Las Brisas is an absolute shame.  Dealing with 15’ tides is, admittedly, a nightmare.  But the local authorities have not addressed the needs of cruisers.  Neither have they addressed the needs of professional mariners, deckhands, or even the Aeronaval who struggle like everyone else to get to shore.  The floating dock is holed and half of it has sunk over the last year.  The remaining half floats away in any kind of storm and locals have tried to secure it with enormous lines… till next storm.  There is no gangway to go from the dock to shore.  Cruisers have passed the hat around and bought a small PVC dinghy to shuttle between dock and land.  The transfer is usually soggy, wobbly, and difficult.  Once on shore, you must climb up the flight of mossy, slippery, uneven steps, praying not to fall and break a leg.  By high tide in the windy season, it's a game of staying dry and preventing your pick-up dink from slamming against the steps.  Injuries occur daily.  As for us, we never go to shore together.  One of us drops the other on the rocks at the bottom of the stairs and picks him up later, grabbing the merchandise tossed from shore, hoping not to hole the dinghy on the rocks.  Sporty… We never go out at night as the return to the boat is sure to end up at the emergency room.  It’s a mess… but it’s free.  The Aeronaval seems to be considering the building of a new dock for themselves, then for the cruisers… time will tell.

Perilous landing... not for the drunken sailor

And the weather!!! T-storms regularly hammer the bay with massive lightning, pounding rain, and high wind.  These storms come from the mountains of Panama, drop on the bay, making a full circle around it and just pound the boat.  A month ago, another catamaran was hit by lightning in La Playita.  I just learned this morning that, while we were away, 3 more yachts were hit by lightning the same day in Las Brisas.  More on that in a future blog as I gather more details.

This said, Las Brisas is, in my opinion, the best option in Panama City, even though egrets and pelicans love to take-up residence on your boat a leave souvenirs all over the deck!

Mark 16, Panama Canal Entrance  (VHF 6) Tel: 228-5794

BYC fuel dock and bridge

Nothing is free here!  The Yacht club offers excellent moorings at the rate of $0.70/foot/day.  The moorings are (usually) very strong and secure.  We just left DOMINO for 24 days on 2 moorings (1 forward, 1 aft) and had absolutely no problem.  The site is secure as the BYC panga constantly runs the mooring field, shuttling crews to the Panama Canal workboats and the many high-speed ferries moored there. 

Domino on 2 moorings at BYC, Captain Ron's Charter AZULICA on her stern

 As safe an anchorage as this is, though, it’s untenable for life aboard.  The heavy traffic from the Panama Canal, just 20 yards away, is not even the main problem since freighters hardly throw a wake.  But it’s all the ferries, sportsfishers, tugs and workboats that speed-up along the canal at any time of day or night, kicking up monster wakes that are sure to rock your boat silly and throw you out of bed in the middle of the night.  Honestly, I have no more shot-glasses on board; they all flew from the counters and smashed on the floor. 

One of the dozens of Panama Canal workboats... day and night a high speed through the mooring field

This said, the BYC “lancha” is very convenient and it’s no problem to go out at night or load tons of provision.  There is a Panama Customs office able to receive parts for boats in transit.  WiFi from the BYC signal is free.  Fuel dock is available, but not the best price in town.

The future of the BYC mooring field is uncertain.  Under pressure from authorities who want no anchorage/mooring bordering any part of the canal, the mooring field may be scrapped.  This makes sense, especially as I just learned this morning that a yacht recently broke off its mooring, drifted into the canal and got scraped by a freighter.  BYC also has 2 ramps to haul out, a small and a larger one.  Don't expect cheap prices either.  All told, a day on the large ramp will range around $150.

JP and Grandaughter Zoe in front of La Playita Marina.  Anchorage on the outside

Why do cruisers anchor at La Playita?  I have no idea.  In my opinion, this is the worst, most rolly anchorage in the entire area.  Favored by cruisers during the “Verano” (Jan-March) to escape the Northerlies, it is packed during these months and boats regularly drag onto each-other in any storm.  Even if the area offers some protection from the Northerlies, the locals’ total disrespect for speed rules render this anchorage untenable.  We anchored one afternoon at 4pm, and couldn’t wait to raise anchor at first light the following morning.  Ferries, workboats, and sportsfishers speed through the anchorage at 10-15kts, rocking all boats without care.  Even with a severe admonition from the Harbormaster, the locals don’t give a hoot.

The appeal of La Playita lays with its dinghy dock.  For $35/week (yep, it’s a WEEKLY permit) you can dock you dink at the floating PVC dock and happily run your errands.  There is, really, no daily rate, unless you get lucky and play with office hours… for a day or so.  When it comes to loading up your provisions and heavy boat parts, this is a second solution, after BYC.

DOMINO fueling up at La Playita

As for the marina itself, don’t expect to find a spot.  Reservations are made over a year in advance.  Even if you manage to find a berth, there must be one person on board at all times.  However, in case of an emergency and if the emergency dock is available, a yacht may be admitted to the emergency dock at the rate of $150/night.

But Playita offers the cheapest diesel fuel we’ve found in Panama, with significant discount for cash payment.  Fueling up must be arranged several days in advance since all fueling is done at high tide and must fit between the schedule of the local ferries and barges.  Worth the wait.  That’s where we’re fueling up!

The exclusive Marina Flamenco, lift and boatyard

Don’t even expect to berth there.  There is no spot available and, when I checked, I was quoted $4,000/mo for our little DOMINO.  Shock!  The dinghy dock is available for $20/day but is free for 30 minutes to those who eat at the local restaurants.  Well, we took our dink there and stayed 2 hours for lunch and errands at the marina and it was fine. 

There is a fuel dock, but prices are the highest in the area.  There is also a customs dock, with customs officer on site, able to receive your duty-free merchandise.  We had CFT Cargo deliver our stuff directly to the customs office at Flamenco and hired a local panga to help us with pick-up and delivery back to DOMINO at Las Brisas, a short ride away.

A trick of light by a stormy day:  the bay glows an eery fluorescent green.

The shipyard is operated by QUALITY YACTHS PANAMA.  Alejandro Cora (+507-314-0183,) the manager, is very professional.  The prices are comparable to U.S. prices, yet less expensive than Shelter Bay Marina.  We are hauling out on Monday September 16 and will let you know how this goes.  The 150T travel-lift should be able to handle DOMINO without problem.

CLUB DE YATE Y PESCA
Located downtown Panama, the Club de Yate y Pesca is a possibility, mostly for smaller motoryachts.  Located in Bella Vista, it's really close to Multicentro and Multiplaza shopping malls.  But at low tide, the boats lay on the mud, which makes going to shore conditional to tide schedules.  While we were recommended at the Club by a local friend, we decided against.

Taboga on the feast of La Virgen del Carmen

Seven miles away from Panama City, Taboga Moorings is an option for long-term stay.  The moorings are strong and Jesus “Chuy”, an ex-cruiser, offers excellent services.  Their rates, although going up slightly next year, are still excellent for the area.  Here are the new rates for 2014: $300/mo for yachts 40’ and under; $325/mo for yachts over 45’.  One caveat: no yacht over 24 tons allowed.  Make sure to reserve early as these moorings fill up in the down season, and boats are left to the care of Chuy and his team who will bottom clean, air the boat, run your engines, or whatever else you need done.

Fires are not unusual.  The main trash landfill has been burning for month; crops get burned in December, covering the anchorages in black soot and ashes; the old, densely packed downtown sees frequent fires.

 Here, accidents happen… boats get hit by lightning or crash into each-other; the city catches on fire; airplanes may fall out of the sky.  Yet, this may be one of the best place on earth to catch splendid yachts underway, a sunrise over the Canal or a glowing sunset over the Bay.

A cruise ship exits the Canal at sunrise

As for us, we’re hauling out on Monday, ready to finally leave the City for our Pacific Crossing.