Panama connects two oceans and two continents. Its northern coast is washed by the Caribbean Sea which is part of the Atlantic Ocean, its southern coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Panama Canal traverses the country to connect the one with the other. The country is essentially a narrow isthmus that connects North America with South America. Colombia is its immediate neighbor to the south. Hundreds of yachts visit each year to enjoy sailing from Panama to Colombia.
One of the most popular routes for this journey is from the north coast of Panama through the Caribbean to Cartagena, Barranquilla or Santa Marta, three large port cities in northern Colombia. The passage represents a total distance of some 400 to 500 nautical miles, depending on the precise departure and destination points. Because this journey takes three to five days of continuous sailing to complete, many skippers break the journey with a stopover.
One common start point is Colon, the main city at the Atlantic Ocean end of the Panama Canal. The city is located at the mouth of the Bahia de Manzanillo (Limon Bay). Although Colon is a busy commercial port, it does not have marina facilities for recreational craft. Pleasure yachts arriving from Europe or the USA usually berth a few nautical miles west of the city at the marina in Shelter Bay, sitting at the tip of the western arm of Limon Bay.
The marina at Shelter Bay has modern marine equipment and fine recreational facilities including a bar, restaurant, pool, TV room, gym and showers and rest rooms. Wifi Internet connectivity is excellent and extends throughout the marina, including docked yachts. There is tight security preventing access to the marina compound, including the docking area, by unauthorized individuals.
Vessels that remain at the marina for more than a month receive the benefit of a discounted rate. The berths are designed mainly for monohulls; only a few berths are wide enough to accommodate catamarans. Bicycles are available for hire. There is tight security preventing access to the marina compound, including the docking area, by unauthorized individuals.
There is a daily bus that leaves Shelter Bay marina for Colon, allowing cruisers easy access to large El Rey supermarkets, smaller specialty grocery stores, and other retail establishments in the city.
After leaving Shelter Bay, many yachts head for the beautiful San Blas islands as a stopover. San Blas is a long archipelago of over 300 coral islets lying, for the most part, less than ten nautical miles off the Panama mainland. They extend along a northwest-southeast axis for about 100 nautical miles to almost reach (a point close to) Colombian waters.
The San Blas is home for the Kuna (or Guna) Indians, a distinctive cultural group with its own language. Their history dates back over 500 years to the days before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer after whom Colombia was named. The Kuna have proudly defended their heritage. They are fiercely independent and refused to allow outsiders to study their culture until the 1940s. The opportunity to spend time with these fascinating people is a major reason why many cruisers choose to go sailing from Panama to Colombia.
One of the most popular routes for this journey is from the north coast of Panama through the Caribbean to Cartagena, Barranquilla or Santa Marta, three large port cities in northern Colombia. The passage represents a total distance of some 400 to 500 nautical miles, depending on the precise departure and destination points. Because this journey takes three to five days of continuous sailing to complete, many skippers break the journey with a stopover.
One common start point is Colon, the main city at the Atlantic Ocean end of the Panama Canal. The city is located at the mouth of the Bahia de Manzanillo (Limon Bay). Although Colon is a busy commercial port, it does not have marina facilities for recreational craft. Pleasure yachts arriving from Europe or the USA usually berth a few nautical miles west of the city at the marina in Shelter Bay, sitting at the tip of the western arm of Limon Bay.
The marina at Shelter Bay has modern marine equipment and fine recreational facilities including a bar, restaurant, pool, TV room, gym and showers and rest rooms. Wifi Internet connectivity is excellent and extends throughout the marina, including docked yachts. There is tight security preventing access to the marina compound, including the docking area, by unauthorized individuals.
Vessels that remain at the marina for more than a month receive the benefit of a discounted rate. The berths are designed mainly for monohulls; only a few berths are wide enough to accommodate catamarans. Bicycles are available for hire. There is tight security preventing access to the marina compound, including the docking area, by unauthorized individuals.
There is a daily bus that leaves Shelter Bay marina for Colon, allowing cruisers easy access to large El Rey supermarkets, smaller specialty grocery stores, and other retail establishments in the city.
After leaving Shelter Bay, many yachts head for the beautiful San Blas islands as a stopover. San Blas is a long archipelago of over 300 coral islets lying, for the most part, less than ten nautical miles off the Panama mainland. They extend along a northwest-southeast axis for about 100 nautical miles to almost reach (a point close to) Colombian waters.
The San Blas is home for the Kuna (or Guna) Indians, a distinctive cultural group with its own language. Their history dates back over 500 years to the days before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer after whom Colombia was named. The Kuna have proudly defended their heritage. They are fiercely independent and refused to allow outsiders to study their culture until the 1940s. The opportunity to spend time with these fascinating people is a major reason why many cruisers choose to go sailing from Panama to Colombia.
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