|
 Golfito Update: We came into Golfito yesterday in
order to say hello to Tim and Katie at Land & Sea on behalf of some friends.
(Also, we needed a break in our sail from Nicaragua to Panama.) We followed
the instructions in the latest edition of Pat Rains's "Cruising Ports:
Central American Route" and had a little more adventure than would be
necessary with more accurate information. So here's what we learned:
Hail "Land & Sea" on Channel 16 using "Land & Sea" or "Tierra y Mar," not "Caribee"
as Rains advises. Only because a friend of Katie's heard our "Caribee" hail
did anyone respond to us, and then Katie was impressed by how old our
information was.
Tim and Katie don't provide anything approaching agent services. Tim's
advice, once we were here, was to catch a taxi on the street behind
the building and tell them to take you to the "capitania de puerto." Good
advice, but far from the hand-holding Rains suggests. Land & Sea is not
beyond the two other marinas (Banana Bay and K&M); it's between them, just
past Banana Bay.
Hailing "Base Naval" as Rains advises only confuses things. We were told by
the coast guard (as translated by someone listening in whose
Spanish was much better than ours) that someone would meet us at "Katie's."
No one ever does that. You go to them: first the port captain and then
immigration, quarantine, and customs or who ever the port captain says.
The advice to arrive between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm weekdays to avoid overtime
charges is good. Also, we're told that customs is closed on
Mondays, but they were open this morning (Saturday).
Finally, this is a good place to be, so relax. Everything works out
eventually. The other cruisers we've met here are all staying longer than
they had planned, as are we.
Fair winds,
Shirlee and John
s/v Solstice
http://www.svsolstice.com
 Cruising
Golfito & Gulf of Nicoya Southern Costa Rica by S/V Mr. John
Along with our friends Ed & Ellen with
“Entr’acte”, we picked up moorings off Land Sea Services and were
welcomed by the owners Tim & Katie and their security team of four dogs and
three cats.
After the usual Clearing-In saga of running here, there and
everywhere we found we could finally relax in a place that was safe, secure
and away from the swell. Land Sea Services is actually the home of Tim &
Katie, where we were welcomed to come and go, using their home and all their
services (including Free Wi-Fi internet). It’s all ‘open plan’ except
for the T.V. and internet room which is upstairs with a balcony for those
who just want to sit and admire the beautiful view over the bay with an ice
cold beer at $1.00 a bottle. As a bonus feature they have Riley, a very good
natured, sloppy Boxer dog that just loves to be made a fuss of and go for
walks. Everyone warms to Riley and Riley warms to everyone!
With Tim’s vast knowledge of the area and local services, always there to
answer any questions, we were able to get things sorted out quickly and thus
see more of our surroundings.
 At
the time of writing we were paying $6/day for our mooring and all the
services. If we’d used our own anchor it was $4/day to use the services. Tim
is a little short on space so understandably takes people on a first come
first served basis (unless you are willing to part with money to secure a
place). It’s a very cruiser friendly marina with prices that they work hard
to keep low. They also have dock space for two or three boats (depending on
size) and a houseboat just off the dock where another two boats can moor
alongside. This is a great place to go off and leave your boat whilst
exploring Costa Rica. Security is an issue on this coast and Tim takes
security very seriously!
The whole area
in Golfito we think has been under rated. It is a
nice cruising ground for anyone wanting the tranquil of peace and quite,
surrounded by beauty that is offered with wild life so close, especially
waking up to the sounds of howler monkeys in the mornings. Tim & Katie
always look forward to social gatherings at their place, whether it is a BBQ
or a Pot Luck, of which we had many. On our last night Katie laid on a ‘Bon
Voyage’ party for several boats where everyone took along vegetables and
meat. Beth and Evans with Hawk, Stewart & Bernadette on Camaraderie, Dean on
Blue fox and ourselves had another great evening thanks mainly to Katie,
cooking up one big ‘over sized pan’ of stir fried vegetables. Tim does great
work with the BBQ, which he prepares and fires up for each occasion. He also
cleans up after us all and at moments when a good story is called for, he
can ‘string a line’ with the best of them…..Click
to read more of John & Paula's Costa Rica cruising log
We are in Golfito, Costa Rica. We arrived here one week ago today. We
did an overnight sail from Bahia Drake covering 70 nautical miles. We had
light winds which were perfect conditions for putting up the drifter sail.
It was a beautiful, peaceful night of sailing and tough to describe just how
perfect and peaceful it is out there. So, I guess that's it. It was perfect
and peaceful!
We are on a mooring here in a beautiful marina called Land and
Sea. For $5 a night we have a mooring, dinghy dock, including laundry
facilities, showers, garbage, all of the luxuries of boat life. This is
a very special place. The owners of Land and Sea, Tim and Katie, have made
this place just like home. They have an on-your-honor system for the bar.
They keep a refrigerator stocked with beer, soda, tea and juice. There is a
chalkboard and whenever you grab yourself a drink, you put a tick-mark on the
chalkboard and at the end of your visit, you pay your bill. Now, that's
nice! Even nicer is the gigantic shower they have here that dispenses cold
but invigorating showers at the touch of a dial. Oh, yeah, the TV room with
cable, movie channels and CNN is a nice touch too. Even better are the 4
dogs, 6 cats and local turtle that are all pets here at the marina. Never a
dull moment and we all know how good plenty of pet therapy is. Living on
anchor for almost 2 years now, we sure do enjoy the luxuries of having a
dock for a change. You learn to appreciate the little things in life after
being on anchor for so long.
Golfito is nothing like the small villages that we have been visiting down
the coast. It is fairly large with plenty of restaurants, hotels and
shopping. This is the official last port of entry for Costa Rica so all of
the boats heading south are congregating here and preparing for the exit
from the country and gathering up speed for entry into Panama. We have
been getting lots of boat projects done on the boat. Pictured below is the
new netting that Jake installed while we were in Bahia Drake. Special thanks
to Steve and Ingrid for toting the material all of the way to Costa Rica for
us!
http://www.woodduck.info/2006_01_01_sailwoodduck_archive.html
 Our
final destination in Golfito. Land and Sea Moorings. The owners of
Land and Sea, Tim and Katy are US expats that have settled in Golfito.
Another one of those stories ; "we sailed in and just never left". They
do a great job of catering to the needs of the cruising community.
Paladin was side tided in front of Land and Sea. We had a great New Year's
eve party at Land and Sea. Again, too much food and drink! Land and
Sea encourages all their customers to paint their boat name and/or logo on
their walls. Carrie, the artistic one on Terra Firma painted the dancing
bones along with our boat name. Pretty Cool! For those that don't know,
Terra Firma are huge Grateful Dead fans. The dancing bones are our tribute
to them.
We don't always want one, but we all have to have them. It was Carrie's
time!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARRIE! We celebrated at a Chinese restaurant with
Slip Away, Last Resort and Barefoot. Is Rich (Slip Away) licking the
frosting off the cake again?? Next update Panama.
http://www.svterrafirma.com/200612_CostaRica3/0612CRUP3_03.html
We headed
for Golfito. And were welcomed with a beautiful, calm anchorage.
Golfito was the company town for United Fruit Company (that’s Chiquita
banana to you!). United Fruit Company had their problems—parasites
destroying banana trees and striking laborers—and they closed up shop. (It’s
more complicated than this, of course). When United Fruit left, there
wasn’t much left for the people of Golfito to do to make money. Certainly,
there was fishing, but nothing that was as predictable as the steady
paycheck from United Fruit. So, the Costa Rican government helped subsidize
a back to work enterprise—DUTY FREE SHOPS. So, each Tico (Costa Rican) can
come down to Golfito and spend $500 duty free every six months. When they
first instituted this enterprise, you could come down and make the purchase
and leave. Now, you have to pick up your ticket authorizing to make
purchases, the day before. So this means people have to come down the
afternoon before and spend the night. So, more money gets infused into the
community. I met a fellow cruiser, Raewyn (from New Zealand) who would get
up every morning at 5:30 and walk the dog. I went with her and we would
hike up the hill (a Kansan would call it a mountain) that overlooks Golfito.
We would see parrots, monkeys, poison dart frogs and blue morph butterflies
on our walks! Very nice. I learned a lot from her and loved hearing her
stories. We were anchored in front of a cruiser’s hang out, Land
and Sea Services. Katie and Tim were fantastic hosts. You can
use the dinghy dock and their showers for $3 per day.
The kids organized a Halloween party and went trick or treating by dinghy
among the other cruising boats in Golfito. They were well treated! Then we
had a party where among other things Mary, Emily and Martin tried to teach
people the Time Warp dance from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Katie from Land Sea Services in Golfito has fantastic
connections and arranged for us to go on a trip to a surf camp/nature
lodge Encanta la Vida. We went to this beautiful, remote resort
on the Osa Peninsula. It was a fantastic two days of surfing for Lou
and the kids and hiking and enjoying nature for all of us. We also enjoyed
the great conversations with the other guests and the manager. Martin found
a great new adult friend named Paul with whom he schemed about making a trip
on a catamaran to all the surf spots in the world. Paul is very enthusiastic
about this trip and I’m sure his wife, Lynn and his grown children will miss
him a little bit. Lynn works at Trader Joe’s and had me salivating for all
the wonderful food at Trader Joe’s. I suggested she could subsidize trips to
any place that cruisers were anchored by bringing Trader Joe’s supplies to
the cruisers.
The wildlife was breathtaking. We saw toucans, scarlet macaws,
monkeys (spider, capuchin, howlers and squirrel) and iguanas. You would spot
movement in the trees and you would see one monkey and then a whole tribe of
them. Martin and I were walking along the road up to the resort and we saw
some squirrel monkeys in the trees above the road. We were looking up and
then I heard some water coming from above and heard one of the Ticos nearby
say, “Urina”—and it slowly came to me that URINE was flowing down from the
trees just inches from Martin’s head. I told Martin to move toward me and he
did---without getting wet! I guess we know what the monkeys think of humans.
Lou
DIetz and Mary Heeney, and children Emily and Martin on S/V
"Ace"
Click here to read full article
An Article by Liz Clark on S/V "Swell"
.....Golfito was almost a southern version
of Puntarenas . Both towns were deep in a gulf, and both served as the main
centers of commerce for their areas. Golfito was smaller, though, and the
landscape more beautiful, as the jungle cascaded down steep hillsides to the
water all around the bay. It had been a major banana exporting port from
1934 to 1985. The houses built by the United Fruit Company make up a
majority of the community. It seems to be filling up with ‘For Sale’ and
realty signs directed at gringos looking to retire as is the case in most of
Costa Rica. We anchored off of Land and Sea Services, which is owned
and run by Tim and Katy, an amazing couple from Santa Barbara. They had
sailed down 13 years earlier, found their piece of paradise and never left.
They now provide an amazing facility for other boaters to land their
dinghies, hang out, shower, do laundry and get information on just about
anything. Their place was oozing with love and care. Not a plant went
un-watered, nor was there a single corner void of something fun to look at.
And if that wasn’t enough to make you feel at home, the rowdy herd of dogs
and cats would melt you with their incessant purrs and licks and paws. They
graciously invited us to their Thanksgiving smorgasbord, which we instantly
accepted.
Click here to read the full article
Liz Clark Swell Voyage
WE WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE
Like the reader of the January issue letter complaining about Dockwise
Yacht Transport's delays in shipping his boat, we also experienced
extreme delays and problems with a recent Dockwise shipping of our boat from
Central America to Mexico to the Pacific Northwest. Their lack of good
communication via their agents was one of the problems that made the whole
situation worse. And yes, they do have all the 'disclaimers' to protect
themselves from legal action. However, we also want to report that the
actual shipping was great, and the folks in the corporate office of Dockwise
were exceptional in the manner in which they responded to customers and
their complaints. In the end, we feel satisfied with Dockwise's performance.
We also want to put in a good word for Bruce and Tim at Banana Bay Marina
and Land Sea Marina in Golfito. They were in constant communication
with the boats and the company.
http://www.latitude38.com/letters/200602.htm
Jerry & Sandi Zaslaw
Romanc'n the Zea
We motored up to Golfito, Costa Rica, anchored at the very
hospitable Land & Sea Marina, and went inland for a week to visit the
highest mountain range in Central America. We didn't climb 12,000-ft Mt.
Chirippo, but apparently you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean from
the summit. Our trip inland was beautiful and well worth the effort, as we
did a lot of hiking and soaked in the natural hot springs. Our experiences
traveling inland by bus in Central America have been very good, as it's been
inexpensive and very worthwhile.
http://www.latitude38.com/changes/Changes10-03.html
Chesapeake - Catana 44 Cat
Marvin & Ruth Stark
"We anchored off the ritzy Los Sueños, the new marina in
southern Costa Rica, as the slips were too pricey for us. Fuel was
reasonable, however, and the wonderful dock staff allowed us to refill our
water tanks. The anchorage was quite rolly - as most have been in Costa Rica
- because of the southwest swell. We also spent five rolly days at Bahia
Drake, but we thought it was isolated enough to be worth it. From there we
made two day trips to a nearby island for diving and hiking. We
also spent five rolly days at Bahia Drake, but we thought it was isolated
enough to be worth it. From there we made two day trips to a nearby island
for diving and hiking. We also spent several days in Golfito, and can
report there is a new marina, King & Bardell, in addition to Banana Bay
Marina. While fueling, Carlos and his friendly staff will let you take on
water and enjoy a shower. We anchored off Land & Sea, which maintains
some moorings, and Tim and Katy were as helpful as ever. After buying
our favorite rum in a duty free shop, we headed to Panama. If we thought
Bahia Drake was rolly, Puerto Armuelles proved we hadn't really known the
meaning of the word! We got there about dusk, which is squall time. We had
to reanchor several times, then watched the depth drop to just two feet
beneath our keel. After a sleepless night, we headed on to Isla Parida,
which seems like paradise - lots of anchorages and nobody around except at
the occasional fishing village. We traded a bottle of cooking oil, some
powdered milk, and some rice for three good-sized lobsters, a huge avocado,
and some lemons. Then Angie landed a Pacific bumper just before dark. All
fish that you catch tastes delicious - even if you have to barbecue it by
flashlight!
http://www.latitude38.com/changes/Changes11-03.html
Dave Smith and Angie Deglandon of the Seattle-based Passport 40 Magic
Carpet Ride
We left Golfito about midnight, but didn't get far, as there
was a problem with the oil sending unit in our diesel. Despite our returning
at 0100, Bruce was waiting on the dock, flashlight shining through near
zero-visibility caused by pouring rain, making space available to us. Since
Ruck needed to fly back to the States for a few weeks, we were concerned
about Linde being alone on the boat. We need not have worried, as the area
was patrolled throughout the night by a guard in a panga from the Banana Bay
Marina, as well as by Land and Sea Services, which is next door. The
security was fantastic.
By the way, Tim and Katie Leachman of Land and Sea Services also
have a lot to offer cruisers, rounding out the services and amenities in the
area. Tim is originally from Santa Barbara and Newport Beach, but sailed
here in '93 with Katie aboard the sloop Caribee. They fell in love with the
place, and now provide yacht services, deliveries, and other help. Golfito
continues to grow, as there is a new Internet cafe with high speed access,
and plans for another marina with about 20 slips. In fact, the guy intending
to build the new marina had keep his boat at Banana Bay for three years, so
he knows and likes the area. Golfito is a definite stop for fun such as
world class surfing, fishing, spelunking, kayaking, and nature loving. It's
also a good place for mariners needing machine, metal, and canvas work.
We are presently in the Secas Islands off of northern Panama, where the
water is clean, the fishing good, and the cruising terrific.
http://www.latitude38.com/changes/Changes12-02.html
Siren's Song -
Brewer 43
Ruck & Linde Goldreyer
Moving north, we stopped at Land & Sea Yacht Services at
Golfito, Costa Rica, which is run by Tim and Katie. Ex-cruisers, they
understand the needs of cruisers and thus provide moorings,
boat-watching, a club house with cable TV, a beer and juice bar, and a
dinghy dock. All for a minimal daily fee. They have just one space at
their tiny dock for a cruising boat to hook up with electricity and water,
for which they charge $7/foot/month. We left Shayna there for two months to
attend the graduations of our multiple grandkids back in the States. Banana
Bay Marina, right next door, charges $18 to $20/ft for berths. K & B Marina,
which is new and located on the other side of Land & Sea, had negotiable
rates. But we were never able to find out what they were. Golfito is
on a bay within Gulfo Dulce, and is extremely well-protected. It is one
of the few places we've been where we'd feel safe leaving our boat
unattended at anchor. The winds are usually light and Tim is
extremely conscientious in checking the boats if a squall comes up.
We've seen him out in his panga at 0200 making sure everything is fine.
It's a good place to hang out for hurricane season - they develop
further north - and we know of six or seven boats that did just that. Mold
is a problem in the rainy season in Costa Rica, but Katie has a cleaning
gal who wipes everything down with vinegar for very little money. When we
returned, Shayna was cleaner than when we left. U.S. citizens are
allowed 90 days on both their cruising permit and visa. The cruising permit
can be renewed once, but it must be done the day before or on the day the
original one expires. Some marinas are able to keep boats in bond. If you
want to get a new visa, you take a short ride to La Frontera - the border
with Panama. It's a fun trip, and if you really want to do it right,
continue on the bus to David and spend a couple of days in Panama's second
largest city.
http://www.latitude38.com/changes/Changes04-05.html
Shayna -
Hylas 45.5
Larry Hirsch & Dorothy Taylor
Golfito has two marinas. But they are small and EXPENSIVE! (In fact, there
are only 3 marinas in all of Costa Rica and they are all expensive.)
While in Golfito, we anchored close to “Land Sea Services” a business
owned by the ex-pats Katy and Tim. For cruisers, Land Sea provides a
dinghy dock, laundry services, shower and a fridge full of beer and sodas
available cruisers on the honor system (take a beer mark it on the white
board next to the fridge and settle up later).
http://www.shaimas.com/index.html
Sailing into Golfo Dulce early in the morning, we find it
is surrounded by pristine rainforest. The Peninsula de Osa on its west
side, holds the Corcovado National Park, a wilderness for walking, camping
and observing the unique flora and fauna. Lodges dot the shores, many only
accessible by boat. This region is probably the most isolated of Costa Rica
which adds to its appeal. Many roads are for four-wheel drives and due to
the rain often muddy or impassable. A boat is the best transport here.
There are two towns…Golfito on the east side and Puerto Jimenez on the
Peninsula de Osa. Golfito, our base, was once a company town for the United
Fruit Company, (bananas) and Puerto Jimenez is the frontier gateway to
Corcovado National Park and is the base for surfers, hikers and nature
lovers. We anchored in Golfito near a small marina, Land and Sea, and
met our hosts Katy and Tim. Both Americans, they have a great little
cruisers club here catering to sailors of the world with their extensive
knowledge of the area. The "club" is small and comfy with a bit of funk
thrown in. It is a good place to base ourselves.
http://seafever5.com/Pacific%20Journey_files/costa_rica.htm
Arriving at our boat was a pleasant experience, as Tim
and Katie at Land-Sea Services had done a great job at keeping the mold down
and the boat gleaming. The first thing we did was to get the
refrigerated started, and to buy some Pepsi and ice cream, as well as some
unnecessary items, at the grocery store. The selection is so terrible, that
we bought a bag of pinto beans thinking that we could make something good
with them. There was a guy named Oscar doing some canvas repair work at
Land-Sea, so we took him our damaged mainsail and he performed some
reinforcing work, although he will never pass as a sailmaker. The town had a
small carnival, and we went down to buy some dinner, but the music was so
loud we couldn’t stand it and left. We had a bachelor dinner instead, and
hit the sack early.
http://www.abston.net/Main/2004/Leg%201/leg_1.htm
The advice and good-natured help from other cruisers has
proven invaluable. Dennis is another example of that. Only Dennis had
answered my VHF call. Dennis told me how to find the anchoring area, then
how to proceed, giving the locations of the port captain, immigration,
customs, and agricultural inspection. Then as we offered him coffee, juice,
and Royal Dansk Butter Cookies (purchased in Bonaire), he filled us in on
the local scene, and alerted us to what we will find as we voyage north up
the coast of Costa Rica. Later, Dennis and Casey were part of a group
having sundowners at the Land & Sea, a funky yacht services and travel
agency near the Banana Bay Marina, where we dropped off our laundry and
checked our emails. They had planned to leave Costa Rica yesterday on their
ketch, Anastasia, after an unplanned stay here of six year years. Perhaps
they’ll leave today. We’ll see.
http://www.pacificbliss.com/journal34.html
A+ In Golfito
Written
by Maureen, Duluth, Minnesota
To anyone heading to Golfito, Costa Rica... the place to be is Land Sea
Services. They are the most friendly, honest, efficient people around. Katie
and Tim have developed an impressive "one stop shop" and can do everything
from provisions, to international and national air travel, local tours and
lodging to boat sitting and maintenance. We recommend them with 5 stars!
They made our trip to Golfito a wonderful one!!
http://www.seatizen.com
Visit the Jungle Port!
Written by Kelly and Chad, Boston, MA
Just wanted to express our thanks to Tim and Katie for making our trip to
the "Sweet Gulf" a wonderful one. We raised 16 Sailfish! For those who want
a day or a few days fishing off the coast of Golfito, Katie can set you up
with the best of the best in the area. We recommend flying on SANSA to San
Jose and spending a few days shaking out your "sea legs" and checking out
the highlands. The butterfly gardens are amazing! Katie can get you plane
tickets. You will be happy you flew, the bus ride is 8 hours!! Trust us, the
crew at Land Sea Services are the best in town! Muchas Gracias! See you next
year. http://www.seatizen.com
Gleeful in Golfito
Written
by Carly and Mike, San Diego, CA
What a gold mine we stumbled onto when we met Katie from Land Sea Services.
After a beautiful flight from San Jose to Golfito, we were ready for a
jungle adventure. The sleepy little port town of Golfito was a nice stop for
one or two days... but then what? Thankfully we found Katie! She encouraged
us to go across the Golfo Dulce and check out the Puerto Jimenez area. We
took a water taxi from Golfito to Puerto Jimenez, as saw dolphins frolicking
and even riding the bow waves. There were two sea turtles and flying fish.
Katie has many options for wonderful places to stay on the Osa. We were
thrilled to find our jungle paradise was only yards away from the most
spectacular beach in the Southern Zone. Scarlet Macaws, monkeys, dolphins,
wild pigs and hummingbirds are just some of the animals we saw. We also were
itching to get out on the water and FISH! Katie has connections with some of
the best sport fishing captains around. They can pick you up right at the
public dock in town. It couldn't be any easier! After a fun filled day of
fishing the crew took the day's catch to a local restaurant where they fixed
it up Tico style. Fresh Dorado, cold Imperiales, rice and beans... a dream
to remember. We highly recommend Land Sea Services, Katie is the best!! We
will be back.
http://www.seatizen.com
For our final stop in Costa Rica, we sailed across the bay
and into Golfito. This town was built by the United Fruit Company when they
moved their banana shipping operations from the Caribbean side, so it had
many pretty turn-of-the-century houses. Since the banana business closed,
the town now runs a successful zona libre, or duty free area. We applied 24
hours in advance for our chance to stock the liquor locker with duty free
wines and spirits. While in Golfito, we used the services of Land & Sea, run
by Tim and Katie, a pair of ex-hippie ex-cruisers. They are remarkable. It
was really fun to listen to their tales of daily life in small town Costa
Rica. For $4 a day, we could use the dinghy dock, the hot showers, and enjoy
the cruiser club - complete with DVD player, cable TV, stereo, and an honor
system bar. Tim and Katie are very supportive of the indígenas, and carry a
good line of carvings and handicrafts. We bought some beautiful carved and
painted masks, one to grace BREILA's salon.
http://www.yachtbreila.com/log21.htm
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