Golfito, Costa Rica
08 May 2007
Linda
Early Sunday morning (May 6) we arrived in what is considered the southern most port for cruisers in Costa Rica, Golfito. We left Quepos just before noon the day before and decided not to stop in the two other possible anchorages between Quepos and Golfito. We found the Quepos anchorage to be unbelievably uncomfortable with big rolling swells and the other two anchorages didn't look like they had any more protection than Quepos. It's amazing what is considered an 'anchorage' here, nothing like the peaceful, quite, still bays of B.C. waters. However, Golfito is very well protected, being a natural harbor within a larger gulf.
Golfito once was a large export port for tropical fruits, especially bananas (think 'Banana Republic') but since the United Fruit Co. moved out about 20 years ago this town has slumbered into tropical isolation. This definitely isn't a tourist destination type of town, a lot of run down dwellings but with a couple of marinas in the harbor and a free trade zone complex it has managed to survive.
We're anchored just off of a little marina owned and operated by an American couple. This is the first 'cruiser friendly' spot I've seen since Mexico. It's really neat, book exchange, caf�, lots of outdoor (but covered) seating, 3 showers and bathrooms (very clean), t.v./lounge room, wireless internet, laundry and help your self to drinks honor system. The indoor walls are also covered with boat and crew names of past visitors.
It's been raining heavily in the afternoons everyday since we've been in Quepos. Just think of the hardest rain we've ever experienced back home, that is what it is always like here when it rains. Sometimes it only last 15 min. sometimes a couple of hours. The upside to all this rain - Impossible is very clean on the outside, and it's cooler outside. The downside - the hatches and windows always have to be closed when we leave the boat (which makes it very hot inside) - (and hopefully we have remembered to do this!), and trying not to be caught out in the rain. Today for example we went to the duty free zone and just as we got in the taxi it started to pour, when we arrived at the marina we had to wait for at least an hour and a half for the rain to subside before bailing out the dinghy and making our way back (sounds like our adventure in Quepos).
Golfito is the first place we've been in since El Salvador that we have seen other cruisers. In fact as we were coming in Stan spotted our friends we met back in September in Ensenada, Ivan and Vesna on 'Locura', they've sailed from Vancouver and are on their way to Croatia. It's been great catching up on sailing adventures with them. We'll be here for the next week probably as this is a good place for the kids to really concentrate on their schoolwork and for me to do some organizing inside.