Some information about Puerto Cortez for sailors out of our cruising report...
Puerto Cortez for sailors?
The ‘big boat’ docks.
Puerto Cortez is the biggest commercial port in Honduras and has a Naval Base. The Naval Base has a side business to help sailors restoring their boats.
The entrance of Puerto Cortez is easy. The only thing to watch are the big boats.
Anchorage in front of the Naval base is good. Good holding in about 15 feet of water. The bay gets swelly in N and W winds. (The waypoint of our anchorage is 15°49.637’N and 087°56.130W).It is very difficult to get ashore in a dinghy close to the Naval Base. The area around the Naval Base is rocky and deteriorated concrete. To steep to get ashore. The only possibility is the beach, a bit to the right if you face the Naval Base from the water. It is not part of the Naval Base. I don’t know if you can leave your dinghy unprotected there. (We didn’t try, and there are not many sailors that anchor in front of the Naval Base).
On the Naval Base in Puert Cortez you can haul out your boat. The rate is 180 US$ per month. Electricity included.
(Hauling out, staying on the hard for a week, pressure-wash your hull and putting you back in the water cost $220 US).
The showers on the Naval Base are extremely dirty. Most sailors prefer to hose themselves under their boat. At this time (dec. 2007) the toilet has a lock so that it is only accessible for sailors.
In the area of the Naval Base there are banks, a supermarket, some restaurants, a hotel, an Internet-place and some apartments for rent, all in walking distance.Banco Occidental is one of the few banks that will change Quezales (Guatemalan currency) to Limpiras (Honduran currency).
There is a delivery service that can deliver goods from the USA within 24 hours, if the goods are allowed to travel by plane. For more voluminous or heavier stuff there is a possibility to get it in Puerto Cortez with a surcharge of 50 US$ cents per pound of material.
Immigration an Port Captain are in the center of town and easy to reach by bus (4 Limperas per person). The costs of checking in and out are 3$ US a person, nothing for the boat. Both the immigration-office and the port-captain are situated one block away of the big boat piers. You can take a cab (20 limperas a person) or a bus (4 limperas a person) to the center of town. Don’t forget to make copies of your boat-papers. The port-captain wants one copy.You can ask for a 90 days permit. If you don’t, they will give you 30 days. Do first immigration and then the port-captain.It is quickly done, if you find the people at their desks. If they are not there, you have to wait until they get back.
If you only want to anchor for a night, Omoa in the next bay is probably a better solution. You can land your dinghy on the beach there. It is probably also a better spot in a North or NW-wind.
