Puerto Jimenez

Puerto Jimenez would be a cruising Mecca if it wasn't across the bay from Golfito. It has a large and comfortable anchorage, with easy access to a town with supplies, restaurants, and tourist activities.

The anchorage at Jimenez is on the north side of Punta Arenitas. The bottom is somewhat steep, but there is a reasonably large area of 4-5m depth at chart datum. Most boats are more comfortable anchoring on the slope with depths of 6m dropping off to 20m. There are a couple dozen local boats on moorings close to shore near the town/ferry dock, but there is still room for many boats. There is no swell whatsoever, which is quite remarkable. There is 10 miles of fetch to the north, but I can't recall the last northerly wind we had.

The town is classic central american. I'm sure that won't mean much to most of my readers, but I'm not sure how else to explain it. The buildings are one-story cinderblock or adobe painted bright colours. They are tiny and crammed together right on the edge of the streets. There aren't any condos for Gringos yet in Jimenez, and real estate hasn't taken over as the primary industry. Tourism is probably the main industry, but the tourists who come through here actually tour round the surrounding jungles, which means that tourism is guides and camping supplies rather than sex, drugs, and rock and roll. I rather like it here. Many of the other towns in Costa Rica have had their centers ripped out for gringo focused development, which makes part of them super glossy while the remainder is confused and still sifting out of the construction debris.

We had the pleasure of meeting Neos here, the first cruising boat that we've encountered at anchor since Huatulco in very early May.