Pavones is a legendary surf spot boasting the longest left in the world, although Chicama in Peru makes the same claim. This monster wave requires a big southern swell which wraps around the point like porcupine quills and rolls into the anchorage.

Located at the southern entrance to Golfo Dulce Pavones is a roadstead anchorage on an exposed stretch of coast. It is open to wind and swell from every direction except east and is exposed to strong 2-3 kt currents. This anchorage is not recommended except in the calmest conditions – when there is no surf.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

Find a spot where you are comfortable and drop anchor on a sandy bottom. Take utmost care landing a dinghy on the beach, swamping or overturning the dinghy can be a costly exercise. Going in to the river mouth at high tide might be an option.

Facilities

The settlement is a surfers hangout with several guesthouses and small restaurants as well as a couple of grocery stores.

Drake Bay is named after the British hero and notorious pirate Sir Francis Drake who anchored here back in the 16th century and whose treasure is purportedly buried somewhere close by. The anchorage on the southern side of the bay is sheltered from southerly and easterly winds but is open to the north. Some swell manages to wrap around Punta San Jose so it can be rolly.

The settlement of Drake Bay, located at the northern tip of the Osa Peninsula, is very isolated and can only be reached by 4WD. The route includes more than twenty river crossings making it a difficult place to access in the wet season, except for yachties of course.

The village has some low key, backpacker style tourism. The main attraction of Drake Bay is a visit to the Corcovado National Park, the biggest park in Costa Rica but because of its inaccessibility it is off the itinerary for most tourists.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

The centre of the bay can be a bit rolly but tuck in behind the point close to the river mouth for a more comfortable night. Anchor in 7.5m muddy sand with good holding. If waves are breaking on the beach take the dinghy to the west end for a drier landing.

Alternatively go into the river mouth on the west side of the bay and tie up to the dinghy dock of the Aguila de Osa Inn. They will charge you a small fee for mooring but your dinghy will be safe. It is a short walk on a muddy path to the west end of the beach.

Facilities

Drake Bay is one of my favorite anchorages in Costa Rica. The funky village is good for provisioning with a bakery and two well stocked supermarkets, several restaurants with wifi and numerous tour operators. The Corcovado tours will collect you directly from your boat. Swim in the bay at your own risk, crocodiles are regularly seen in the river mouth. Fuel can be bought by jerry can at the Aguila de Osa Inn dinghy dock.

A tour to the Corcavado National Park is a must. A speed boat takes you 20NM down the coast to the Sirena Ranger Station where the $15pp fee is collected. It is not possible to enter the park without a guide but our guide Carlos was worth every penny. He was knowledgeable about everything from leaf-carrying ants to the breeding cycle of green tree frogs and skilled at spotting monkeys and birds high up in the canopy, finding tiny lizards and frogs lurking in the shadows under leaves and tracking down the elusive tapir.

Quepos, named for the indigenous Quepoa indians who inhabited the area, is the gateway to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park. The bay has no protection from the swell and is open to weather from south to northwest.

The town has most of the facilities a discerning cruiser needs but is difficult to access by dinghy: surf is normally breaking on the beach and the marina has no dinghy dock, it is possible to dinghy up the river at high tide.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

The anchorage lies outside the marina so try to stay clear of the entrance. Pick a spot amongst the local boats that are moored in the area and anchor in 5m on sand. Shore access is difficult if there is any swell running. Waves breaking on the beach make landing the dinghy hazardous. The marina has no dinghy dock but offer a pick-up service. For $35 they will collect you from the anchorage however they limit time ashore to just 30 minutes. Alternatively at high tide dinghies can be taken into the lagoon in front of the town and tie up to the public doc. Stay close to the marina breakwater and the harbour wall to avoid the sand bar which extends from the northwest across the river mouth but do not try to enter if swell is breaking across the mouth.

Facilities

Quepos is the largest town in the area and has a hospital, several banks and supermarkets and numerous hotels and restaurants. It is possible to get a bus from here to Manuel Antonio National Park but if you intend to anchor at the park it is necessary to get an anchoring permit from the National Park office in Quepos. Dinghies or vessels are allowed to enter the marina to buy fuel but call ahead for permission to enter.

Manuel Antonio is both the smallest and the most famous park in Costa Rica. It’s renowned for its vast diversity of tropical plants and wildlife including three-toed sloths and endangered white-faced capuchin monkeys. It is incredibly popular with long queues at the entrance gate, sometimes the wait may be more than a 30 minutes.