Corinto : Profile

Location

Corinto, on Nicaragua's Pacific coast, is the country's largest port and offers an authentic experience of the country. Latitude: 12° 28.56 N Longitude: 87° 10.49 W. Corinto is approximately 14 miles south of Aserradores.

Clearance

Few boats are stopping into Corinto now that Marina Puesta Del Sol is open for business. The same Port Captain and Immigration Officers process papers at Corinto and at Puesta Del Sol. Therefore if coming from Puesta del Sol checking into Corinto is not needed.

If Corinto is your first port of entry, the port captain’s office will send for officials to give you clearance. It is recommended that you take the initiative to check in with the port captain’s office located near the shipyard’s front gate. Immigration office is in the same building. Clearance is normally quick, effective and reasonable. The total cost of clearing in is around US$25.

Port control keep a 24 hour watch on VHF Channel 16 and should be contacted for instructions concerning clearance. Use the "official" anchorage a few hundred meters east of the shipyard, near the shrimp boats. Stay clear of the power plant as they have underwater exhaust and intake pipes.

Docking

It is recommended that you radio the Port Captain as you approach for information regarding shipping traffic. The harbor entrance is wide and well marked with navigational buoys. You must approach via the main channel as any short cuts are shallow. The main channel is 40 feet deep all the way to the last buoy, then 12 to 20 feet deep all the way to the bridge, at low tide. The harbor is protected by a large peninsula that has a lighthouse at the entrance.

The inner harbour is well protected. There is a good anchorage off the beach, opposite the distinctive silver fuel tank, in about 10 metres. The holding is good in mud and sand, although this anchorage is sometimes subject to swell at low water.

An alternative, smoother anchorage, is well into the inner harbour at the industrial zone of Estero Grande, near a fleet of ageing fishing boats. Unfortunately, the nearby generating plant rather disturbs the peace and boats her are rather vunerable to theft nor is there any safe place to leave a dinghy while ashore.

A new marina is being developed up the river, next to the Pasocaballo bridge that connects Corinto to the main land. The marina looks like it will become a safe and secure berth.

Ten miles north of Corinto (via sea - about 40 km by land) is Marina Puesta Del Sol, inside the protected estuary and lagoon of Aserradores.

Corinto Marina
Corinto
Tel:: Cell 505 88 26002
contikicorinto@yahoo.com
A new marina in Corinto. Close to the bridge connecting to the main land, from there it's a new highway 20k to Chinandega City. Dinghy dock, a boat ramp, 24 hour security, a van to help with supplies. Fuel can be arranged from nearby service stations but the marina keeps eighty gallons on hand for guests. A small clubhouse with shower and amenities and a secure storage area for your dinghy and equipment should you need to leave your boat for long periods.