Explore: Cartagena
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General Info
COVID-19: OPEN PORT
- Sea Borders opened on 1 December.
- See Biosecurity for full details on protocols and paperwork required prior to arrival etc.
- A maritime agent must be contacted and terms agreed before sailing to Cartagena. They should clarify their charges. Fees can vary significantly between agencies. See here for a list and also review cruisers forums for recommendations. Your agent will issue an arrival security number which is the key to entering the port.
- Crew list should include 2 columns for recording temperatures: one for pre-departure and another to be completed 30 minutes before arrival to the Sea Buoy at Boca Chica or the Boca grande entrance (small craft entry channel). Note: agents have been very tolerant to this particular process being overlooked but you should be compliant.
- On approaching the Sea Buoy at Boca Chica (or the small vessel entrance at Boca Grande) you must call Cartagena Port Control (Estacion de Control San Jose) VHF 16/14. They will ask for your security number.
- Make sure you are flying the Q Flag.
- Cartagena Port Control have good English speakers and will give specific arrival instructions.
- The Traffic Controller will instruct arriving vessels to proceed to a designated anchorage zone.
- Before anybody disembarks you must call your maritime agency (if you have no e-mail call Club Nautico (VHF 69) or Club de Pesca (VHF 72) to assist with the communications. See Biosecurity for entry requirements.
- The San Jose Coast Guard station (Guarda Costa San Jose) is known to be helpful. They can be hailed on VHF 16/14/13l. Humanitarian assistance will always be available.
- Bio security measures are in force in public and in the marinas.
- Full entry guidelines on the Club Nautico website: https://www.clubnauticocartagena.com/entry-guideline
- Yachts can sail to the Rosario Islands nearby, but there are restrictions, such as you can’t go ashore at this time, plus new changes to local navigation rules.
- The Old City is quiet at this time with far fewer tourists.
- The WhatsApp group called The United Cruisers Group, is very effective at providing advice and assistance.
Information confirmed by John Halley of the Club Nautico.
Description:
Cartagena is a popular place for yachts to stop prior to making their way to the Panama canal.
The government is trying hard to encourage this influx of visitors and there are plans to build two new marinas. In addition, Club de Pesca Marina has expanded to 180 slips and the Club Nautico has been upgraded.
Cruiser Highlights:
Good weather all year; lots of choice for haulout and repair work; excellent cruiser social scene; ideal place to leave the boat and explore inland; easy provisioning and shopping; history and culture;
- Colombia Cruisers Facebook Page
- Club Nautico Cartagena Cruisers’ Guide
- United Cruisers Cartagena is a Whatsapp Chat group that was started in March of 2020 and has supplanted the morning VHF net. You can join this group via this link: https://bit.ly/2X61RIF.
Entrance Notes or Cautions:
Bahia de Cartagena is a well-protected anchorage. Entrances to the bay are through the large ship channel – the Boca Chica strait, or the northwest entrance – Boca Grande (Escollera). The Boca Chica entrance is easier and is the one used by most recreational sailors.
The Boca Grande entrance tends to be used by yachts coming from the north and east but should be approached with caution. The Colombian Navy has re-installed the red & green light to mark the small vessel channel at the Boca Grande entrance. Guaranteed “official” depth is about 8 feet, greater depth might be possible if there is limited swell and conditions are not otherwise unfavorable. Cruisers report the echo sounder never going below 3.2 meters. Advice is to follow the marked channel and don’t cut corners.
Position:
10° 23’17″N, 75° 34’13″W.
Clearance
Full details on the formalities required for clearing into and out of Colombia can be found at Colombia Formalities.
Remember, an agent is required to clear into and out of Colombia, so no attempt at contacting the Port Captain should be made, except through your nominated clearing agent (Agencia Maritima) on arrival. See Formalities/Clearance for more details on agencies and a list below.
- Quarantine anchorage in Cartagena, Colombia.
Cartagena Local Navigation:
In Cartagena from mid-December 2021 DIMAR require that SITMAR (https://appn.dimar.mil.co/Sitmar/) be used to submit float plans for local navigation. This system is currently used by clearing agents for arriving and departing vessels, but now vessels will be required to receive an “electronic zarpe” from SITMAR for local navigation. Previously, popular overnight/day trips to Cholon or the Rosario Islands did not require a zarpe or a notification process, but now these trips will need to be registered in SITMAR. This includes registering a list of crew members, list of passengers or supernumeraries, the country flag of the ship, estimated time of departure and arrival, destination, activity, among other data that allow the Maritime Authority to have the necessary information to act in a timely manner in the event of an emergency at sea. For the cruising vessels, the request to set sail is approved immediately. A vessel may self-report via SITMAR or they can contact their entry agent for this support (additional fees may be required).
Notes:
The Club Nautico website has “A cruiser’s guide” with lots of useful marine contacts for Cartagena, including names and contact numbers of several customs clearance agents.
Last updated: December 2021
Related Businesses
Cartagena Sea Agency & Brokerage
Address: Colombia,
Maritime Agent in Cartagena. Maria deals with clearance, immigration issues, ship documentation, boat management and legal procedures for sailboats & yachts in Cartagena. English spoken.... Read More
Cruising Services Marine S.A.S
Address: POC, Paola Matson & Gladis Ramos, Manga Cra 25, Calle 25-62, Cartagena,
Shipping Agency for Clearance and other services. Good English is spoken.... Read More
David Arroyo
Address: Cartegena, Colombia,
Clearance Agent. One of the best known in Cartagena. Offers a competitive service.... Read More
Juan Carlos Soto
Address: Clearance Agent Bahia Solano,
Clearance Agent for Bahia Solano and Cartagena. Located next to the Port Captain's office. Will deal with all the paperwork for one fee.Alternative email: [email protected] Read More
Logistica Maritima Integral SAS (LOGIMAR)
Address: Manga Calle 25, No. 24-A 16, Edificio, Twins Bay- Ofc. 1508, Cartagena, Colombia,
Maritime Agency in Cartagena specializing in vessel and crew clearance as well as legal advice on maritime issues, crew management, provisions/ supplies, vessel’s stay such... Read More
Ocean Blue Agency
Address: Cartagena, Colombia,
Maritime agency in Cartagena.... Read More
Romovela ltda
Address: Santa Marta and Cartagena,
Maritime agency in Santa Marta and Cartagena. Edgar has been helping cruisers for many years with clearance, and zarpes and every situation imaginable. ... Read More
White Light Agency
Address: Manga CL, 24 #17-45, Cartagena, Bolivar, Columbia,
Maritime Agency in Cartagena, located between Club Nautico and Club de Pesca marinas, just in front of the bay.Jose Bonilla has been helping cruisers for... Read More
Docking
Anchoring
Bahia de Cartagena is a well-protected anchorage and for longer stays in Colombia offers a much more cost-effective solution than Santa Marta. Cruisers who have spent some time here, however, have reported rapid fouling.
It is advisable to anchor in deep water (10m+) with a long scope as the sudden southerly squalls can cause dragging in the shallower water.
Many cruisers choose to anchor off the Club Nautico and use the marina’s facilities including the dinghy dock, rubbish disposal and WiFi. The Club makes a small charge for this.
Club de Pesca’s dinghy dock opened in 2020 and provides vessels at anchor full access to all marina amenities (for a weekly/monthly fee).
The holding in the shallower water closer to the marina is reported to be poor.
- Club Nautico, Cartagena
Marinas
There are two marina facilities in this harbor, Club Nautico and Club de Pesca Marina.
If berthing in this harbor be aware that wave action and local weather (occasional violent squalls from June to November) can make conditions unpleasant at times. This is a harbor with a lot of speedboats, water taxis and activity. Wakes are constant during daylight hours. In order to guard against the swell, be sure to have very stretchy dock lines and make sure that your spreaders are not matched up to the boats beside you.
The Club Nautico continues evolving with several new projects for completion in 2020 including additional bathrooms, a kiosk, a small cruiser lounge plus installation of new transformer and pedestals to allow electrical access (all 60 hz) on 90 % of all berths. The Club is busy, but spaces do come available for transient yachts.
Club de Pesca Marina introduced deeply discounted slip rates for international cruising yachts in 2019 and in 2021 completed an expansion of new floating finger docks – all with 110/220V pedestals up to 250A. Club de Pesca is a private yacht club and visitors enjoy full access to all of the yacht club’s amenities.
Barnacles can be a problem for boats left for a period of time.
Security
The Bay of Cartagena has seen a decrease in the number of dinghy thefts over the last few years, possibly due to better crime control by the officials and more awareness on the part of cruisers. The Coast Guard patrol the anchorage and Club Nautico also runs a patrol launch at night to keep incidents to a minimum. That said, thefts still continue to be reported so stay alert. If you don’t want your dinghy or outboard to be stolen, don’t leave it in the water overnight. Information about thefts is shared on the United Cruisers Cartagena Whatsapp Group – join this group via this link: https://bit.ly/2X61RIF.
When going ashore don’t wear expensive jewelry around town and be careful of unscrupulous persons trying to engage you in dubious activities.
Last updated: May 2021
Related Businesses
Manzanillo Marina Club
Address: Bosque, Calle Malaga # 53-76, Cartagena, Colombia,
Family-run shipyard, owned and run by watersports enthusiasts Mauricio Lemaitre and sons. 40-ton travel lift (beam 20ft) but reported being small - 7ft draft maximum... Read More
Todomar Marina
Address: Cra 2a #15-364, Bocagrande, Cartagena,
Principally a boatyard with a limited number of slips and fuel dock. Approx. 20km from the center of Cartagena. Located opposite the Convention Center, where powerboats arestacked... Read More
Yacht Clubs
Related Businesses
Club de Pesca de Cartagena
Address: Fuerte San Sebastian del Pastelillo, Calle 2, #16-18, Manga, Cartagena, Colombia,
Located just steps away from the historic walled city of Cartagena de Indias.The marina has over 180 berths and can accommodate yachts up to 150'... Read More
Club Nautico – Cartagena
Address: 19-50 Avenida Miramar Manga, Cartagena, Colombia,
Med-style mooring with 50 berths available, although space for visitors is limited. Dinghy dock (daily & weekly charge). Facilities include a clubhouse with showers, laundry,... Read More
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