Utila - Docking
Anchoring
The anchorage does not have great holding. Be sure to anchor in a sandy patch in deep water (+20ft) and dive on your anchor.
Yachts can anchor east of the concrete town dock, in the area off the fuel dock (marked by two high, cylindrical, white tanks); alternatively, the area farther to the east, inside the harbor’s protective reef. Another anchorage is available west of the Municipal Dock, near the easterly end of the town’s beach.
If going ashore to provision, cruisers recommend using Bushes dinghy dock as they will look after your dinghy. They also have good fuel.
Last updated: June 2015
Security
Following quite a lot of theft from yachts in the past, Utila has become much more cruiser friendly in recent years. That said, however, be sure to secure anything left on deck, in particular, valuable items such as dive tanks and dinghies. Put valuable items like fishing rods down below. Cruisers that have not secured items (i.e. left fishing rods on deck, left the dinghy simply tied to the boat), in particular, overnight, have reported having them stolen.
The latest reported incident was from a yacht on passage from Utila to Panama which was menaced by three boats when about 50 miles offshore. See the Noonsite report here.
Last updated: October 2021
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Related to following destinations: Bay Islands, Honduras, Utila
Port Navigation
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Posted on main Honduras page by tbunker:
I cleared in at Utila in June of 2017. I’ve been there before and there have been a few changes. The Port Captain and immigration are in the same building at the public dock.
The Port Captain went to the boat with me and took photos. HThese were exterior shots and he didn’t enter the boat.
He filled out forms and photographed them with his phone. Then he sent everything to the main office. I had to come back the next morning for the cruising permit.
Immigration requested a $3.00 entry fee.
The exit procedure was the same, except that the turn around time to get approval from the main office was 2 hours. Immigration requested another $3.00.
There was no charge for the cruising permit or the zarpe.