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