Ports and supplies
Being a maritime country par excellence, Panama has no shortage of ports where yacht sailors can purchase supplies. The Caribbean port of Cristobal, managed by Panama Ports, an international consortium, offers a varied assortment of supplies and the latest technology in spare parts and repair services. On the Pacific, one recom-mended port is Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina, on the Amador Causeway, which serves luxury vessels from all parts of the world.

Panama's advantages
An increasing number of yacht owners from the United States is currently considering Panama as one of the safest locations in the region to "park" their vessels, due to the relatively low cost of berth rentals in Panama and the rising cost of insurance along the U.S. Eastern sea board -a direct conse-quence of the increasing frequency of destructive hurricanes in recent years.

Commenting about this, Clay Jorgensen, owner of Panama Divers, stated that since Panama is below the 10th parallel, it is one of the safest locations in the Caribbean in regards to hurricanes. The most popular marinas among U.S. yacht owners in Panama are located in Bocas del Toro, Colón, the San Blas islands and in the Panama Canal area.

Sailing permits
All yachts sailing in Panama should be duly registered, bearing their respective registry certificate on board. Also mandatory is a radio permit which can be obtained at the "Consular y Naves" Bureau in Panama City.

All other internationally-recognized sailing certificates are mandatory in Panama, such as the yacht's inspection documents which confirm that the vessel is equipped with all necessary navigation and security tools to transport passengers. In Panama, the inspection is carried out by the Maritime Authority of Panama. In addition to this, skippers and sailors should have their licenses and credentials at hand, including their respective first aid certificates.

Tour packages
Sea aficionados traveling to Panama without a yacht can also find a number of maritime tour packages offered by local operators. The length of these packages ranges between three to four days, offering fishing, diving, and transport to and from the lodging facilities.

According to René Gómez, proprietor of Scuba Panama, divers will find beautiful underwater paradises in places like the San Blas islands, Bocas del Toro, Coiba and Las Perlas archipelago.

The region of Portobelo, on the Caribbean, is described by experts as an underwater universe, with a wealth of colorful, small fish, coral formations, ship wrecks and anemones.

However, said Gómez, the majority of divers in Panama prefers to engage in their favorite sport in the Pacific, since marine species there tend to be larger and more attractive than their Caribbean counterparts.