Hazard spot
Gulf of Papagayo
In the winter half-year the same offshore squalls occur as further north, shorter but sharper. Anchorages empty quickly then.
- Cause
- Strong katabatic winds
- Main season
- December to March
- Position
- 11° 00,0' N 087° 00,0' W
On the map
The map shows this spot. You can pan, zoom and click the other spots.
How the place works
The same pattern as Tehuantepec, only further south off Costa Rica and Nicaragua: trade wind air is forced over a gap in the mountain chain and falls onto the Pacific as the Papagayo. From December to March it often holds for days, with calm water close inshore and a gale twenty miles out.
What breaks there
Boats anchored in the bays of Guanacaste drag when the wind sets in at night, and sail and rig damage arises beating north. The anchorage that looks calm in the evening is a different place at three in the morning.
What this means for your policy
The same applies here as with all katabatic winds: whether anchor damage is covered depends on the ground tackle and on whether anyone was aboard. In this area an anchor watch in season is standard.
Read this in fullCruising range
This spot lies in the cruising range the calculator lists under this step: Worldwide
Calculate a premium for this cruising range
