Service· Coco Bandero Cays· Other Caribbean
Rubbish Disposal (Coco Bandero & Holandes)
9° 30.8′ N · 78° 37.0′ W · approximate
There is no garbage service in the outer cays: in the Coco Bandero and Holandes groups you burn paper and food scraps responsibly and carry everything else, especially plastic, back to Linton Bay, Portobelo or Shelter Bay.
Practical
Coordinate approximate: set at the Coco Bandero Cays anchorage; the same applies across the Holandes. SailScanner: garbage disposal facilities are limited, plan to carry waste to the mainland and minimise plastics aboard. Panamaspot: the islands have minimal waste infrastructure and operators ask guests to take non-organic waste back to the mainland. Cruisers in the Holandes discuss 'how to correctly burn and dispose of rubbish' on the morning radio net (Spirit of Argo 2016); ask on the net before burning and never burn plastic. Locals sometimes offer to take bags for a fee, but rubbish handed over has been seen dumped in the water, so politely decline. Nargana's waterfront shows what happens to rubbish here (Spirit of Argo). The Guna keep their cays swept and tidy (Moxon): leave beaches cleaner than you found them. Before the San Blas, strip packaging at the supermarket; on return, marinas such as Panamarina and Linton Bay take garbage. Food scraps over the side well away from beaches and swimming areas.
Best for
Planning your waste before a long stay in the outer cays
Nearby
- Coco Bandero Cays AnchorageRight here
- Dupwala Freshwater Well (Coco Bandero)0.2 NM away
- Coco Bandero West-End Reef Snorkel0.3 NM away
- Two Palm Island Reef & Small Wreck Snorkel (West Coco Bandero)1.9 NM away
- West Coco Bandero Anchorage (Two Palm Island)1.9 NM away
- Orduptarboat Anchorage (West Coco Bandero)2 NM away
- Green Island Anchorage2.2 NM away
- Green Island Freshwater Well2.3 NM away