Anchorage· Chetumal· Mexico
Chetumal Bay Anchorage (off the Malecón)
18° 29.3′ N · 88° 17.8′ W · approximate
A shallow-water stop off Chetumal's long bayfront malecón, in the manatee sanctuary at the head of Chetumal Bay - the state capital and gateway to Belize.
Practical
Coordinate is approximate: about 390 m south of the shore near the Muelle Fiscal as mapped in OpenStreetMap, checked to fall in water; not sounded. No cruising guide or cruiser report we could open describes a yacht anchorage here. Spanish Wikipedia: Chetumal Bay is very shallow, so it has no deep-draft ports; it was declared a manatee sanctuary (zona sujeta a conservación ecológica) on 24 October 1996 - go slowly and watch for manatees. Getting here by sea means either passing through Belizean waters via Boca Bacalar Chico (Belize entry rules apply) or the 1.23 km Canal de Zaragoza at Xcalak, which is awaiting dredging projects (see passages). Realistic only for shoal-draft boats with a current chart and local knowledge. Ashore: Belize water taxis use the Muelle Fiscal, and the malecón has restaurants and the Museo de la Cultura Maya (Wikivoyage). Clearance is handled in Chetumal for Xcalak and Majahual (Noonsite).
Best for
Shoal-draft visit to the capital and border
Season
Settled weather; very shallow bay
Nearby
- Chetumal Muelle Fiscal and Maritime Immigration0.2 NM away
- Chetumal Malecón Walk to Calderitas0.3 NM away
- Chetumal Port of Entry0.3 NM away
- Chetumal Malecón and Museo de la Cultura Maya0.9 NM away
- Chetumal Provisioning1 NM away
- Chetumal International Airport2 NM away
- Calderitas Seafood Village (Chetumal Bay)4.6 NM away
- Oxtankah Ruins (Chetumal Bay)9.7 NM away