Book a Slip at Tortugal Marina
We recommend making an advance reservation for our marina. Use the form below to request a reservation.
Crossing the bar
Photographer Steve Jost gave us this report on “tipping” a deep draft boat across the bar at the mouth of the Rio Dulce:
I might add for your web viewers, that the “tipping” process was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be. Basically, the “tipping” boat just takes one of your halyards and attaches it to another 150′ line on his boat. He then motors off on your beam and takes up the tension on the line. You can then control the heeling by motoring toward or away from the “tipping” boat at your own pace… he just keeps the tension on the line. It only took us about 10 minutes to get across.
Sure beats overheating the engine trying to plow through the mud!
-Steve Jost
Location
Tortugal is located between The Bridge and Castillo San Felipe about a mile upriver from the very busy little village of Fronteras, Rio Dulce.
GPS: 15º 38´ 58.8588″ N 89º 0′ 5.4144″ W
VHF: 68
The advantageous location and the peninsula setting offer clean water, cooling breezes, few insects and locational security. Tortugal is a pleasant walk through a beautiful hardwood and cacao plantation to the Fronteras markets and merchants or to Castillo San Felipe.
The Tortugal Community
Tortugal is more than just a place to hole up for hurricane season. Making new friends over a cup of free coffee or tea in the early morning is Tortugal tradition and has established a community environment. The in-the-river location of the restaurant at Tortugal gives a panoramic view of early morning sunrise and river traffic. Good, homemade food is served rapidly by efficient, friendly staff.
Ammenities
Tortugal Boutique River Lodge and Marina offers laundry services, clean, filtered drinking water, and maintenance services in addition to our restaurant.
The Laundry service uses front loading Speed Queen commercial washers and dryers that really do the job. We provide wireless internet to the docks and all of the rooms. Bathroom facilities are large and clean. Abundant hot water showers are legendary.
Drinking water (blue) is filtered, chlorinated, UV treated, pressurized. Wash down water (yellow) is untreated, pressurized.
Boats receive the best possible maintenance and individualized services offered by talented, intelligent, responsible, hardworking, caring staff. Pilings at Tortugal have been pounded into the substrata and are solid. Some side ties are offered.
Tortugal Marina – 2003
