Careening Cay Marina Client Comments

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	Tove and Sid Small on S/V Blue Moon We pulled into Careening Cay Marina thinking we would be there for a month. We felt so at home, we stayed for two. We found a wonderful feeling of family here. The kitchen is traditionally the gathering spot and at Marina Carenero that is exactly what you have. A gas 4-burner stove for cooking, a kitchen table to gather around in the evening, and the refrigerator full of ice, beer and sodas (on the honor system) helps too. Personally I loved the work space (in the shade), with a big, scarred table for your projects. Mary is fun and the guys do good work. And to top it all off the island is a lovely place: swimming, snorkeling and beautiful evening walks. A winner!!!
To all the people thinking of keeping their boat in Bocas for an extended period of time, we would love to heartily suggest they use Marina Carenero. Mary and the gang were extremely helpful and took brilliant care of Cetacea. After 1 1/2 years or so, she was still floating and in good shape, despite the fact that I had to leave her at a dead run and not properly de-commissioned.	Brian & Clare Wiawera S/V Cetacea They are cruisers who have taken a dream and made it reality, and we really appreciate all their help. Mary gave us photos of the boat when we were lonesome for Cetacea, and her staff did the periodic maintenance and cleaning that is required in the tropics. We had absolutely no problems with electrolysis, as some cruisers worry about when leaving a boat in the water for a long period of time. We even were able to look on the Google earth satellite photos and make out our boat at the dock! They provide a great service, and allowed us to take the time we needed to get some more money together to keep on cruising. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. We were on an extremely tight timeframe when returning, with flying into panama from New Zealand, getting the boat ready, bringing the boat to the canal, and taking flights home to the US for our wedding, and the help given to us by Mary before we got there with vendors etc. was invaluable. A+++ for all their help when we needed it most. Thanks again for all the help. FYI we made it through the canal and across the pacific to the Galapagos, then onto French Polynesia, where Cetacea has been hauled and waits for our next leg of the journey while Clare finishes Grad school and I work to try and pay the bills. Wonderful trip and would recommend it to anyone! But we miss Bocas too!
June 3/07 - Hope this story finds all you Yachties in the best of health. My name is Capt. Norman Sigmund and I would like to tell a short story, hope you enjoy it. I spent my entire working life offshore as a commercial fisherman first as a deckhand and for the last 25 years as a Captain in the Pacific north west. My wife and I bought a 50 ft. Hatteras in Jan of 2006 with the intention of taking it back home. We of course had to do a little refit before we could start this new adventure. After completing the work with the help of stranger’s who turned out to be wonderful people who were unbelievably helpful we began our journey. It was late April and it turned out to be a rough trip. After stops in Isla Mujures, Belize, Honduras And the Island of Saint Andreas we were off to the canal. It was around midnight and we had about 90 miles to go.	Capt. Norman Sigmund M/V Lady Lydia I had one of those lights that fit on your head reading the cruising guide by Pat and John Rains and came across an article about Marina Carenero in Bocas Del Toro that was owned by Mack and Mary Robertson. The sincerity of this short article made me change course even though it was 120 miles away. It was almost magical as soon as I altered course the boat stopped rolling and the moon was like a beacon drawing me to Bocas. Later the next day we arrive and contacted Mary [Saint Mary would be a better and more fitting name] she talked us in and both she and her husband Mack were there to catch our line and greet us. They handled our custom and immigration at no cost and actually lent me the cash to pay the fee’s. We spent the afternoon having cocktails with them at the dock like we were old friend’s. We stayed for two week’s before we returned home for the summer leaving the boat in their care. They had my air-conditioning repaired, washed and polished my boat ran my engines keeping in touch with me via E-mail accounting for every penny that I was billed for. I returned in October to a boat that was cleaner than I had left. We stayed for another 6 month’s our appreciation of Mack and Mary only grew stronger. No problem was too small or large for them to handle and the Saturday Potluck with Mary on the guitar singing were memories that will last forever. The feeling must have been contagious because you never had to ask for help our fellow cruisers were there before you even knew you had a problem. It might not be the most fancy Marina but it is the most comfortable enjoyable one that I’ve been in not to mention the rates are very reasonable. If you want a place were you a person not just a invoice at the end of the month Marina Carenero is the spot. We left to continue our adventure but I truly regret it and I hope that some of you will be privileged to spent some time with Mack and Mary as we did. Thank You!
May 2007 - Balance has been sailing Caribbean waters since brought from Cape Town in 2001 and has been from Sarasota to Isla Mujers and down the entire of Central America, not missing many ports and no countries, including San Andreas. So into Panama I decide to come to Bocas del Toro for a few weeks. We pulled out a week ago after being there for a year and two months, keeping the boat at Marina Carenero longer than she has been docked anywhere since purchase. During that time the following occurred. 1. Not so much as a clothes pin was missing from my boat or any other during my entire stay. Not one thing on any boat there was stolen, although a few people forgot where they put things, finding them after they recovered.	Mark Weiss, Captain S/V Balance 2. When I was leaving the boat Mary did such things as let me put my frozen food in her freezer so I could save electricity, and she personally checked my boat and ran the de-humidifier twice a week and checked sea cocks when I was not there, saving electricity, and possibly the boat. The fee was less than the electricity by FAR. 3. All expenses were listed categorically and fairly prices. These were less than I have ever paid ANYWHERE, but regardless, I never have felt like my boat was that secure and do not expect to ever do so again. 4. The atmosphere at the dock is friendly, snobbery does not exist. Mary has cold beer and pop for a buck a shot and has an entire kitchen cruisers can use anytime they don't want to cook aboard. 5. As I was leaving the new bathrooms were getting finishing touches which included beautiful tile work and ample and comfortable accommodations. 6. WiFi is free for marina guests and works well. The only time I have had that combination in any marina. 7. I have an inverter using six batteries in an awkward place and Mack not only acquired the needed new batteries reasonably, he found someone small enough to install them! Again, very fairly priced. It doesn't get much better on the service side. Let me conclude, it is the best, most reasonable, most trustworthy marina I have ever stayed at and to date THE ONLY ONE I HAVE EVER WRITTEN A RECOMMENDATION FOR! Fairwinds and Seas to Cruisers Everywhere,

	Cliff & Audrey Allcroft S/V Carra II We arrived at Careening Cay Marina in Bocas del Toro, Panama on April 18, 2003 and have kept our Robert's 43' cutter there until Dec. 31, 2006. We found the marina owners, Mary and Mack Robertson, and the staff, to be very helpful, conscientious and kind. They are continually making improvements to the marina and the new office, bathrooms, and laundry facilities will soon be completed. The marina utilizes rainwater tanks which supplement the town water supply. The filtered rainwater is the best tasting water we have ever had. The marina is very safe and secure. They have very reasonable rates and an excellent maintenance service. We left the boat in their care for six months each year and always returned to find the boat clean inside and out, and no mildew. If you enjoy a more down-to-earth type of marina, then this is the place for you. We highly recommend Careening Cay Marina and recommend their maintenance service . Blue Water Cruising Association Canadian Power and Sail, Fraser Squadron
	S/V Mona-Mi After having had my "Mona-Mi" in your marina for 8 1/2 months I feel it is time to move on. It has been a pleasure to leaving "Mona-Mi" in your hands as you have done a great job with taking care of her. When my wife, Mona, and I returned after six months in Sweden, "Mona-Mi" was clean and newly washed. You kept me informed every month of what you suggested to be done onboard. You sent me pictures of the interior and exterior in order to back up your recommendations. It was a great feeling to know that someone was caring for my boat. Thank you, Mary and Mack, for having done such a good job. You can be sure I will leave "Mona-Mi" in your hands again should I return to Bocas del Toro in the future.
	Rod & Jill Hearne ~ S/V Lookfar Vaskon Island, Washington We have been cruising part-time for seven years and have left our yacht Lookfar in Mexico, El Salvador, and Cartagena. This last year we left Lookfar in Careening Cay Marina. Mary's diligent maintenance over the six months that we were gone was excellent! Getting started cruising this season has been a snap due to Mary's hard work. Lookfar was dry, clean, and mold free. Thank you Marina Carnero!
	David & Suvi Whiteside S/V Sofia II "The owners are directly involved in looking after your boat and they know what they are doing! The tide in Bocas is only about 1 foot - thus floating docks are not important! If you leave your boat for many months you can feel comfortable that it is being looked after! If there is a problem they will communicate directly to you! We have have been in the Caribbean area since spring 2003. We have used other marinas and we are most satisfied with Careening Cay Marina in Bocas del Toro"
After 4 1/2 months at Careening Cay Marina we are ready to go back to sea. But as always, it is with a little sadness on departing. We enjoyed our stay with you for the following reasons: First, your maintenance service was excellent. We returned to the boat to find zero mold, the boat was as clean as when we left. The batteries were fully charged and everything in your control was operational. The best thing was that the prop, strut and shaft did not even require cleaning - it was spotless using your patented technique.	Ron and Yen S/V Moonlight http://www.moonlightsailing.net/ I highly recommend this service to anyone concerned about leaving their prize yachting possession with someone else. Second, no one from Southern California to Panama can finish laundry as well as Mary. The laundry has never been so clean and the folding is absolutely perfect. Third, I shipped in ten boxes of supplies for the boat and you had them delivered directly to the boat. What a nice surprise! It was impressive and removed all the stress of shipping goods from the US to Central America. No one in Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica or Panama can do as good of a job at probably the lowest cost we have seen. The WiFi internet was fast and free and potluck parties were delightful. From all this, I can only say, “Great job Mary and Mack on operating a first class marina and making our stay so pleasant and rewarding. Yours is truly a quality marina to which we tied our dock lines. I hope we find future marinas just like yours.”
We have been cruising on our yacht "Good Run" in the Caribbean for 5 years, spending half the year in Sweden and the other half living on board.	Bengt & Marguerite Toss S/V Good Run After considering storage of the yacht for six months, we chose Marina Carenero (Careening Cay Marina). The reasons were many; 1) the atmosphere in the marina suited us, 2) the owners live on site, 3) the owners manage all aspects of the marina and, 4) they had a complete maintenance program that really suited us. During our six months in Sweden it was very easy for us to keep updated that the yacht was ok by just a short phone call or by sending an E-mail. We got all the answers immediately! If Mary had a question or needed our decision she sent us an E-mail right away. She also sent digital photos. When we returned to Panama in October, 2006, we found Good Run in a perfect condition. We found it just as we had left it; as if no time had elapsed since we left her six month ago. A marvelous feeling! Initially, we thought that the cost for the maintenance program was pretty high, but after returning to the boat we are fully aware of the how much work Mary and her staff must have done to provide a complete maintenance program for Good Run. The money was very well spent!
	Don Frazer S/V Keava The security at Careening Cay Marina is the best. I left Keava for sixteen months and everything was there on my return.
	Barbara & Cori Frum S/V Increscent Moon The best part of our two months stay was the free high speed Internet access. The kitchen was also nice to use. Careening Cay Marina is a really friendly place to stay.
	Hans and Susanne S/V Nautibear, Germany We left our sailboat Nautibear in Careening Cay Marina for 5 months following recommendations from our friends from Kuani. We really felt well taken care of here and admire Mary’s enthusiasm with which she runs the place. Mary fulfills individual maintenance requirements with great accuracy and we did not have to worry about a thing during our long stay in Europe. Email communications work perfectly so we always knew what was going on. Thanks,
	Marilyn & Tom S/V Freelance (We)...very much enjoyed our stay at Careening Cay Marina... particularly the kitchen and the dock. (Their) generosity in use of the the workshop facilities was much appreciated. Definitely a cruiser friendly marina!
	Marie & Jim Tipton S/V Argonaut S. Padre Island, TX USA …your hospitality seemed more like we were staying with friends than renting a slip at a marina. You kept Argonaut so clean and fresh while we were gone… no dust, no mildew, just a nice, clean boat. We especially appreciated the (digital) pictures you sent monthly,
	Karen Hayward & Capt. John Bogert S/V Nirvana It was great having a kitchen facility available because it gave me the opportunity to varnish my galley. We loved the fact that we were able to leave tools in the work area overnight without worry of theft. Taxis to town were always available while repairs were being made to the dinghy. We would highly recommend Careening Cay Marina (Marina Carenero).