Atlantic Spain ..... August 2011

Cruising Info for Ayamonte on the Guadiana River, Atlantic Spain – August 2011
Guadiana River Entrance   The shallowest part was by the 2nd green marker, it doesn’t last long but sure gets your attention and deserves your respect.  We had no swell at all but if there had of been there wasn’t much margin for error

Ayamonte at Anchor   37 13.169N  07 24.651W  4m at LWS. Very gluey mud bottom. At springs the current and flow was really quite fierce and we didn’t feel happy leaving the boat at anchor to going ashore.  Dinghies can be left at the seaward end of the ferry dock, we asked and they were happy enough.

Ayamonte Marina  We went in a slack low water.  There was over 3.5metres in the entrance but we did get some very shallow readings in the marina but didn’t run aground.   Cost €36 per night including power, water and very poor signal wifi (it was even poor sitting outside the office under the aerial).  Very good showers and toilets, no laundry.  Excellent info board outside office with computerized Weather gribs and Windguru info.  No marina staff on the dock to help but they did allocate us a berth via VHF so we only had to dock once.  Finger berths.  There was some current in the marina but not too bad.
Supermarkets – there is a Jamon just behind the marina, it’s not great but it sure is convenient.  Meat section was good and I found some “TV dinner” vacuum packed type Meatball and Cannelloni meals that I haven't seen elsewhere that have been stowed away for the Atlantic Crossing.  There is a Supersol on the Riverfront which was pretty ordinary too.  Tracked down the excellent Mercadona on Avienda de la Constitution, can catch the circular route bus but we got a map from the tourist office and walked, less than 20 minutes. In town is the Abestos Market – the fruit, veg and fish market, only open mornings, excellent produce.  Vodafone easy to find

Ferry to Vila Real  Every 30 minutes on the hour / half hour, last one 9pm Spanish time, 8pm Portuguese time.  €1.35pp each way, buy tickets from kiosk before boarding.

Cruising Info for Barbate, Atlantic Spanish Coast – August 2011

Barbate:  36 10.96N  05 55.37W   6.4m (at high tide) sandy bottom, good holding.  Open to south and southwest and could get rolly, but there is a marina there also, we were anchored just in the entrance.  We didn’t go ashore but understand there is not much there.  Couldn’t pick up any wifi.  

Mediterranean Spain .... 2011

CURRENTLY AGUILLAS TO LA LINEA BELOW - Cartagena is separate post, Atlantic Spain will be on a separate post also

Aguillas at anchor:  37 24.31N  01 34.17E 
6m sand.  Able to tuck in quite well, flat water.  Busy with fishing boats entering/leaving harbour and some wash from them.  Didn’t go ashore.  No free wifi signals, used Vodafone dongle.

Cabo de Gata at anchor:  36 44.54N  02 12.98E
6m sand.  Considering the sea state less than a mile away this was flat as a pancake.  Quite scenic ashore but didn’t get there.  When wind eased we were lying to current or tide, something weird going on.  Would be a nice spot to stop in good conditions, walking ashore looked good.  We had a westerly change forecast for early the next afternoon but it came through at 4am.  We pulled up anchor with only 10knots but with a sea building quickly from the southwest causing us to hobby horse considerably.  Going across the Bay of Almeria we had up to 25 knots and thunderstorms so very pleased we left when we did.  No free wifi signals, used Vodafone dongle

Aguadulce Marina:  36 48.87N   02 33.71W 
least depth seen 4.5m  Totally exposed to any winds with East in them.  Marina entrance is only 50metres off the beach.  No swell in marina.  Huge breakwater where most visiting yachts were stern or bow to.  Upon entry tie to Fuel dock/Control Tower dock for berth allocation.  Not much English spoken.  Wifi available but not free, didn’t check rates.  Marina berth around €16 a night all inclusive May 2011, we are still on low season rates.   Supermarket –  go out of Marina entrance by the beach and take the first or second road on the right they both go uphill, its just up on the left.  Not great but ok.  Bus stop – carry on past the supermarket under the flyover and up the other side, bus stops on both sides of the road depending on what direction you want.  Cost was €1.20 each, each way, to Almeria.  Sightseeing – Alcazaba closed on Mondays, Cathedral closed from 2pm – 4pm but last entry is 1.15pm. 

Almerimar Marina:  36 41.78N   02 47.42W 
least depth seen 5m.  Entrance is much more sheltered than it looks but totally exposed to the south.  Well marked with red and green markers for the channel (no yellow buoys as noted in Cruising Guide)  Tie up at Control Tower/Fuel dock for berth allocation.  Marina berth around €12 a  night but we are in an 18m berth.  It was plus water and power and worked out around  €19 including tax. Again we are still on winter rates until the end of May.  English spoken in office.  This is an enormous marina and apartment complex, lots of bars/cafes, but no town as such.  Couple of laundries, chandleries and excellent Mercadona Supermarket.  Marina gives out good map, all nearby.  Wifi is €3.50 a day then gets cheaper the more days you buy.

Herradura at anchor:  36 43.56N   03 44.26W  
8.5m sand  One of the few anchorages with some coverage along this coast.  We were able to escape most of the easterly swell and if wind/swell was from the west you could tuck in over the other side of the bay.  Totally exposed to south.  Long sandy beach, ATM's on foreshore road , some restaurants.  A couple of supermarkets a block inland, closed at siesta time.  No free wifi, used dongle

Marina del Este: 36 43.67N  03 43.57W  
(We only came in here to undergo engine repairs)  Approach to entrance totally exposed to the East, there is some surge inside as swells reflects off rocks, even in light easterlies and we met a boat that had left the marina after spending 2 nights in there with 30 knot easterlies as the surge was so bad (they went to windward in 30knots to get out!!)  It is a small marina, we ended up paying up for a longer berth just so we could manoeuvre into it.  The 2 mooring lines that were pulled up were not attached to the bottom, the chain had worn through!!  They did replace them first thing the following morning but this is a very expensive marina and should be maintained accordingly.  The staff, however, were excellent, spoke good English, answered channel 09 on VHF and were ready to assist us when we were towed in.  There is a fuel berth and waiting berth on the right on entering and room there for turning.  Least depth seen 3.5m (on fuel berth).  Clean showers and toilets, free wifi, small minimarket, laundry (not self service), a few restaurants, and a couple of shops.  Mechanical repairs onsite, reasonable English spoken, €40 per hour.  Hard stand with large travel lift, .  Very steep walk over hill to Herradura town.  May 2011 Cost €55 per night plus power and water

Caleta de Velez Marina: 36 44.85N  04 04.03W
Huge breakwater, entrance exposed to south.  Very big fishing port with a lot of fishing boat traffic but marina is at far end so little noise or wash from the boats, does smell somewhat fishy.  The waiting dock is on the left past the fuel dock, it has a huge sign on it, it is only about 15 metres long and is covered in seagull droppings – wear shoes!!!  There was no one to take lines.  Plenty of turning room, depth around 5 metres from memory.  Clean showers and toilets, self service laundry €3, free wifi but weak signal.  Cost €19 per night all included still low season until 31 May.  Main road just behind marina has good bakery, not so good butcher and a couple of supermarkets (more minimarkets) within a couple of minutes walk.  there is also a Saturday morning market on this road, mainly clothes but some produce.  Lidls Supermarket is about 10 minutes away, head right (east) on the walkway along the beach until you get to a pedestrian roundabout (cobbled pavement), there is a road roundabout with a boat on it and you can see Lidls just behind it.  Buses to/from Malaga leave from main road just by the hotel with the big green hotel sign on top.  We caught one to Malaga at 12.35pm and back at 6.50pm €2.56 each one way about 1 1/4 hours there along the coast, 45 minutes back along the motorway.

Fuengirola Marina: 36 32.50N   04 36.97W 
Entrance straightforward but totally exposed to the east and quite a swell rolling in with easterly winds, not too much movement within the marina.  Depth at entrance around 4m, 3.5 at berth.  Visitors/waiting dock on right after the fuel dock, reasonable room to manoeuvre.  Not much room in fairways between docks though.  Plenty of bars and restaurants around marina area, (with English, Dutch and German menus!).  Closet ATM opposite Club Nautica restaurant in Marina complex.  Clean showers and toilets, self service laundry.   Free WIFI, average signal.  Good Mercadona Supermarket, head east along waterfront just a few minutes, it is one block back and you will see the sign and the carpark signs from waterfront road.  Bus to Marbella from bus station (about 3 blocks inland and slightly to the west of the marina) leaves 1/2 hourly on the hour abut €3 pp one way.  Marina €35 per night all incl.

Estepona Marina: 36 24.91N   05 09 .45W  
Entrance all ok we did briefly see 3m at end of wall but maybe cut the corner a little closely.  (found better depths when we left so must have cut the corner) Entrance exposed to southwest.  Visitors/waiting dock on right with little white office on it.  Good area in manoeuvre and plenty of room in fairways for a change.  Clean showers and toilets.  Laundry (not self service) on alley behind marina.  Free WIFI, good signal.  ATM by Marina office (max €300).  OpenCor Supermarket just across the road, reasonable selection but most expensive we have seen in Spain.  Estepona town quite a walk along the front to the North, not much there (found a Vodafone shop)  Marina €40 per night, think power and water will be extra, too expensive for what is here really.

Ceuta Marina : 35 53.46N   05 18.93W   (Spanish enclave on Northern African Coast opposite Gibraltar)
Plenty of room in outer harbour for dealing with sails but stay to the east side to keep out of way of fast ferries.  There is some current at final turn for marina due to through flow of water in the moat.  Fuel dock on left at entrance  Diesel €.97c a litre (cheapest for a while).  We called on VHF 9 first and they waved us straight into a berth on the wall, bow to with one stern line.  If you are too far in there is some noise at night from Spoons Bar which is on the wall (it does however have a wifi signal!)  Cost for 12-15 metre incl power, water & IVA 35.56€ p/n (another big increase to rates in latest Cruising Guide).   Showers and toilets by office. No marina wifi.  McDonalds with free wifi is just outside marina complex on the left.  Lidls Supermarket, can see sign from marina to west.  Morning fruit, veg & fish market in indoor Central Market.  Cross road from marina and walk uphill, just there (its a small town), another supermarket in behind here.  Bus No 7 to border (frontier) goes from outside market €.75c each, very regularly, takes about 15 minutes.  Our Gymsim international mobile and Vodafone Spain both worked here  ATM’s closeby.

La Linea Anchorages and Marina (boarders with Gibraltar)
1st anchorage  36 09.62N   05 21.81W  5.8m   This was further out and we may well have been ok here the whole time (i.e. maybe not moved by the Guardia Civil),  but we were getting some chop and the boats further in looked more comfortable.
2nd anchorage   36 09.39N   5 21.71W   6.5m   Great all round shelter in flat water.  Moved on after 4 nights by the Guardia Civil, possible to anchor further out which should be ok but not such good shelter. Dinghy can be taken into the Club Nautico, it is the marina for small boats on the left (Alcaidesa is on the right).  Tie dinghy on the outside end of the closet pontoon to restaurant.  Gates locked need to buzz to be let out then go to front desk to pay.  It is €5 a day but they give you wifi access too but couldn’t get their signal from the boat 
Puerto Deportivo Alcaidesa, (La Linea Marina)   Large new marina, not fully finished yet, floating docks – some with finger berths but most med mooring with dock lines provided.  Shelter from swell looked very good (would only get swell in west or nor’west), very low lying so may cop the wind.  Summer rates 12 – 15metre are €19 plus power, water and 18% tax.  Has wifi not sure if extra (it was locked).   About 10 minutes walk into town, found a Vodafone shop on main street and a reasonable Mercadona supermarket (tucked away in a back street).  There were also signs for Carrefour but we didn't go there.  English speaking British Forces Radio on 89.4FM.

Inland Excursion from Gibraltar inland to Rhonda:

Exit Gibraltar, cross the road, go left past the Diner and Car Hire, take first street on the right.  Walk down to roundabout and bus station on opposite side on right (about 5 minutes from boarder).   Bus La Linea – Algeciras  1045/1130 €2.15 pp   Train Algecira - Ronda 1145/1331 €9.15 pp (This is a “Media Distance Train”, its a local train stopping at all stops but only takes about 15 minutes longer to Ronda and is half the price of the fast trains.  It is excellent, reclining seats, air con and both left on time) Return times were Ronda – Algeciras 1616/1807 and Algeciras – La Linea 1830/1945

We prebooked the Hotel Morales, through Expedia at €30 for a double room with air con and bathroom.  Advertised rates at the hotel were €42.  The hotels location was very good, handy for all the sightseeing, the bus station and the train station.  The rooms are a little dark with only a window into the central atrium however it kept the room cool, it was very clean, quiet and comfortable and excellent value in high season.  We found a little local cafe for breakfast.

Wintering in Cartagena, Spain ..... 2010-2011

When we decided to stay another winter in Europe we looked at several options of where to spend it.  We had heard positive reports about Cartagena on the south east corner of Spain.  It is just out of the firing line of the westerly storms that can shoot through the Straits of Gibraltar heading east, tucked in enough to miss the autumn and spring north easterlies, has around 300 days of sunshine a year and a reasonably mild winter climate and an airport serviced by all the cheapie airlines close by at Murcia/San Javier.  It sounded perfect.  This blog update is mainly for those that may wish to stop by or winter over.

About the Marina ….
There are two marinas there, adjoining each other both right on the town quay and only a few minutes walk into the centre of town.  We stayed at Yacht Port Cartagena, it is the newer of the two and is home to mainly foreign flagged boats.  The older more established marina seems to be filled mainly with local craft and had few vacant slips.  They do, however, offer short stay berths on the town wall - everyone promenades past there and there is no security.
YPC is the one on the right as you enter, it is away from the waterfront cafes and set further back from the promenading locals (and behind a very long glass fence). There is excellent 24 hour security and access is gained only by key card, it also has a much more substantial solid concrete breakwater which also serves as the Cruise Ship dock.  However some berths do not lie behind this breakwater but are still reasonably protected, and there are enough empty berths that you can have your choice of position.  There is also a choice of med mooring with laid lines, side tying and finger pontoons – something for everyone.
The marina staff are an absolute delight to deal with, both the office staff and the marineras are extremely helpful, all speak English, assist with berthing, they even deliver any mail or packages right to the boat.  They put in the extra effort to make your stay as enjoyable as possible!!  We emailed them at marina@yachtportcartagena.com  to make our winter booking, they did not require a deposit and were very flexible with our arrival date.  On arrival call them on VHF 09, as you make your final approach - ensure you call Yacht Port Cartagena to get the right one! (tel +34 968 12 12 13).  Cartagena is a large harbour and has a huge area of sheltered water to sort yourselves out before entering the marina.  This is a commercial  and naval port but the Navy yards and Commercial docks are far enough away to not be of any bother.  There is no anchoring allowed anywhere within the harbour.   

The facilities are good, there is a laundry with two large washing machines and one dryer all taking tokens valued at €4,  there are just 3 showers and toilets in 2 blocks but we only had 7 live aboard boats that were onboard all winter so this was enough.  There is the “internet shed” home to one computer with free internet access, a vending machine and book swap.  There is also a bar-b-que which we made use of on some warm sunny days during winter.  There is wifi access included in the long term rates for one computer per boat.  The signal is not great but ok.  Short term rates do not include wifi it is €5 a day.  Our winter rate also included water and power.  Catamarans currently get the same berthing rate as monohulls but pay for water and power.   


There is a fuel dock with 24 hour easy sheltered access and payment is made by card into a machine.  To access it enter YPC and keep the Cruise Ship Dock/breakwater on your left, carry on till the Yacht Club Building (large wooden modern building) is in front of you, turn sharp right and tie up just after the dinghy/laser launching slipway.  There is no fuel sign/logo but the pumps are in a small white shed.  There is good turning space to get back out and depths well over 5 metres.  Diesel was around €1.33 p/l in April 2011.

Facilities in town …
Well you will not go hungry.  There is an excellent selection of supermarkets – they are all closed Sunday.  The office will give you a map and mark all of these, but just in case - The closest one is a small Spar, come out the entrance by the laundry, cross the road, up the big steps, go left and follow the road around till it comes to a T, the Spar is just over on the right.  They don’t have fresh milk but have most other things. 5 minute walk, open 0930 – 2100 I think)  My favourite was Mercadona, there are several but the closest is about 10-12 minute walk, open 0915 – 2115.  Go out the vehicle entrance, cross the road, head up Calle Gisbet, past the glass elevator, just keep on till the road veers to the right at the Artillery Museum.  Turn left and Mercadona is just on the other side of the road next to a play area.  Carry on along here for the Fresh Produce Market just another couple of minutes at the end of the street and over to the right on the other corner.  Still not found everything you need? well next is Lidls.  Out the vehicle exit again but turn right past the new mutli coloured building to the roundabout then head up the hill (slight incline) along the cycle path through the grassed area.  At top is the bus station on  the right and the little local train station.  After these cross the road and go right (main part of road goes onto the motorway, stay on the slip road on its left), this will put you in Lidls Car park.  About 12 minutes walk, open 0930 – 2130 I think.  From Lidls you can see Carrefour, go out the other gate from Lidls, the main train station is on your right.  Walk inland (north)  Carrefour Hypermarket is right in front of you.  About 15 minutes walk, open 0930 – 2200 I think.  Carrefour deliver free if you spend over €200

Local bus No 4 (every 20 minutes or so) leaves opposite Carrefour for the Parque Mediterranean Shopping Centre, its a short ride by bus but too far to walk, maybe 30 minutes by bike.  There is a huge Leroy Merlin Hardware/DIY store, a couple of electrical appliance stores, Decathlon, another Carrefour, and plenty plenty shoe and clothes shops.   In the area on Avienda Luxembourgo (Parque Med end with 5 flags flying outside) is an Accastillage Diffusion Chandlery, they are a French Chain and although the outlet is small they can order anything in and it arrives within a couple of days (some English spoken),    There are a couple of chandleries by the marina, one is in the haul out facility (English spoken), the other is further on the same road along the port about 3 minutes further on the left hand side (some English spoken).  Both are helpful and have an adequate range.  Just before the 2nd chandlery go up the steps and turn left, on the right hand side the is a plumbing supplies store with all sorts of bits and pieces(No English spoken) .  We bought several things locally but generally found it cheaper to order online from England, shipping was about 5 – 10 days.

There are a couple of options for hauling out.  We didn’t use either but some of the boats that wintered with us did.  There is a small crane lift that hauls up to 15T located next to the Fuel Pumps.  The other is located just to the east of the marina and has a very big travelift (approx 70T), they haul all the fishing fleet, but do deal with private boats also.  There yard is well organised and tidy but small.  There are no facilities for leaving yachts on the hard for any length of time.

Entertainment …
We organised a weekly get together at a local tapas bar El Barrill on Wednesday nights, and had the odd bar-b-que when the weather was warm enough.  Other than that it was a quiet social scene.  There were a reasonable amount of goings on in town, and we enjoyed free concerts and cultural events throughout the winter.  There is an English web site that does it’s best to collate all the information and sends out a weekly email newsletter, http://www.simplynetworking.es/ but even they miss things from time to time and you really need to check at the Tourist Info as well.   Cartagena is full of history, there are many museums, the Roman Theatre, Augusteum, Decumanus and  many many more ruins.  The main plaza and Calle Mayor have some lovely Modernista buildings, they there is a huge amount of restoration work underway around the town.  We spent nearly 7 months here and enjoyed it immensely.