Spain
Cruising Notes (Balearics) Spain
Cruising Notes (Balearics) Weather
We had a difficult time getting weather information in Spain from the VHF. We used the GRIB files and occasionally Buoyweather. But there was so much local variation, and land-sea breezes that really it was a guess as to what the conditions in the anchorages would be. In the summer the winds are very light anyway, so the only problem is rolly anchorages and not enough wind to sail.
Charts & Guides
Balearics - There are some agonizingly detailed cruising books on the Balearics, available when you arrive here. Entire books devoted to one little island, complete with aerial photographs, intricately detailed soundings and waypoints provided, all the phone numbers for all the businesses, chandleries and restaurants. They leave nothing to discover, and one has to ask oneself, maybe just buy the book and do a virtual cruise without even having to bother to actually go there! We used some pages from the RCC Pilotage book Islas Baleares but there was so much detail it was difficult to plough through it all. All the so-called cruising guides are really marina guides and geared for people moving from marina to marina in comfort and style. The areas to anchor are not well covered, if at all, and important things like where to get water, fuel, laundry, propane, provisioning, where to leave the dinghy etc are not mentioned. The best source for anchoring information is from other cruisers.
Mainland
Spain The RCC Guides are good plenty of detail and lots of colour photos
but expensive and probably not worth it if you only plan on hitting a couple of
the mainland ports.
Formalities
We did not check in or out anywhere.
Boat Stuff: (Balearics)
Good provisioning including fresh stuff was everywhere. The best prices for wine and beer in the Med are in Spain and are comparable to Porlarmar, Margarita (the cheapest we found anywhere in the world). Supermarkets are not everywhere convenient to the dinghy, however, so a cart comes in handy. The most convenient supermarket was at Andratix on Mallorca and that is where we did our big provisioning for the Atlantic. Further down the line at Gibraltar the provisioning is expensive but good quality and selection. Near Gibraltar on the Spanish side (La Linea) there is a serious problem with leaving your dinghy lots of theft and so people ferry each other ashore. Not real convenient for a big stocking up. So dont wait till the last minute to stock up start the process in the Balearics.
Menorca
Mahon - a big supermarket in the main town at Mahon, but a long dinghy ride
(2 miles!) from the anchorage, and a long walk to the nearest place to leave the
dinghy. Closer but smaller supermarkets (but terrible fresh stuff) are in Cala
Fonts (look it up in your chart) across from the anchorage of Cala Taulera.
Mallorca the most convenient supermarket we found was at Andraitx. You can leave the dinghy up the little river and the big, clean (& busy!) supermarket is just steps away. We loaded up for the Atlantic crossing here with all our nonperishables and canned beverages and heavy stuff. There are 3 good supermarkets in Puerto Colom but not convenient to the dinghy.
Formentera only the most basic of provisioning is available.
Spain is also a good place to update your first aid kit and get your vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Fuel Good fuel is available at the many fuel docks everywhere there is a marina. You can take the big boat in, or take in your jerries. Fuel is cheaper in Gibraltar and is reported to be the cheapest to be found in the Med, so if you can hold on, wait till then.
Water
We heard that water was good quality in Mahon, Menorca, so we filled up there. There is a little floating artificial island, which has a coin-operated fill spigot. You can take the big boat there or your jerries. Also in Mahon, there is also a fuel dock at the marina in Cala Figuera where you can get water (but not free) and fuel.
We
heard that the water in Mallorca was undrinkable (salty). We filled up in
Andraitx (Mallorca) - the water tasted fine, and we drank it with no problems.
We didnt find free water anywhere but it was not expensive to buy.
Propane they use Camping Gaz in Spain so we had to decant into our American style bottles using a transfer hose that Ed made up.
Laundry seems to be a service-type industry because we did not see any do-it-yourself laundromats. I just did my usual bucket thing.
Chandlery good chandlery and services in Mahon (Menorca), and a poor one in Formentera with the snottiest most unhelpful staff I have ever seen. Palma in Mallorca would definitely be the place to go for all kinds of chandlery and repair services if you need extensive work or special items.
Anchorages
We were in the Balearics right during the busiest and most dreaded August
season. Yes, it was extremely crowded but there is constant turnover of boats
coming & going. Our strategy was to get going and get anchored by noon, when
most of the charters and Med cruisers were just getting going. The anchorages
filled right up starting around 3PM and got fairly empty around 11AM. Sometimes
we had to take a mediocre spot at the back of the pack and then move to a better
spot the next morning when the exodus occurred. We had to get over our paranoia
of people anchoring within less than a boat length away from us!
Most of the anchorages had sand/weed bottom, not everywhere good holding. We sometimes had to search pretty good for a sandy patch to drop the hook and at the same time pick a place where we would not swing onto anyone. It was not always easy to do.
The other problem was that almost all the anchorages were open to at least one direction. Because the wind comes from all over the place, you could not count on being comfortable in any one place for a long time. There are a couple of exceptions, mentioned below.
Balearics:
Menorca:
Mahon anchored at 39 52.653 N / 4 18.444 E 19 ft mud. Excellent holding. Very highly recommended. Probably the best protected (from all directions and wind strengths) and most pleasant anchorage in the Med. Internet, supermarket, water available from the floating island pontoon or the marina, several large chandleries but not cheap! We could have happily stayed there all summer. This is a good first stop if arriving from the east.
Recommended by others:
Cala de Fornells (north coast) landlocked bay, protected even in force 10-11.
Calla de Algayerens - good spot, always room.
Mallorca:
Porto Colom 39 25.323 N / 3 15.983 E 9 ft clean mud. A large shallow anchorage, crowded but can fit a lot of boats. Protected all directions. Recommended. The water is dirty and full of floating garbage so not nice to swim there. Not much to do in the town really, but there are 2 or 3 good supermarkets. A good rest stop.
Palma, Mallorca 39 32.050 N / 2 35.442 E 16 ft sand & weed. The anchorage was called Los Isletas and was the closest to Palma we were able to anchor in order to receive guests flying in to the airport.. The anchorage was marginally OK - open to swell in easterly winds, and slop from the many powerboats roaring through the anchorage. There is a crowded beach ashore, no town, just hotel and housing development. Clear water and great swimming if you can avoid the power boats! We found a tiny, obscenely overpriced variety store nearby to buy basics like milk & bread. You can bus it to the city of Palma, or do like we did and take the long (3 mile) dinghy ride. Palma is just another busy, crowded, hot and noisy city with no character or interest for cruisers other than chandlery and boat services. There are - no lie - thousands of boats in marinas there so the chandlers are many and busy (again not cheap!).
Cala de Ponsa 39 30.855 N / 2 28.192 E 21 ft sand/weed. Lots of room in the anchorage but crowded beach and many truly hideous high rise hotels and busy restaurants. Wall to wall people. We took a short walk ashore and ran screaming back to our boat.
Porto do Andraitx 39 32.645 N / 2 23.076 E 15 ft sand/mud. If you go here, try to get inside of the outer breakwall or you will roll too much to make it fun. Outside the outer breakwall is weed and not always good holding. The outer breakwall helps a little to stop the rolling but you will get slop from the many passing boats and dinghies. You can also try to sneak inside the inner breakwalls and anchor to the north side of the little basin where it is very protected and reportedly excellent holding. But the harbourmaster goes around and periodically clears boats out of there to allow the fishing fleet to get in and out.
The town is good great convenient provisioning, Internet, a laundry lady who will do a big bag of wash for about 8 Euros, water and fuel conveniently available at a marina fuel dock inside the inner breakwall and to the north side of the harbour. Go alongside or jerry jug it. There is a small chandlery with unhelpful, snooty staff and very high prices.
Ibiza/Formentera:
Espalmador (a little island just south of Ibiza) anchored 38 46.717 N / 1 25.498 E 19 ft weed/sand. Good protection from all but southwest. No facilities, just clothing optional beach and mudbaths which promise to make you look 5 years younger. Good place to chill out and have some ZDDs (zero-dollar days). We stayed 2 weeks.
Sabina (Formentera) anchored 38 43.859 N / 1 24.446 E 28 ft sand/weed/rock. Alternate anchorage when wind switches to the SW, and to go get provisions from the little port town there. You have to wear your clothes, though.
Recommended by Others - On Ibiza - Cala Salada, Pto de S.Miguel both good anchorages.
Mainland Spain
Everyone told us there was no place to anchor along the coast of mainland Spain but this is not true. Check the charts and cruising guides and you will see that you can anchor inside or outside marina and port breakwalls in many areas. We have no firsthand experience but here are some recommendations from other cruisers (East to West):
Calpe good first stop from the Balearics.
Tabaraca anchor behind island
Torrevieja we were told it was OK to anchor inside the breakwalls of the port, but other cruisers told us they were asked to move on. Reported to be a good port of refuge in bad weather. Touristy, not beautiful, but free. Good place to wait for wind to get to Gibraltar. Good chandlery.
Mar Menor a large inland sea. Anchor anywhere inside. A bridge opens each 15 minutes to let you in or out.
Cartagena no place to anchor but the marinas are reported reasonable on cost and the city is reported worth seeing.
Garrucha inside breakwall
Almerimar reported inexpensive (12 Euros) marina. Or can anchor either side of breakwall. Good supermarket convenient to waterfront. Can haul out here. Best place for getting boat work done on mainland Spain reasonable rates and good services.
Motril supermarkets (Hypersol & Dia) and chandlery. Rent a car or ride a bus to Granada from here.
