Porto Palo di Menfi - Docking
This harbour is subject to silting, in particular around the western breakwater, so the entrance should be approached with care. There is a sandbank across part of the entrance.
This large harbour provides reasonable shelter from all winds and there are plenty of places to anchor (in 5-7m).
There are no facilities here except a supermarket 1.5km away. The village is very small, but some provisions are possible.
Last updated: December 2022
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Related to following destinations: Italy, Porto Palo di Menfi, Sicily
Port Navigation
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‘Nightfall’ has had two stays this year (2019), in Porto Palo, both during June. The (free) anchorage hasn’t been at all crowded, despite the large number of fishing boats (>100 last count) that use the eastern end. This can make dinghy docking a little problematic. Refuelling is said to be possible at the breakwater but access is difficult, given the large number of fishing boats. There is easier dinghy beaching (sand) available just N of the inner harbour, just left of the fisherman’s boatyard and still with good access to the road leading to the village.
The village can be accessed from the harbour if you don’t mind a mile and a half uphill (avoid the heat of the day). There are cafes, a good supermarket and a bakery. The best restaurants are said to be close to the harbour.
I anchored in the NW of the harbour, close to the buoys off the other boatyard. The bottom is sandy with some weed but I’ve had good holding in 25kts breezes. I am told by others that (as you would expect) when the breeze is from the SE, it can become very rolly.
We just spent five days during a heat wave in Porto Palo, doing a lot of swimming.
There are plenty of places in the large harbour to anchor where the depths are 5 to 7 meters. Depending on the wind, you can shift to areas with more protection.
Strong directly south winds would make the place uncomfortable, but otherwise, there is a shelter.
The inner-inner harbour is for locals, and we have no idea on the depths there. We did not go ashore, but there seem to be a few restaurants near the fishing boats. No jellyfish in August, which was important for us. We enjoyed the stay, as, apparently, did many other sailboats.
The shoaling at the entrance appears to be around the western jetty. We noticed fisherman coming in stay closer to the eastern jetty.