Islas Baleares 2014

Notes from sailing yacht Ione, Malo 37, length 11.8m, draught 1.9m. Page numbers refer to the 2011 9th edition of the Pilot. We have noted all the places we visited even when we have no additional comments to those in the pilot book.

There have been some quite significant changes in Menorca at both Ciutadella and Mahon since the Pilot was published.

P 81: Palma (4 – 6 May)

Marina Alboran: This has changed hands and is now called Naviera Balear and is the base for Sunsail charter. Visitors’ spaces are available – better midweek when the charter boats are out. VHF Ch8; Tel +34 971 454 455, Mob +34 629 757 944; web www.navierabalear.com . Fuel, wifi, AC, water, toilets, showers, no laundrette. NB location is opposite Hotel Mirador, not Miramar as in book. Charges at May for 11.8m €65/night.

P 89: Cala Portals (1 & 2 May)

As described – but we found the holding in the SW corner to be good on sand both on this visit and in 2012.

P 95: Cala de Santa Ponsa (3 & 7 May)

As described.

P 98: Cala Blanca (3 May)

As described. Beautiful. Still undeveloped – no further work has been done on the part completed building above the Cala since our last visit in 2012.

P 106: Puerto de Sóller  (8 May)

As previously described.

P 111: Cala de la Calobra (9 May)

As described. Beautiful as always!

P 112: Cala Castell  (10 May)

As described.

P 112: Cala de San Vicente (10 May)

As described.

P 123: Alcúdiamar (20 & 21 April)

As described. Cost €48.5/night in April.

P 135: Cala de Sa Font (22 April)

Some apartment buildings and a huge hotel nearby.

P144: Cala Magraner (23 April)

As described. Delightful & deserted. Cormorants roosting. Goats on the cliff face.

P145: Porto Colom (29 April)

Ports IB VHF Ch08. Water on pontoon unsuitable for drinking. AC under repair in April but charge only €9.6 /day, increases 4 fold in season.

Note that the booking procedure for Ports IB has changed slightly from last year. If not registered on their website, then 3 days notice is required for booking, however if already registered then only 1 day’s notice is needed. Payment can easily be made by visa online. If considering using Ports IB marinas during a visit to the islands, it is worth registering ahead.

P155: Cala Mondrago (28 April)

As described.

P 164: Puerto de La Rápita (24, 25 & 30 April)

Visitors’ berthing: inside the south-west breakwater, south of the fuel berth.

Water: There are separate taps for wash water and drinking water. The latter is charged at €1 per 100l.

Launderette: Opposite the fuel berth.

Communications: Free wifi, but very slow at the visitors’ moorings.

Prices: €64/night in April, May & October. Much more in high season.

P180: Isla de Cabrera (26 & 27 April)

Permits: The booking system has changed yet again, however now it is slightly easier:

Google National Regional Parks; Click on the English version; Click on Cabrera; Click on Fondeo; Click on Pulsar en este enlace. Follow the application procedure which includes choosing a buoy (which has to be done for each day booked), giving boat and personal details and finally paying by credit card.

Charges are about €15 for <12m, €24 for 12-15m, €42 for>15m; half this for 1 Oct to 30 April.

Greater detail can be found in Jeff Kempton’s very clear directions on the Cruising Association website under http://www.cruising.org.uk/cruising_info/med/spain/balearics/buoys

P193: Mahón (1 Dec 2013 – 18 April 2014)

Dates spent here: 19 May – 13 June, 18 – 21 June, 28 June – 4 July, 28 Sept, 7 Oct & for the winter 2014/5.

Note that there have been significant changes to the marinas and moorings since the pilot was published.

Cala Taulera: There have been reports in previous years of boats being chased away from this anchorage unless all berths in the harbour were full. This was no longer the case in the first half 2014 after the changes to some of the mooring concessions. We used this well sheltered anchorage regularly over the summer. However we have heard reports from others later in the season that boats were being told not to anchor here overnight.

Marina Estrella: Change this to Club Maritimo de Mahón. (This is where we wintered in 2013/4.) Sunseeker have now given up or lost this concession and the Club Maritimo have (with a new president) come back into the moorings business as of 1 April 2014 with these 48 moorings tailed to the quay on Moll de Llevant. They plan to let the majority of the moorings on a permanent basis with a few available for visitors. Water & AC, wifi. No security as one steps directly onto the quay. Visitors welcome at the Clubhouse at 287 Moll de Llevant (as shown on the chartlet). Loos & showers in clubhouse. Tel: +34 971 365 022 VHF Ch9. Mobile +34 616 953 217 Web: www.clubmaritimomahon.com (in due course they plan to add  to the website information on the moorings and a booking form). Email: oficina@clubmaritimomahon.com  VHF Ch9. Charges at present are markedly lower than at either Marina Menorca or Marina Mahon. We used the Club moorings several times in the summer.

Club Maritimo de Mahón: Change this to Marina Mahón. Address: 305 Moll de Llevant. Tel: +34 971 366 787 & mob +34 657 872 489. Web: www.marinamahon.es  Email: info@marinamahon.es VHF Ch9. 165 berths on 5 long pontoons behind security gates. Water, AC, wifi. Visitors welcomed if space. Both the manager, Paco, & the administrator, Belén, speak good English. This marina is situated where previously there were the Club Maritimo moorings which are shown on the chartlet. The fuel berth is at the far southern end of the marina. We have left Ione here for 6 months over the winter at €315/month.

Marina Menorca: This is no longer run by the Ocibar group or Altra Banda. Marina Menorca also controls the moorings in Cala Longa, Isla de Rey and the mid-harbour floating islands. Details and prices on their website at www.marinamenorca.com

Facilities: Water & Electricity: See comments on water & AC above. Fuel: Diesel & petrol available from the CAMPSA fuel berth at the south end of Marina Mahón.

P202: Cala Covas (19 May, 1 Oct)

The upper halves of both arms of the cala now have pairs of ‘No Entry’ buoys. Most of the iron shore mooring posts mentioned have now rusted away. Still a delightful spot!

P202: Cala en Porter (18 June)

As described.

P206: Cala Santa Galdana (18 May)

As described.

P208: Cala de Talé (16 May, 2 & 3 Oct)

As described.

P209: Cala Son Saura (17 May, 24 June)

As described.

P215-217: Ciutadella (14, 15 May; 15, 25, 26 June; 4, 5 Oct)

See my notes from 2013:

There have been significant changes here since the new ferry berths have been built in the outer harbour. The ferries no longer come into the town and the old ro-ro ferry terminal is now a new Ports IB marina.

Berthing:

Para 1: Club Nautico: These moorings are no longer alongside with rafting but are on lines tailed to the quay.

Para 2: This is now completely wrong as ferries no longer come into the harbour. Beyond the Club Nautico on the port side is the new Ports IB marina in the place of the ferry quay. There is space for a couple of dozen visiting yachts on finger pontoons. Water & electricity on the pontoons. Showers and loos ashore. Free parking. No wifi. Cost per night for 11.8m €43 (€30 for the mooring plus €6.5 each for AC and water). Book on the Ports IB website 3 days ahead (1 day ahead if previously registered) or take pot luck on Ch 14. Tel +34 971 48 44 55.

Facilities:

Repairs: Astilleros Llompart by slipway to west of old commercial quay / new marina. Tel +34 650 95 74 54 (mobile) & +34 971 38 06 75. 12.5 tonne hoist and cradle on tracks on slipway capable of handling small fishing boats. We were laid up ashore here for 3 months for repairs following striking the rock noted above. This involved removing all the mahogany saloon furniture, repairing around the stringers and replacing furniture. The standard of workmanship was nothing short of superb.

Yacht club: add wifi.

Laundry: In Calle Evissa.

Chartlet: Replace ‘Commercial Quay’ with ‘Ports IB Marina’. Delete ‘Ro-Ro’.

P224: Cala de Algayerens (19 April & 14, 27 June)

As described.

P232: Puerto de Fornells (18 April)

As described. The moorings on the northeast mole appear to be for residents with those on the pontoon extending from the south-west quay being for visitors. Change 10m to 12m (we did fit in!). As at mid-April the AC was not working on the yacht pontoon nor were we charged for an overnight stay.

P235: Cala de la Olla ( 22 June, 6 Oct)

As described. Busy beach with bar ashore. Built up to the East but attractive countryside to the west. Good holding on sand in 4.5 metres.

P243: Anchorages behind Isla Colom (23 June)

In addition to the summer mooring buoys noted in the pilot, there are more mooring buoys laid off Ses Planes on the west side of Isla Colom. A charge is made for these but we don’t know what the current procedure is for advanced reservations. We anchored mid-way between Isla Colom and the mainland in 7 metres on sand well sheltered from the easterly swell.

Tony & Sarah Boas

Malo 37 – Ione

12 October 2014

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