keithgdg
Well-Known Member
We are thinking of spending this coming winter in the Canaries area. Does anyone have any info on marina fees and or anchorages as we will be on a tight budget?? :encouragement:
Canaries and Madeira
- Thread starter keithgdg
- Start date
RAI
Well-Known Member
The Atlantic swell tends to make anchoring rather a rolly affair but you may tolerate that for the savings. Marinas are a little cheaper than in the Algarve. One of the cheapest in the Canaries is Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. Though there you will get chucked out while the ARC comes through in October and November. The wind is generally from the north (NE to NW), so anchorages are around the southern sides of the islands.
I have found it better to get longer stay marina discounts and tour each island by public transport or hire car.
I have found it better to get longer stay marina discounts and tour each island by public transport or hire car.
Peroo
Well-Known Member
There are almost no anchorages in Madeira due to its volcanic origins, though it is possible to anchor in Port Santo, 20-30 miles to the NE. Both islands have their charms. There were, when we were there in 2010, two working marina's with another due to open further west of Funchal. However the islands are regularly swept by big swells and storms and the remains of one marina could be seen - very badly damaged. Anne Hammicks guide, which we helped update while we were there, will have more recent information and will be worth checking out before making any final decisions.
Others will have more comments and observations but we did enjoy Lanzarotte and Gran Canaria - did not have the opportunity to explore other Canary anchorages though. We have heard good reports of La Gomera, a marina however where friends stayed for over a year, and Hiero is worth the trip if the swells are not too bad.
Others will have more comments and observations but we did enjoy Lanzarotte and Gran Canaria - did not have the opportunity to explore other Canary anchorages though. We have heard good reports of La Gomera, a marina however where friends stayed for over a year, and Hiero is worth the trip if the swells are not too bad.
Ashman
Well-Known Member
Since last August we've;
- anchored in the harbour at Porto Santo (no charge) you can also anchor near the beach but rolly
- moored in Quinta do Lorde Marina, Madeira, not cheap or central
- moored in Funchal Harbour, Madeira, reasonable and very central for touring the island
- anchored of Islas Desertas, no fee but you need a permit and limited to 48hrs
- moored in Calheta Marina Madeira, reasonable and a good bus service
- picked up a mooring in Arrecife Harbour (no charge), central but can be rolly
- anchored off Playa Quemada, Lanzarote
- moored at Marina Rubicon, not cheap but we needed to return to the UK for a few weeks and we wanted somewhere safe
- anchored off Papgayo, Lanzarote
- moored Gran Tarajal Marina, Fuerteventura, very reasonable and a nice little town
- anchored off Morro Jable, Fuerteventura
- anchored off Playa de las Melores / Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria
- anchored off the harbour at Arguineguin, Gran Canaria
- anchored off the harbour at Puerto de las Nieves, Gran Canaria
- anchored off Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- moored San Sebastian Marina de Gomera, reasonable and very central
- moored San Miguel Tenerife, not cheap and alright I expect if you like golf
- moored Santa Cruz Marina La Palma, a nightmare, everything you've read about the swell is true
- moored Puerto Tazacorte La Palma, reasonable and a very nice spot and we're still here!
Sorry about the list!
We have spent weeks at some of the anchorages, mainly those around Gran Canaria and many times we've had the spots to ourselves. Swell can sometimes be a severe problem, a couple of times we've used the kedge successfully to keep the bow into it and at other times we thrown in the towel and headed into a marina. Our boat is a fraction under 12m and the marina prices have ranged from 11 to 25 euros per night, some places offer discounts for longer spells - our Cruising Association membership has paid for itself if we add in savings from marinas on mainland Spain and Portugal
- anchored in the harbour at Porto Santo (no charge) you can also anchor near the beach but rolly
- moored in Quinta do Lorde Marina, Madeira, not cheap or central
- moored in Funchal Harbour, Madeira, reasonable and very central for touring the island
- anchored of Islas Desertas, no fee but you need a permit and limited to 48hrs
- moored in Calheta Marina Madeira, reasonable and a good bus service
- picked up a mooring in Arrecife Harbour (no charge), central but can be rolly
- anchored off Playa Quemada, Lanzarote
- moored at Marina Rubicon, not cheap but we needed to return to the UK for a few weeks and we wanted somewhere safe
- anchored off Papgayo, Lanzarote
- moored Gran Tarajal Marina, Fuerteventura, very reasonable and a nice little town
- anchored off Morro Jable, Fuerteventura
- anchored off Playa de las Melores / Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria
- anchored off the harbour at Arguineguin, Gran Canaria
- anchored off the harbour at Puerto de las Nieves, Gran Canaria
- anchored off Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- moored San Sebastian Marina de Gomera, reasonable and very central
- moored San Miguel Tenerife, not cheap and alright I expect if you like golf
- moored Santa Cruz Marina La Palma, a nightmare, everything you've read about the swell is true
- moored Puerto Tazacorte La Palma, reasonable and a very nice spot and we're still here!
Sorry about the list!
We have spent weeks at some of the anchorages, mainly those around Gran Canaria and many times we've had the spots to ourselves. Swell can sometimes be a severe problem, a couple of times we've used the kedge successfully to keep the bow into it and at other times we thrown in the towel and headed into a marina. Our boat is a fraction under 12m and the marina prices have ranged from 11 to 25 euros per night, some places offer discounts for longer spells - our Cruising Association membership has paid for itself if we add in savings from marinas on mainland Spain and Portugal
Scillypete
Well-Known Member
I shall follow this with interest for the same reasons as the OP and already some good points
funk-an-bord.de
Active Member
Ashman wrote:
- moored Santa Cruz Marina La Palma, a nightmare, everything you've read about the swell is true
There is a kind of lock installed now.
Wilhelm
- moored Santa Cruz Marina La Palma, a nightmare, everything you've read about the swell is true
There is a kind of lock installed now.
Wilhelm
Ashman
Well-Known Member
I read somewhere there was a plan to install some sort of lock and also the charts seem to show a wave wall but we were moored there just over one week ago for 7 nights and no lock or wave wall exists.
PuraVida
New Member
Hi!
The cheapest and safest marina in the canaries ist Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. All marinas that belong to a public port will charge you a "task de navigation", Lighthouse tax for the first 5 months of your stay per calendar year. Be aware, that you pay one month if you only stay a few days. The one exception is the Marina in San Sebastian, La Gomera that are entitled to charge per day. Private Marinas do not chafe the tax, but their marina fee is in total higher than the others.
The cheapest and safest place to stay is to anchor north of the marina Las Palmas, off Playa Alcanaveras. This is allowed from mid september to mid may. You will be charges a fee as this belongs to the port of Las Palmas. This is the only place to stay when the ARC is in town and usually you do not get a place in the marina from September to end of November. You have more luck if your boat is below 10 meters LOA.
There is a new marina in Arrecife, Lanzarote, that did not charge the tax, but was sill higher than Las Palmas. This is also a safe marine.
Be aware that while the dominant wind comes from NW to NE, that in dec-feb there is a chance of heavy southerlies. There bring damage every your and makes the marinas in the south, eg. Puerto Mogan, unsafe.
Avoid the Marina in Sta Cruz, Teneriffe for the same reason. It is safe from all directions, in theory, but there are very strung guts coming down the ridge from the north of the island directly into town and marina. Every year there are days with problems and even ripped off pontoons. In add-on they are not cheap anyway and their long lasting roadworks around Plaza Espana makes ist difficult to easily access the town.
Anchoring in the Canaries with the usual northerlies is possible, mainly on the eastern Islands of Graciosa (Francesa and channel), Lanzarote (Playa Papagayo), Fuerteventura (off isla de lobos, off Puerto de Rosario, Punta de los Mollinos, off Gran Tarajal, off Morro Jable (some severe gusts off the valley), Punta Jandia. None of these anchorages are suitable in southerlies.
The western islands do only have a few anchorages. On Tenerife, off Playa Antequera, remote, very nice, could be swelly and wind alternates sometimes from 3 different valleys down into the bay. Off Los Christianos, just outside the harbour. They do not like boats anchoring in the harbour, you may be chased away.
On Gran Canaria, beside the one in Las Palmas you can anchor off Pasito Blanco or at the Harbour at Arguineguin. both are open to the south.
Thats it for me.
I know this cruising ground very well, feel free to ask anything, but it may take time as I am sailing (currently Madeira-Algarve) as well
Regards
The cheapest and safest marina in the canaries ist Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. All marinas that belong to a public port will charge you a "task de navigation", Lighthouse tax for the first 5 months of your stay per calendar year. Be aware, that you pay one month if you only stay a few days. The one exception is the Marina in San Sebastian, La Gomera that are entitled to charge per day. Private Marinas do not chafe the tax, but their marina fee is in total higher than the others.
The cheapest and safest place to stay is to anchor north of the marina Las Palmas, off Playa Alcanaveras. This is allowed from mid september to mid may. You will be charges a fee as this belongs to the port of Las Palmas. This is the only place to stay when the ARC is in town and usually you do not get a place in the marina from September to end of November. You have more luck if your boat is below 10 meters LOA.
There is a new marina in Arrecife, Lanzarote, that did not charge the tax, but was sill higher than Las Palmas. This is also a safe marine.
Be aware that while the dominant wind comes from NW to NE, that in dec-feb there is a chance of heavy southerlies. There bring damage every your and makes the marinas in the south, eg. Puerto Mogan, unsafe.
Avoid the Marina in Sta Cruz, Teneriffe for the same reason. It is safe from all directions, in theory, but there are very strung guts coming down the ridge from the north of the island directly into town and marina. Every year there are days with problems and even ripped off pontoons. In add-on they are not cheap anyway and their long lasting roadworks around Plaza Espana makes ist difficult to easily access the town.
Anchoring in the Canaries with the usual northerlies is possible, mainly on the eastern Islands of Graciosa (Francesa and channel), Lanzarote (Playa Papagayo), Fuerteventura (off isla de lobos, off Puerto de Rosario, Punta de los Mollinos, off Gran Tarajal, off Morro Jable (some severe gusts off the valley), Punta Jandia. None of these anchorages are suitable in southerlies.
The western islands do only have a few anchorages. On Tenerife, off Playa Antequera, remote, very nice, could be swelly and wind alternates sometimes from 3 different valleys down into the bay. Off Los Christianos, just outside the harbour. They do not like boats anchoring in the harbour, you may be chased away.
On Gran Canaria, beside the one in Las Palmas you can anchor off Pasito Blanco or at the Harbour at Arguineguin. both are open to the south.
Thats it for me.
I know this cruising ground very well, feel free to ask anything, but it may take time as I am sailing (currently Madeira-Algarve) as well
Regards
Mrnotming
Well-Known Member
Many Thanks PuraVida and others, very informative and useful!
