Cartegena as a sailing area.

[pcatterall]

We are considering moving down the coast to Cartegena for a year.
I have not got the pilot with me in UK but the coast looks like there may be some places of interest to sail to and day or overnight anchor.
Anyone familiar with the area please?

 

[Garold]

We are considering moving down the coast to Cartegena for a year.
I have not got the pilot with me in UK but the coast looks like there may be some places of interest to sail to and day or overnight anchor.
Anyone familiar with the area please?

We stayed there for a couple of weeks about two years ago. The town itself is pleasant and culturally interesting. It’s also good value for money in the town and in the marina.

I also have a friend who has wintered his boat there this winter and he’s been happy with the marina over winter - no damage or thefts etc. He wants to stay there next winter.

Sorry but I don’t know much about the local cruising area as we were passing through.

Garold

 

[Mistroma]

It's been 4-5 years since we were there. Cartagena is a great place to visit, try to be there for "La Noche de los Museos". I remember that there were only a couple of decent bays to the West and one which didn't give great shelter approx. 30nm South. However, you can easily get to the Mar Menor approx. 30mn to the West & North. We only found a couple of good anchorages but there are other places in settled weather. The best anchorages were at the South of the Mar Menor. Not much of interest ashore but club was friendly and served food, though the first restaurant at the main road was better. I think we anchored around 37 39 N, 000 43.46 W. Holding wasn't great but adequate. We picked up old moorings with the anchor further South and didn't stay there. In strong Southerlies we anchored near Playa Honda in sand, good holding 37 38.21 N and 000 44.72 W. On the shore is a big campsite. I heard that they sold decent & cheap meals but didn't go ashore.

Mar Menor is often full of jellyfish so worth checking your strainer.

 

[Mikedefieslife]

There's not really much around for sailing. It's not like the Balearics or Greece where you can hop from bay to bay in a couple of hours. The landscape from the sea isn't very inspiring either. Close to Cartagena, and Mazaron it is industrial. In between it's just dry brown hills.

Mar menor is about 3-4 hours away north, but it's not particularly pleasant. The area resembles one of those Spanish tourist resorts that had its heyday about 30 years ago. As well as jelly fish, I saw something in Murcia Today about them releasing 50 plus eels in there to bread. Enjoy the swimming

Better to stay in Cartagena for the town and people rather than what's around the coast.

 

[Luffe44]

There is a very nice small harbour couple of hours east, Puerto Cabo de Palos. A few quayside berths. We tried to get in, but last spring it had sanded up so 2,2m draft was too deep.

 

[differentroads]

I've anchored in El Portus, about 5nm W of Cartegena and explored around Cabo Tinoso. Extraordinary tiny round cove at Cala Cerrada, harbour and anchorages around Mazarron. It's good for a few days in my opinion but not particularly attractive for cruising. Cabo de Gata a days sailing to the South and Cap de la Nao areas a day or two to the North are stunning though.

 

[grumpygit]

There's not really much around for sailing. It's not like the Balearics or Greece where you can hop from bay to bay in a couple of hours. The landscape from the sea isn't very inspiring either. Close to Cartagena, and Mazaron it is industrial. In between it's just dry brown hills.

Mar menor is about 3-4 hours away north, but it's not particularly pleasant. The area resembles one of those Spanish tourist resorts that had its heyday about 30 years ago. As well as jelly fish, I saw something in Murcia Today about them releasing 50 plus eels in there to bread. Enjoy the swimming

Better to stay in Cartagena for the town and people rather than what's around the coast.

Plus One, sorry but imo, a very boring piece of coastline with hostile Harbour Masters. The easiest way I found was just enter and say your radio is kaputt. If you call prior in English they say they are full.