Free Anchorages in the Med

You will find the Cruising Association "Cruising Guides" a mine of information for this type of question. Go to - http://www.cruising.org.uk/cruising_information/ , then look on the left menu for Cruising Guides>>Mediterranean, then have a look at the major regions of interest to you.

The biggest warning to offer is the occasional sheer violence of unsettled weather, especially out of season, in the Mediterranean.

Details of individual cruising regions and anchorages are only accessible to members (£120 pa; re-paid for some through pilot book, chart and marina discounts!)
 
Jim's the man but here are some general comments.
There are lots of Free Anchorages, indeed the only ones where there is a charge is when they are within a Nature Reserve or other Special Area. In many places you can anchor outside a marina and then take trip ashore in the tender. Some of the anchorages get very crowded but in settled weather its OK. You get used to putting out fenders if you think that your neighbour is too close! The other thing that takes a bit og getting used to is anchoring in 3m depth. In calm weather and no tide , tht's also OK.
Good luck and enjoy!!
 
If you are actually looking to winter on the hook you need somewhere very sheltered as Jim suggests, which is why so many people end up in the Guadiana. (I know it's not the Med, OK!)

la Linnea and Portoferraio are the best we've come across yet for that option. Both free, as are most anchorages. Marinas do redce significantly overwinter but you must be ready move at the end of March and sometimes that's not simple. Try to pick a marina close to a decent anchorage!
 
Their are quite a few free anchorages in the Med sutable for year around protection. Your anchoring gear has to be capable of holding in 50 knots plus, but with good gear this can be done.
 
noelex said:
Their are quite a few free anchorages in the Med sutable for year around protection. Your anchoring gear has to be capable of holding in 50 knots plus, but with good gear this can be done.
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Down here it had better be good for a lot more than that. At least once a year we have winds of over 100MPH.
 
michaelchapman said:
Down here it had better be good for a lot more than that. At least once a year we have winds of over 100MPH.
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I have a very large insurance claim to back up your comment... (part of the fault was the next mooring where the owner has a junk MOBO and 2 s*** fenders on both rails.. they went flat early into the period)

I was in a sheltered stern to mooring!!! The water was breaking over the sea wall by at least 2 meters of depth. Sea wall had to be rebuilt because the storm caused so much damage. Tough in the Med in October.:mad:
 
noelex said:
Their are quite a few free anchorages in the Med sutable for year around protection. Your anchoring gear has to be capable of holding in 50 knots plus, but with good gear this can be done.
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A deliberate peice of misinformation?

The tramontana regularly reaches 75 knots and the mistral (as far away as Marseille) has been known to exceed that windspeed.

Probably as difficult to cope with are the gusts and direction changes.

There are few, if any, safe, free, winter anchorages in West and Central Mediterranean, but many in the Eastern Med.
 
charles_reed said:
A deliberate peice of misinformation?
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I have spent the last 3 winters at anchor in the Med. There was certainly no “deliberate misinformation” in my post, but as Charles indicates there are places in the Med that are not suitable for spending the winter. As distances are short it is not difficult to end up in a suitable area. As my post points out you need to be prepared for some strong winds even in the eastern Med, but there are cruising boats, like my own, that winter at anchor in the Med.
Personally I feel safer in a winter storm, when in a deserted anchorage, than in summer blow when surrounded by poorly anchored charter boats.
 
You don't specify the part of the Med you're referring to - as such a blanket comment is misleading.

If you could name me three free anchorages, on the Spanish, French or Italian Mediterranean coasts which you consider safe for overwintering anchorage, we can elucidate the OPs question.
 
Mino - In reply to your OP, yes there are lots of quiet free anchorages in the Med both in winter and in summer. And yes, marinas do also lower thier prices off season.

Happy cruising :)
 
I too would like to know where all these "lots of anchorages" are. After 20 consecutive winters afloat in the Med I would not like to be on the hook in some of the winter storms we have experienced.
 
Why be so negative?

Of course there are places where you will get a good dusting in 75+ knots of wind unless you have 4 anchors well dug in and 200m of 14mm chain rode laid out and want to write the next chapter of "Storm Tactics".

But hey - as the OP also asked about marina prices then I reckoned he had the common sense to get tucked up into a snug marina berth should the Mistral/Tramontana/Siroco blow through. If you keep abreast of the weather situation (which all liveaboard should do naturally) then you will have no problem in spending as little time as possible in expensive marinas and happily on the hook.

If you want to know about particular anchorages in your vicinity then look at a chart or pilot book. Of course you could always join the CA and get some inside info or maybe get a discount on a 6 month winter berth and leave those "quiet free anchorages" for the rest of us living happily on the hook.

Once again - Happy cruising ;-)
 
rigman said:
I too would like to know where all these "lots of anchorages" are. After 20 consecutive winters afloat in the Med I would not like to be on the hook in some of the winter storms we have experienced.
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20 years! - surely you must have had enough of the winter storms by now fella!
 
charles_reed said:
You don't specify the part of the Med you're referring to - as such a blanket comment is misleading.
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At least I have improved from providing “deliberate misinformation” to a misleading comment.:)

As I know you are aware Charles there are areas of the Med that have very few anchorages that are suitable even for summer conditions. The small distances in the Med make these geographic distinctions unnecessary. Any cruising area in the Med is only a couple of weeks away from suitable winter anchorages. Not an onerous task given the long summer season The original question did not include any tight boundaries, but asked if there are any free anchorages in the Med suitable for winter.
My answer which I stand by is, yes given the original caveat that your anchoring gear is adequate.
 
rigman said:
I too would like to know where all these "lots of anchorages" are. After 20 consecutive winters afloat in the Med I would not like to be on the hook in some of the winter storms we have experienced.
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I would not encourage anyone to do something they are not comfortable with, but maybe after 20 years its time to try something different.
One of the "problems" in some areas of the Med is that that the summer anchoring conditions are so benign that people that have spent many years there start to consider relatively moderate winds as unacceptable. Their anchoring techniques and gear reflect this experience. In Croatia or the hard sands of the North Ionian when the wind speed in the anchorage reaches an average of about 25K my rule of thumb is about half the yachts in the anchorage will drag. Obviously these boats would be unlikely to survive a winter undamaged without some changes.
Talk to say someone from New Zealand’s South island (or even someone who spends August in the Cyclades) and their perspective on wind speed is very different.
If you do want to try a winter at anchor go to somewhere like Vlicho or Tranquil bay for your first experience. In these locations some people leave their boat unattended at anchor (although often with someone looking out ) while they return home ( I strongly recommend you do not do this, but it does illustrate how anchoring over winter can be considered safe)
If you become concerned with the forecast there are marinas close to these locations that can be used at least until you gain some confidence.
 
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