Fuel availability in France, Portugal, Spain over Easter

[MYAG]

Do any forum members have info on Fuel availability (marina or tanker) over the religous Easter days. I have heard that some parts of France\Portugal\Spain\Italy shut down completely over this period, sometimes for days.

Any info appreciated.

 

[jfm]

Not sure, off the cuff. When I fill on friday in Spain, I'll ask the fuel guy what is the general rule. Ditto when I get to Antibes Sunday

I would expect fuel berths in Frnace to be open at the big ports at least. Even thoguh it is a holiday weekend they are iirc open a few hours each day. They open sundays and bank holidays.

Are you about 350nm range? Per 5000litre fill? Just trying to guess how many stops you will be making...

 

[MYAG]

Not sure, off the cuff. When I fill on friday in Spain, I'll ask the fuel guy what is the general rule. Ditto when I get to Antibes Sunday

I would expect fuel berths in Frnace to be open at the big ports at least. Even thoguh it is a holiday weekend they are iirc open a few hours each day. They open sundays and bank holidays.

Are you about 350nm range? Per 5000litre fill? Just trying to guess how many stops you will be making...

Thanks JFM, very kind.

I will mostly be stopping in biggish ports but may need to bolt to smaller places, so good to know the general rule over this period.

She brims at 6,700 ltr which gives us 460nm on quite a slowish cruise (17kts). I reckon around 10 stops weather permitting.

 

[mateyboy]

I'm pretty sure there'll be non in Antibes, which is a bit daft when there's the big festivals on.

 

[Lozzer]

Hi MYAG

Spain can be a pain, I have known most harbours on Costa del Sol to be out of fuel over this period, no warning. Having said that not so many boats out and about right now.

Some place I would suggest.

Cascais in Portugal. Nice easy entrance with large fuel dock. Or if you can get to it Vilamoura is usually well stocked.

Gibraltar is a must stop as you will reduce your average price, try and arrive emptyish. CEPSA have new fuel quay. You have three to choose from as well. From here at a push you could make Palma or even Cala D'or but you will be low.

Cartagena you can order a truck to come to the newer marina (on the right). Failing that Torrevieja is a good size harbour, with good opening hours.

As for Ibiza, well I would avoid. Botafoch insist on cash......Ibiza Nuevo is ok. Charged a 1000 euro a night in high season last year.

Palma you have a couple of options, one at STP and the other opposite, both should be good. Or you might try to get to Mahon so that your leg to Sardinia is shorter.

Sardinia don't go to Carloforte for fuel, small entrance, and I mean small. Go across to mainland and then you have two fuel quays by Il Ponte. Approach from south, watch out for fishing nets. Go up the canal and just before bridge on right hand side.

From here you can run over to Reggio De Calabra. (I didnt enjoy the Italian service hit and miss). Don't forget to stop off at Strombolli if you have time.

I have numbers for

Cala D'or fuel if you want
Torrievieja
Il Ponte Sardinia

plus if I search through diary i can find one or two others..

I heard on local radio that weather forecast for Easter is unstable for Spain.

today is wonderful.

If you want a mooring in Puerto Banus then let me know I can arrange one for you no problem.

Best of luck PM me if you want numbers or a berth.

 

[MYAG]

Cheers Lozzer, thats alot of very useful info and some great tips. Some of the ports I have down on my list and others are new to me. I dont have a fixed route as such (weather dependant) so I might be popping in to some of the other places you mention, or even staying over in some. All very useful to know.

Will defo give you a shout if I need a berth at P. Banus...... thanks for that. Thinking of delaying the arrival down that way until after Easter Sunday, just to avoid the hit and miss fuel availability. Will defo stop at Gib and should be quite empty, couple of days there and will take on as much as I can.

 

[Lozzer]

MYAG

Dont bet on Gib being empty, had a coffee with a friend yesterday who said it was full in Ocean Village.. I haven't seen it myself so this is second hand info.

Gib was full of bank repo's many of good size. A quick call to the marina will tell you what is happening.

All other marinas locally are quite expensive, no need to pay port rate in Banus as I have contacts to get them from owners and first level brokers.

IF time is no issue to you then there is far more you can do with your trip...

Sevilla at Easter is a great place to be. Stopping off at Ibiza / Formentera for a few days would not spoil your trip. Majorca, if you went there for a few days there is a fantastic place to visit I will PM name. Plus many other great places.

The trip you are planning could take all season. Just avoid sailing too close to Libya..

I will PM you my contact number.

 

[westernman]

Do any forum members have info on Fuel availability (marina or tanker) over the religous Easter days. I have heard that some parts of France\Portugal\Spain\Italy shut down completely over this period, sometimes for days.

Any info appreciated.

Filled up in Port Roses (Costa Brava) earlier this week in Spain (cheaper than France). Plenty of fuel, they just refilled from a tanker as I was leaving.

Not much activity down here at the moment - earlier this week there was 4 days of heavy weather with the Tramontane blowing at F8.

You will probably need a chip and pin credit card to fill up at most places as they are self service and not manned at the moment.

 

[25931]

MYAG

Dont bet on Gib being empty, had a coffee with a friend yesterday who said it was full in Ocean Village.. I haven't seen it myself so this is second hand info.

Gib was full of bank repo's many of good size. A quick call to the marina will tell you what is happening.

All other marinas locally are quite expensive, no need to pay port rate in Banus as I have contacts to get them from owners and first level brokers.

IF time is no issue to you then there is far more you can do with your trip...

Sevilla at Easter is a great place to be. Stopping off at Ibiza / Formentera for a few days would not spoil your trip. Majorca, if you went there for a few days there is a fantastic place to visit I will PM name. Plus many other great places.

The trip you are planning could take all season. Just avoid sailing too close to Libya..

I will PM you my contact number.

I doubt if the new marina at La Linea will be either full or expensive & very handy for Gib.

 

[oceandrive]

I,m in port Adriano Mallorca at the moment, fuel available in Palma ( But I was told Andrax is closed) Don't forget the Almeria fuel stop usualy open until 11pm if you give them a call. I deal for a top up after Gib and before Ibeza or Mahon Menorca.

Hope it helps did the same run two years ago.

 

[oceandrive]

Best route

Brest..
La Coruna.. New fuel bay and marina ( On right as you enter port) watch for fog early hrs
Porto..
Cascase..
Villamora..
Gib
Almeria
Mahon Menorca (If you need fuel here call me.... PM me for mob number)
Cagliari
Tripani Sicily

( You will need an agent in Tripani Here is the number of a good guy he will sort fuel and berthing for around 100 euros +3318 3430550 Morana Luigi. Ypu don't want to hang around here if you dont have to. Not the safest place in the med. We were woken up by the police at three in the morning. they said they wanted to see pasports but then would not get off the boat until we gave them a gift. Thankfully a hand full of polo shirts with the boat name on did the trick).

 

[DavidJ]

Filled up in Port Roses (Costa Brava) earlier this week in Spain .

Sorry to highjack the thread but what did you pay? I've just got back from Empuriabrava (just down the road) and paid €1.37 per litre of diesel. I've heard that Rosas is cheaper.
Thanks

 

[MYAG]

Cheers oceandrive, the number in Sicily may come in handy, got quite a few spare polo shirts on board to get out of jail, so no problem. I am aware of the new marina and fuel bay in La Coruna which looks good.

Thanks to all for PM's and other info, I now have a good list of available fuel stops and phone numbers to cover the most probable routes depending on the weather, so with a mixture of plenty of cash and cards shouldn't have any problems getting juiced up.

 

[Lozzer]

I doubt if the new marina at La Linea will be either full or expensive & very handy for Gib.

It is not exactly worth going to. Who wants to sit right next door to the oil refinery. I am sure an early call to Ocean Village will sort it out.. Worst case is Marina Bay but not my favourite place, not much atmosphere.

Or anchor off in the NE corner and dinghy ashore.

 

[Lozzer]

Oceandrive

Interesting about Trapani. I gave it a miss when I passed through. I chose to go across the northern side. The fuel guy in Capo St. Vito was really helpful. He took crew off to get pizzas whilst filling with fuel....

You also have Palermo, two harbours. Smaller one is meant to be nice but I couldnt get in (July time). We went into the main commercial dock, bit of a hole.

Overall I would keep stops in Italy to a minimum. I didnt do it but I have been told that Stombolli is a must... Anchor under Volcano. Cool..

Looking forward to this thread developing.

By the way Italy was the most expensive place for fuel. It gave Porquerolle (SoF) a run for its money. And agree price up front and make sure counter is at 0 before you start filling.

 

[oceandrive]

Yes Strombolli is part of pur plan this year. We are missing out Corsica Sardinia as we did it to death last season. So for us its Menorca up to the SOF then heading towards Genova and down the Italian West coast For Strombolli Then Through the straights for southern Italy then on to Corfu. Its a long way round but it's a change.

Thats if I get this boat fixed. I've been in Adriano now since Jan however big push on Monday, and we should be off back to Menorca.

 

[Nautorius]

MYAG arrives in Gib!

Just to let you know a very good looking MY AG arrived in Queensway Quay 30 mins ago! Took a few minutes to find the entrance as they have moved it but they got there in the end! Looked like they came from the fuel quay so all tanks topped up...

Cheers

Paul

 

[MYAG]

Tee hee, cant go anywhere without being spotted nowadays! Yep, we snuck in to Gib waters this morning around 8am from Lisbon and went straight to refuel at Cepsa taking on 6,000 litres. The changed entrance was confusing but nice and snug on the berth now, going to stay a day or two before heading out to Menorca. Pop round and say hello if you get the chance.

 

[petem]

She brims at 6,700 ltr which gives us 460nm on quite a slowish cruise (17kts). I reckon around 10 stops weather permitting.

Ouch! Makes me complaining about £70 to fill my car up a bit pathetic!