Liveaboard in winter in Med - possible warm locations???

demonboy

demonboy

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Hi all,

Partner and i will be living aboard by autumn next year. Currently in Turkey. Any suggestions where we could winter up in the Med that's warm enough to not worry about having to be in a marina with shore power and heaters?

So far we have Tunisia, Canary Ils, Malta as suggestions. What about Portugal/South Spain? Does it still get too cold to anchor there in the winter?

PS: Not interested in doing the Red Sea. Yet.
 
But unfortunately for you..

Both South Portugal and Canary Ils are not (YET) in the MED!..

Tunisia can be cold in winter.. need some kind of heating as weel as Malta and south of Spain..

Canary are nice but you should wait until they will move to the Med. :0)
 
Er, yes. Perhaps I should have been a bit more clear. By 'Med' what I meant was NOT crossing the pond to the caribbean and NOT going thru the Red Sea. I was kinda covering anything in between, but point taken!

Our main concern is expense, which is what I meant by not going into marinas, but I've heard Tunisia is offering some great deals in some very secure marinas, so I'll go back on what I said previously and say we CAN do marinas, but only if they are offering cheap deals. Interesting what you say about Tunisia, Alain. I assumed it was warmer there than Bodrum in the winter, which can hit zero.

Essentially I'm trying to suss out cheap places to winter up whilst living on the boat withint said areas.
 
Southern Spain . . .

Can't think of anywhere between (say) Cabo de Gata and Gibraltar (i.e Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical) to anchor for any length of time. Don't know Andalucia beyond Gib.
See Gib discussion elsewhere here for comments about Gib problems.
We have friends here in Marbella who anchored off the runway in Gib long-term (years) but that was about 4-5 years ago.
They also recommend (I haven't tried it) anchoring on the Spanish side of the runway/border breakwater wall La Linea. Supposed to be quite quiet.
Anyone care to comment?
The weather hereabouts is basically warm all winter, but you'll know that the area is subject to heavy periodic storms and periodic strong winds, especially funnelling through the Straits. Apart from that, swell can be a nuisance, maybe a problem.
 
Msida in Malta does a very good winter deal from oct to april
7 months for around £450 for 11m yacht. been there in Nov and Dec and it quite warm and an interesting place to be.
I am going to be there this winter having bought a yacht there --- so I`ll let you know what`s it`s really like although I wont be living aboard right through.
 
River Guadiana - spent last winter there - anchor or pick up a buoy between Alcoutim and Sanlucar de Guadiana - friendly atmospere no charge for parking in river, small charge 7 euros if you lay alongside. Alvor anchorage close to town but heard it may be silted at present, Portimao good sheltered anchorage but fair distance to town. Mazagon anchor right outside marina town 5 mins walk.
 
The problem we found with Mazagon was landing the tender. There is a concrete slipway but that seemed very insecure - almost asking for it to be taken. The marina did not allow you to land in the tender. Is there a good place to land?
 
Just by the by...

... it's quite amazing how many people (not usually sailors) really do think Portugal and/or Canaries are in the Med!
 
Re: Just by the by...

We got friends, yes we really do. That have just got a good deal in Port Al Kantoui in Tunisie. Dont know how cold it's going to get yet, but sounds a really nice place. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif We are nr. Alicante and the coldest it's got here in 5 years was 2'C. You definatly need heating here.
 
Msida marina in Malta is a good spot to spend the winter. Quite a lot of yachties and good place to get stuff done on the boat. BUT you will need heating some days and it is damp. Also do try to get on the leeward side of the pontoon for when the periodic blows come in. Malta is quite pricey though. BTW some people do winter at anchor in one of the bays but you are pretty much on your own without facilities.

I personally would not want to spend the winter in Tunisia as the marinas are pretty soulless - unless I was taking the opp to do a lot of interior travelling.

Barcelona and Rome are other great places to winter but not that warm not that cheap.

If you want it warm and cheap best get to the Canaries. But pick your moment - that trip from Gib was the worst we've ever done.
 
Anchoring in Portuguese Algave will restrict you really to either up river on the Portuguese / Spanish border - inside harbour mouth in Portimao - with the marina opposite you can bolt to if a storm comes through - or in the lagoons around Faro / Olhao. I suspect you'd be better protected in any S'ly blow in first or last mentioned.
I also believe it is still possible to get space alongside the part finished marina in Olhao town without charge.
Maybe another forumite in the area can clarify the situation for this year?
Cheers
JOHN
 
Re: Liveaboard in winter in Med - possible warm locations??? Olhao

Olhao is no longer free. In fact it is positively well nigh impossible to go there, even for a shopping trip. They will let you moor only for a minmum of a month - or at least pay for the month. They have people on the pontoons to discourage any short stays. A very retrograde step. Don´t know how long this state of affairs will last, but don´t bank on being able to go there at this time.
 
Re: Liveaboard in winter in Med - possible warm locations??? Olhao

Re Mazagon, I had no problem with marina when leaving tender on their fuel pontoon, always tied up on the end! There is also a public slipway at the end of the beach, and although I haven't tried it I would imagine one could tie up to fisherman's area opposite the marina.
 
I believe some yachts used to winter afloat at Fethiye.
Don't know if still possible.
There's no doubt you can spend the winter afloat at several
locations, lot's of yachts used to use the bay opposite Nidri
on Levkas. The "marina" at Preveza was free till recently and may
still be. Same at Pylos and Troizina. However wherever you go you
will need some heating some of the time.
The most important thing is shelter in all winds. And some company!
 
Re: Liveaboard in winter in Med - possible warm locations??? Olhao

[ QUOTE ]
Olhao is no longer free. In fact it is positively well nigh impossible to go there, even for a shopping trip. They will let you moor only for a minmum of a month - or at least pay for the month. They have people on the pontoons to discourage any short stays. A very retrograde step. Don´t know how long this state of affairs will last, but don´t bank on being able to go there at this time.

[/ QUOTE ]

My shopping never took me a month anyway.
Appreciate advice on who are 'the people' on the pontoons - and 'who' collects any dosh - and how much they may wish to collect for a months stay?
Also - are the electrics / water now connected?
Cheers
JOHN
 
Re: Just by the by...

Msida Creek in Malta charges an extra 30 per cent for liveaboards over the winter!

On your way to Portugal have a look at the Mar Menor. A large inland sea between Alicante and Cartagena. Accessed through a canal at Tomas Maestre Marina. Waves never build up whatever the wind does and there are lots of options for anchoring.
 
Re: Liveaboard in winter in Med - possible warm locations??? Olhao

Last I heard Olhao were charging round about 90 euros per month- no water or electricity connected yet. The cleats on the outer side of the wave breaker pontoon have been removed. Larger boats i.e. most cruising yachts, moor on the inside of the wave breaker, or the hammerheads only, so very little space as well. The water fountain on the quay where everyone used get water with a hose has been disconnected. We don´t know the whys and wherefores of this unfriendly attitude, but as I said before, there are staff on the pontoons to enforce the no short stay rule. I don´t know who employs them, or whether it is these guys that collect the money.

In spring, a friend from here craned in at Bruces boatyard at Faro and went straight to Olhao to get fuel, water and food shopping and was turned away even as a port of refuge (the weather was bad at that time). We have heard that the same attitude prevails up to last month. Anchoring in the vicinty is not allowed.

We´ll try to find out more and post any changes on the forum.
 
And Tunisias not yet in the EEC so you need a visa and if YOU stay longer than 6 months you need a residence visa--that is you will pay income tax!!!!

I agree if you travell a lot might be interesting but the ports are the same price as a French winter place but indeed dead more a boats garage with good secutity ment for gin palaces
 
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