Mahon-severe charges for mooring?

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alant

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Anyone confirm that they are charging £75/day to moor in Mahon.
Only one small area to anchor & authorities will not allow dinghies to land! Longstay boats leaving because unable to afford this.
 
No, bollox. Two years ago the main anchorage (the one in the Pilot) was closed for all under 30m. We know as we happily anchored there for two years, the third year we were moved on by the harbour launch within minutes of arriving and told to anchor in Cala Telurada (?) on the seaward end of the canal on the port hand exit of Mahon.

It is a long dinghy ride to town but you can leave your dinghy in a number of places - the most easily recognised place is close to the Sunseeker patch.

This anchorage was v. crowded as everybody else had been moved on as well. This summer we skipped Mahon completely and went to Cala Fornells. Great little place, good gooey mud if you anchor out towards the dinghy sailing school. Several buses a day to Mahon.

The other beautiful, if isolated, anchorage is Cala Son Saura on the west coast. If you have a good rib and o/b you can zoom into Citiudella for goodies.
 
Oh dear, just realised you said 'MOORING'. I was referring to anchoring which is what 90% of cruisers have to do.

Yes, you are probably looking at, at least, that amount. Even San Antonio, Ibiza, craphole marina on rickety pontoon where you have to pay extra for a shower, charges 64 euro per day.

Sorry.
 
We spent a couple of days on a mooring buoy opposite Mahon town this July. Don't remember the exact cost but we would definitely not have stayed if it was £75. I am guessing about 20 Euros. Nobody asked how long we were staying but some boats appeared to be there medium or long term. There are isolated visitor pontoons close to the harbour entrance, which appeared to have a number of long term cruisers alongside. Cost of these berths is similar to cost of buoys. Marina berths everywhere in Med Spain are difficult to obtain and highly priced. Having said that, we saw many visitors get berths in Mahon.

Anchoring is not allowed in the main harbour but there are several bays and other areas where it is. The best one is just below the fort on the east side of the entrance, Cala Taulera. Room there for 20 - 30 boats in excellent shelter.

We found no difficulty in going ashore by dinghy, plenty of landing places and Spanish people generally very relaxed about this.

Aside from all this, there are some fabulous calas on Menorca, some with almost perfect shelter. Anchoring in them is highly recommended.
 
Also heard that anchoring in Mahon was becoming difficult dure to charges. I've always ancored in there for free. Also told that anyone landing from a 'free' anchorage was being prevented. Just heresay that I'd like to check.
 
We were in Mahon at the end of June this summer. We anchored eventually in the anchorage at the seaward end of the canal and weren't charged at all for thre days stay. Apparently it's a bit hit and miss on whether they can be bothered to come and get the fees which we were told was about 10 euros per day.
Cheapest mooring was on the mooring bouys opposite town at around 15 euros per day but extremely difficult to find one free. Cheapest pontoon moorings are on the floating islands in the middle of the harbour. That worked out at 41 euros per day for a 10mt boat and you still need a dinghy ride to get into town.
The cheapest mooring shoreside was through Pedro's boatyard which worked out at 2.2euros per sq mt (length x beam) per day. This worked out at nearly 80 euros per day for us which was just toooo expensive. When I asked why it was so expensive the impression I got was that as everybody else was charging astronomical prices why shouldn't they?
IMHO there is a cartel at work here with prices all fixed artificially high.
As we weren't even that impressed with the town we disappeared as soon as weather permitted around the north coast. Whatever, remember to stock up well before Menorca as decent Supermarkets are almost non existent unless you have access to a vehicle.

The best value thing in Mahon is the guided tour around the castle next to the anchorage. Amazing place to spend some time in.
 
Yes, they are all catching on. Alicante, May 2004, 11.33m, 100 euro for one night. Nice round sum. Our friends stayed and paid - we did not.
 
At the end of last summer I was quoted E80 a night for the queyside next to the yacht club, I declined.

We spent a very pleasent few weeks on the 'islands', which are pontoons in the middle down by the old hospital. Very friendly people around, some live aboards there. Was charged around E23 a night I think, ok u need to dinghy to get ashore, but they a great place to stay, and have water and power.

I am currently in the Marina at the very end down by the power station and the boat yard, paid somthing like E1100 euros for 6 months for winter.

Its a great place, be sure to check out the old fort, thats a day out in itself.

Anthony
 
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