Mallorca to Cannes - Route

[jrudge]

Am moving the boat from Mallorca to Cannes at the end of May.

The Golfe De Lyon has a reputation for being rough if the wind blows.

My options are to head Palma / Barcelona and then directly across the Golfe De Lyon, or I can head to Menorca and then direct to Cannes. This route keeps me out of the Golfe De Lyon, but of course the wind does not just stop at the edge!

For those who know the area would option 2 be materially different / better to option 1 or are they both the same -and just check the forecast on the day.

 

[Danfarry]

My experience of Menorca is they get 2-3 days of gales every two weeks. Stop at Mahon for the gin, Fornells for a lovely sheltered cala.

Personally, I would leave from Soller and head to Barcelona then hop up the coast.

 

[pan]

Our delivery trip from Antibes to Mallorca was direct overnight run, in April, skipper waited for a weather window, never had more than 10kt of wind all the way across & flat calm, so it's a question of have you the time to wait out any weather then go, or take the long route via mainland Spain, but of course that option may still be hampered by the Mistral anyway! Rather sit in Mahon with some nice G&T's than use the extra fuel, time wise could be better if you are lucky.. the Menorca gales are usually the tail end of the French Mistrals.

That time of year you find a lot of the 'superyachts' are also doing the direct route, and they usually quite savvy with the weather forecasts.

 

[AIDY]

Mays a bit iffy weather wise. It could be good or bad... When it's bad it seems to be worse menorca and east....

I'm only thinking from a sailing point of view, I had a horrid passage in a 8+ down wind from roses to alcudia in may. But I would do the same going back although it could be a bit bouncy in a north wind.

Then attempt the bay of Lyon.

 

[jfm]

I wouldn't do Barcelona/Palamos. Adds lots of miles and if the golfe de Lyon is blowing then you are closer to the eye of the storm

So I'd await a weather window and do the direct route. I've always been lucky on that route - the go days far outnumber the no go days afaik. For a mild mistral you can head slightly too much east then correct by going more north, thus missing the stronger part of the mistral. But better to wait for a calm day.

I've only ever done it from alcudia, mahon and cuitadella, not Palma. Mahon-Antibes = 268nm via gps. If you fancy a day loafing then a stop in Porquerolles red dot bay is nice. There's an (expensive) fuel berth in the porquerolles port if you need it. Many boats struggle with range on the direct route, even Mahon-Cannes, but I think you have decent range in the 65

We've seen whales half way a cross a few times

 

[Lozzer]

Direct route every time. Make sure you have good weather else it will not be a nice experience. Last year I was on a schedule to collect boss in Genoa left in an improving forecast but still headed towards Barca just in case as I was running at displacement speed so have to consider longer weather windows.

JFM is spot in with spending time at the red dot.. Avoid fueling at the Porquerolles it is eye watering. Splash and go if need be. I've seen the whales too, exactly halfway Antibes to Mahon after we met a few years ago JFM.

Either way have a safe trip depending on when you leave I might see you as I have to do Gibraltar to Genoa in three weeks time. Planning route alrready but thinking Gib -Mahon then Mahon to Genoa direct or Via Bonifacio subject to weather.. Horrible thing is we will have a fixed deadline due to boat going on ship to Far East !! Eek

 

[jfm]

Direct route every time. Make sure you have good weather else it will not be a nice experience. Last year I was on a schedule to collect boss in Genoa left in an improving forecast but still headed towards Barca just in case as I was running at displacement speed so have to consider longer weather windows.

JFM is spot in with spending time at the red dot.. Avoid fueling at the Porquerolles it is eye watering. Splash and go if need be. I've seen the whales too, exactly halfway Antibes to Mahon after we met a few years ago JFM.

Either way have a safe trip depending on when you leave I might see you as I have to do Gibraltar to Genoa in three weeks time. Planning route alrready but thinking Gib -Mahon then Mahon to Genoa direct or Via Bonifacio subject to weather.. Horrible thing is we will have a fixed deadline due to boat going on ship to Far East !! Eek

Sounds fun Lozzer - I think! Surely you'd want to get fuel other than in Mahon. Refuel in Mahon takes ages, unless there is a truck delivery service there (I dunno if there is; have only ever used the fuel berth). The new Palma fuel berth is uber high speed but slightly detour-ish for you. There is a great truck fuel delivery in bonifacio but will be too late in the trip for you I expect. Anyway if you want to break the journey in Corsica and hug a tree I reckon you'd be much better in lovely St florent than down in bonifacio. Great anchorage in St florent, nicely a bit muddy so no matter how strong the wind just chuck 7x scope down near the 6m contour and sleep like a baby. Nice port too and easy fuel berth for 85 footer. If the sun is out anchor off salecci beach for a swim - competes with formentera in the beautiful beach stakes, in my book!

 

[Nick_H]

If you fancy a day loafing then a stop in Porquerolles red dot bay is nice.

As an aside, did you know Red Dot Bay was voted the best beach in Europe recently?

http://www.rivieratimes.com/index.p...s/var-beach-the-most-beautiful-in-europe.html

 

[jfm]

As an aside, did you know Red Dot Bay was voted the best beach in Europe recently?

http://www.rivieratimes.com/index.p...s/var-beach-the-most-beautiful-in-europe.html

Good going! Annoying they didn't credit this forum, as we have been extolling its virtues for many years (even if calling it red dot rather than notre dame).

I think I'd vote salecci higher, but that would be splitting hairs

 

[Lozzer]

Hi JFM

I reckon I can just about make Bonifacio if I manage the fuel burn carefully. The fuel truck is great in Bonifacio plus I can have dinner in the kissing pigs....

Bonifacio is one of my favourite harbours in the Med and given I'm going to be boat less for a year I have to get a fix somehow. I use Jennifer the BWA agent their she is absolutely brilliant, rescued me from loads of ****e....

Having said that perhaps a change is as good a rest. Don't want to load to much fuel new owner owns an oil company so I think he can get it cheaper.....

 

[jfm]

Hi JFM

I reckon I can just about make Bonifacio if I manage the fuel burn carefully. The fuel truck is great in Bonifacio plus I can have dinner in the kissing pigs....

Bonifacio is one of my favourite harbours in the Med and given I'm going to be boat less for a year I have to get a fix somehow. I use Jennifer the BWA agent their she is absolutely brilliant, rescued me from loads of ****e....

Having said that perhaps a change is as good a rest. Don't want to load to much fuel new owner owns an oil company so I think he can get it cheaper.....

Ah fair enough, if you're dropping in for sentimental reasons! Anyway this gives me an opportunity to show that kissing pigs is my local :encouragement::encouragement:

 

[Hurricane]

We had the fuel bug soon after refueling in the fuel dock at Bonifacio.
Not saying it came from there but ......
So fuel treatment is a must.

I didn't think that the fuel berth in Mahon was that bad (slow)

If using Menorca as a passage start for the SOF and you want to wait in an anchoeage for a weather window, I wouldn't recommend Fornells - it is way too exposed.
Instead I would use Addaya - just to the east - tricky entrance but very safe if it blows.

We are planning a run from Menorca to southern Sardinia for the middle of next month - we will probably start from Mahon - great Jap/Chinese restaurant there!!!
And, of course, Mahon is a very well protected harbour.

 

[Lozzer]

Hurricane Was that the dock in Bonifacio or the tankers that come by. I am very surprised as those guys have a bug turnover of fuel, new truck almost every day. Did you back track to see if there wee any other dubious fill ups?

 

[Nick_H]

those guys have a bug turnover of fuel

That'll be the problem then

 

[Hurricane]

Hurricane Was that the dock in Bonifacio or the tankers that come by. I am very surprised as those guys have a bug turnover of fuel, new truck almost every day. Did you back track to see if there wee any other dubious fill ups?

Yes it was the dock.
Previous fill up to that would have been in Antibes - JFM's tanker supplier.
The prior to that was Palamos - that one might have been dubious.
My bug attack only got as far as the prefilters which became blocked enough to create an engine fuel pressure alarm causing the MTU cpntroller to run in limp mode.
DJEFABS from this fourm was on board at the time - I hadn't seen diesel bug before but he had - we definitely had the bug.

 

[tcm]

Am moving the boat from Mallorca to Cannes at the end of May.

The Golfe De Lyon has a reputation for being rough if the wind blows.

My options are to head Palma / Barcelona and then directly across the Golfe De Lyon, or I can head to Menorca and then direct to Cannes. This route keeps me out of the Golfe De Lyon, but of course the wind does not just stop at the edge!

For those who know the area would option 2 be materially different / better to option 1 or are they both the same -and just check the forecast on the day.

UNless you are really sure of medium-term (enough to make whole trip) forecast .... then best is to make the mainland asap, which means Barca, where the 24/7 fuel at Olympico is all fine. From there, even if the GdL blows hard - it's all behind you and takes you to Cannes. I think you kinda know this, and you're apprehensive, which is a good thing, but also something with which no amount of forum postings can alleviate

 

[jfm]

Hmm, not sure if agree. It's only a long day 6 am till the evening so not really medium term. And the mistral blows NNW in the golfe de Lyon and is only a westerly behind you after Toulon/ marseille. I'd still do the crossing directly

 

[jrudge]

Thanks for your replies.

I need to balance 2 things

1. the sea state and if there is a material difference in either route ( many people on here know this route hence asking)

2. the prospect of a circa 10 hour trip with 2 kids aged 5 and 7 who will get bored if we go direct


Smooth passage frankly wins as I pretend to be nothing other than a fair weather sailor - its a leisure activity after all!

I suspect we will just look at the forecast on the day and if direct is smooth then we will head direct and if Barcelona is flatter or the kids are playing up we will head that way.

Many thanks for all for your input.

 

[jfm]

J, yes that makes sense as regards flat seas. There are plenty of flat days so just wait for one.

I'm not sure I see the logic of Barca as regards the kids playing up though:

Barca--> Cannes is 250nm whereas Mahon-Cannes = 260, so either way the kids have a long run. However, the day before, Cala C'Or to Mahon is a much shorter run than Cala D'Or to Barca, sheesh. In fact you could miss Mahon and get one of the three (for your size boat) town quay berths in Cuitadella, which I really like - Cala D'Or to Cuitadella is nothing of a trip. (To book these berths call the yacht club; if they're full the yacht club might let you tie up port side to in front of their clubhouse - I've done that too in sq78 and they were v nice)

you could do Palamos instead of Barca. Palamos is 50nm East of Barca so reducing the kids-management run to 200nm, and has fuel, but is relatively boring town and (possibly) short on berths for your monster sized boat, so I'd discount that option

The problem with Barca/Palamos is it doesn't give you much optionality if the kids are happy. So why not do Mahon or cuitadella to Porquerolles, and then to Cannes. That is 205+60nm. Porq is beautiful, best beach in Europe according to Nick H's link, easy overnight anchor (or marina) and you have optionality in that you can drop the porquerolles plan or adopt it mid passage depending on the kids, because it isn't much of a course diversion

BTW, inside Porquerolles marina, you can either tie up in a berth or pick up a buoy within the breakwater-protected marina basin. And they are short of fresh water, so make some on the way

 

[jrudge]

JFM - many thx. We would go via Cuiitadella I agree - we like it. And just how eye watering is Porqueelles fuel out of interest? Assume you can buy fuel at Toulon if they really take the p***?!