Marinas in Morocco esp Casablanca

[Oscarpop]

Our latest edition pilot book it out of date it seems.

We are looking for port hopping down the Moroccan coast, and find reference all over the inter web about Casablanca marina.

Is it open? Does it exist! Anyone been there?

Also we have trawled noonsite, but does anyone have links or views of marinas in Morocco ?

It seems as if anchorages are scarce , and the marinas /ports are grotty. However that's what he pilot book says, and if the Moroccan book one is anything like the Spain Portugal one, it's out of date.

Ta

 

[dansaskip]

Can only speak about the Marina at Rabat having stayed there last November. That is far from "grotty" - its clean and secure. Yes the entrance can be tricky if there is a swell. But radio for the pilot and then come and escort you in for free (or advise you if the port is closed). When I was there I asked about Casablanca marina and at that time it was not open and the Moroccan authorities said not to go there. By the way the Customs and police were very welcoming but they "go by the book".

 

[Oscarpop]

Can you please elaborate on "go by the book" ? Is it nit picking through documents? Or will they take umbridge at our drinks cabinet, and the amount of gin in there?

 

[Roberto]

Casablanca is closed to yachts, they are sent to Mohammedia which is a few cables away (very good access, though a lot of surge in any swell); Mohammedia is not strictly a Marina, they are a couple of pontoons for the local yacht club, hosted past the port security fences; you can have access to the YC facilities while there (swimming pool, etc). M. Moujoumi (IIRC) is the head and very welcoming.
Other more upmarket marinas (erm) are Rabat (Bouregreg Marina, see web site), and Agadir (east of the commercial and fishing ports).

Apart from these two, a lot of places are worth considering, depending on what you prefer you might like them or hate them They are mostly fishing ports with no facilities for yachts, but one is often greeted like a novel Columbus; some are *very* nice villages, like Asilah, or El Jadida (nice portuguese fort with water basin) where one learns how to moor a 12m boat to a 5m concrete quay, while 3M long hammersharks are being unloaded from the fishing boats.
We have been through most accessible ports Tangiers to Agadir (no Mehdia Kenitra as they said it wxas silted), next year we'll skip the Canaries and follow the Moroccan coast south to Tan Tan, Laayoune, Sidi ifni, Dakhla, etc then on to Mauritania. Hopefully a new pilot book will follow

Oh, never, ever been asked any backsheesh. In 2011, anchoring was prohibited almost anywhere, tha bays of Essaouira and Agadir being an exception, provided one told the authorities beforehand.

 

[BobnLesley]

"..elaborate on "go by the book" ? Is it nit picking through documents? Or will they take umbridge at our drinks cabinet..."

Based on our visit in 2012, another vote for Rabat; it's a modern/cheap/easy/reliable/clean train ride of less than an hour to Casablanca from there and provided that there's not a big swell running, the entrance is much easier than the Pilot Books suggest. As for the Customs, Immigration, etc. you will be directed to their inspection quay before you go into the marina, the Officers are all very polite and good humoured, but also thorough and professional; all documentation will be checked, possiblly a brief search and also a visit from the sniffer-dog - when we were there, they had the biggest and fattest Alsatian I'd ever seen on duty, so on those boats with deep/steep companionway steps, the dog's inspection was limited to a 'sniff' from the main-hatch, he didn't 'do' steep staircases. If you were to be carrying guns, explosives or controlled drugs, I'm sure they would be very unhappy and make their displeasure known, but the contents of the booze-cupboard will not be of interest; though it should be getting empty by then anyway, as the place to replenish/stock-up is the Canary Islands and if it's cigarettes that you want, then Canaries or Morocco are the places to lay in a fresh stock of those.

Rabat remains one of our favourite stops and the marina there's a great place to visit inland from using the excellent railway system; conversely, you do know that Casablanca is one of the world's more uninteresting shitholes don't you? Humph and Ingrid never got within 5000 miles of the city.

 

[dansaskip]

Can you please elaborate on "go by the book" ? Is it nit picking through documents? Or will they take umbridge at our drinks cabinet, and the amount of gin in there?

I mean just make sure your documents are all in order, boat insurance, ships papers etc. you might call it nit picking they'd say they were just doing their job. I found them friendly and helpful though.

 

[bjl]

I visited Agadir in Oct 13. Protection in the marina was good. The entrance was routine and there was space enough to to manoeuvre into each slip. The marina was pretty crowded and the crowd was very friendly. The pontoons were fine. I didn't use power and can't recall if there was a power point for each boat. The ablution facilities were appalling. The marina was overlooked by some excellent restaurants. The seafront was only 3 or 4 minutes walk away and the promenade had dozens of restaurants along the way. (I used their toilet facilities rather than those of the marina). There was even a McDonalds restaurant with good wifi. Clearly some of the citizens were wealthy beyond my dreams.
I saw some very expensive cars there - 2 Ferraris and other super sports cars which I didn't recognise - and there were some designer stores too. But I also saw some apparently poor people, just scraping a living. There were many hole-in-the-wall cash machines. I cycled a good deal and was able to enjoy a small part of the surrounding area. Unlike Rabat, it was a challenge obtaining the requisite exit permission, the official not showing up in his office when promised. The departures of many yachts were delayed. The wait was more than made up for by a cracking reach to Arrecife.