Moorings at Hotel Formentor Mallorca

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blackcatfan73

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I am planning a trip next month sailing round Mallorca. I understand that there are some moorings off the Hotel Formentor in Pollensa Bay. Does anyone know anything about these and if so whether:

a) they are worth a visit; and
b) you can just turn up or if you have to book ahead.

I have e-mailed the hotel but they have told me that these moorings do not belong to them

Thanks in advance for any information
 
We anchored by Hotel Formentora last summer and spent a few days there with no problem. The problem with the moorings are they suffer wash from the many daily tripper boats that run from Pollensa. A great spot though!
 
I think that, by May, you will be charged for the moorings at Formentor. As I recall, anchoring to seaward of these moorings was difficult (hence we reluctantly paid on our first visit).

Last year we did not even bother and went straight to Pollensa. Pollensa is indeed a good anchorage but you may be alarmed at some of the soundings in some areas!

Pto Pollensa town quay is also very nice but only allows (quite rightly IMHO) three days max. You can contact them on VHF before entering. The marina at the Club Nautico Pollensa is much smarter and consequently more expensive.
 
The moorings belong to the local council, with rights let out to a company. Other than midday in August you will almost certainly be able to pick one up. We were on one in July 2005 for a couple of nights, at 1000 and 2000 there were plenty of empty ones. They are colour coded for the length of the vessel but nobody seems to take much notice of that. I think we paid 20 Euros per 24 hours, collected by a couple of lads in a RIB.

The bad news is that this scheme replaces what was a free anchorage. There is now nowhere that a boat can anchor in this area, you will be moved if you anchor inside the limit buoys and outside is pretty deep. The same scheme is already being applied in many bays and anchorages in the islands and on the mainland. It is said that anchoring in the whole of Pollensa bay will soon be forbidden. All part of the Balearics drive for 'Quality tourism'.
 
'The same scheme is being applied in many bays and anchorages in the islands and the mainland'

Can you please help us avoid them by naming these bays and anchorages.

Many thanks.
 
My son lives in Palma. He tells me there are many plans afoot. The one I know first hand is Cadaques, where plenty of anchoring was available to visit this super town. Now there are only high priced moorings, 30 Euros for 11 metres per night. Port Lligat has also banned anchoring, although the moorings are more reasonably priced.

Ibiza town has banned anchoring, although there are no moorings. The ban is widely ignored but the pilot boat comes around from time to time and clears everyone out. Colin Jones reported in PBO that the same thing happened at Puerto Selva. Very difficult to anchor at Puerto Colom now. Rumours of moorings only at Porto Cristo. Anchoring inside at Andraixt is variable, sometimes OK but seems to be at the whim of the fishermen.
 
Thanks for that. We also visited San Telmo in Majorca last year to find that the old anchorage has been reduced by about two thirds with buoys marking the no-go areas. The main anchorage at Mahon has also been closed for the past three years to vessels under 30m.

I am not convinced that there is any plan, let alone a co-ordinated plan, to put off (or fleece) visitors by restricting free anchoring. I believe that local regulations are more a reaction to abuse by visiting yachts - witness the idiots anchoring outside the generous allotted area in San Antonio, Ibiza restricting the movements of the ferries. As for Andraix, you will not be bothered if anchored in the anchorage to seaward of the town quay. We have witnessed inconsiderate yachtsmen (of all nationalities) anchoring at the head of the Cala within a few metres of local boats. No wonder the fishermen get cheesed off.

Going back to the original question, Formentor is probably just a case of opportunism and, IMO, it is better to vote with the feet and avoid the place.
 
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