Morocco, anyone?

[jeremyshaw]

I am thinking of bringing our boat back from the Caribbean in the next year or two and basing it in Morocco, on the Mediterranean coast.

Reasons: Outside the VAT zone (we are VAT unpaid), no restriction on boat stay (if stored); lowish cost, seems secure country, able to range out to the Canaries, Spain, Portugal and the Western Med; cheap fuel, reasonably easily reached; burgeoning yacht industry.

Mediterranean Morocco in itself doesn't seem to be much of a cruising ground, but seems appealing as a base.

I've read a number of reports about the Atlantic coast of Morocco, but can't find much about the Med coast. Anyone been there, kept a boat there, or have informed views?

Many thanks

 

[RBJ]

I spent most of September last year on the Atlantic coast, stopping at Kenitra, Mohammedia, El Jedidah, Safi and Essouria. Of these only Mohammedia was a safe place to leave the boat. Cost €12 per night (28ft).

IMHO not a good cruising ground but close to the Canaries and interesting excursions ashore.

Also visited Rabat by rail and noticed a large, brand new marina virtually complete. At that time there was no access as the river was too shallow but dredging operations were in progress. Rabat had good air and rail connections.

A few notes on Morocco here.

 

[Abigail]

Hi there,

we cruised the med coast from Tangers east wards last year. There aren't that many ports and they are very variable. If you send me a pm with your address, I'll send you a copy of the write up we did for the SSCA and CA. From Gib eastwards, you can also see our blog (address below)

In brief:

Tangers (western end of Straits) - quite a good YC provision on a pontoon on the western side of the odl fish dock. Security feels lax because few locks, but in fact there's itnense surveillance. Don't know how easy it would be to get a berth. This would give you a good base both through the straits and for the Costa del Luz and Algarve. Prices slightly (but only slightly) less than Spain. Excellent provisioning etc.

Gib: not in the VAT zone but fiendishly expensive and we didn't like it!

Smir - the first Moroccan marina east of Gib. Some people swear by it. It's a modern marina with a 'resort town' around it and a spectacular beach, but we didn't see much else in the way of facilities. Security excellent including for boats on the hard. Pricing not dissimilar from Spain.

Name of marina forgotten between Smir and El Jebha - silted up and unusable by a keel yacht.

El Jebha - only a fishing village, not a place to leave a boat. Free ont he fish dock.

Al Hoceima - we didn't find it salubrious, but we have met others who really like it. There was at least one yacht that looked as if it lived there, but we were parked on one of the ferry docks and didn't really get to look around the port much. Quite a buzzing town, with lots of faciities, this is a resort town for ex-pat and quite westernised Morrocans. No diea what it would take to get a berth here. We weren't charged for our night.

There is another marina east of Melilla, which we didn't go to but were told is good and secure. The King keeps his yacht there apparently, so the dredging gets done regularly. (I'm afraid the pilot is extremely well stowed and I can't remember its name.)

Melilla and Ceuta are both Spanish enclaves. Ceuta certainly is in the VAT zone, but Melilla may just be excluded. You don't pay VAT there, but I don't know whether it would work for your particular issues. If it would, then Melilla might be a very good choice as it's very reasonable, has good security, easy flights to Malaga and hence onwards and quite a liveaboard community. (Nador, the Morroccan part of the port, is closed to yachts.)

You cannot anchor anywhere in Morrocco without prior permission of the authotities, and this coast is very heavily surveyed. That said, we had absolutely no hassle in the country (beyond the usual pressure to buy things), and felt very safe. As two women, we were treated with great respect by nearly every port official and certainly were never asked for bribes. Only in Al Hociema did any official come below, and only there did anyone even make a show of looking around the boat; however this may have been because of some identification of Roaring Girl as a 'women's space', and hence off-limits. But certainly, it was no more difficult than, say, the forms in Portugal, except for being in French, and actually less effort as they came to the boat instead of us walking to some office.

As a cruising base - it's not that far north to spain or east to Sicily/Tunisia. Fuel is extremely cheap in Algeria, although you will be unlikely to be allowed to leave the port areas.

Hope this helps.

 

[capnsensible]

Lost count of the number of times I have visited Smir! Personally, I really like the place. Good facilities, well placed for voyaging off all around the Straits or off to the East. Quiet for a lot of the year but busy in summer, mostly land visitors rather than boats. Great trips inland easily organised, Tetouan, Chefchouen, etc. Very friendly locals.

For the future, I saw a year or two ago, plans mooted for a large holiday complex planned to be built somewhere to the west of Mellillia. This was to include a 600 odd berth marina. Moroccan telly featured it a lot, big deal signed by King, supported by some Dubai building group,. Quite what has come of it though, I don't know.
Morocco does have big plans to expand tourism, I certainly would reccomend a visit.

For anyone looking at this with an eye on the Atlantic coast, try the new marina at Agadir. Spot on.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ariadne]

Smir was good, we were there earlier this year. Secure and cheap if out of the water, and about the same price as Ceuta if in the water. If I remember you only get a 3 month visa and you have to leave the country for at least 24 hours before being allowed back in.

If you neeed any work done you'll need to bring the materials in yourself as there was a 90% import tax in foreign goods, i.e. marine paints, chandlery etc. People we met shot over to Gib' or mainland Spain and brought the stuff back as ships stores.

Nice but very raw motor/cruising along the coast line with some good stuff to see. On the whole a very cheap country to visit and very safe for the family (we went with our 2 chilren 8 & 10).

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[jeremyshaw]

Many thanks for the helpful replies. Sounds like Morocco might suit us very well as a place to base the boat!

 

[Conachair]

Agadir marina? Never knew it had one. You been over? How much was it? OK to leave a boat for a few weeks to travel inland do you think? So many questions Love this forum, would have missed out on loads without the info from you lot /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif regards from delgado /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[capnsensible]

Hiya,
Went over in Feburary for a look, it has not been open long. Brilliant place, right on the end of the huge beach and tourist strip. Lots of entertainment but not as tacky as Tenerife!
Prices in marina about the same as average Canary marinas.
Safe and secure, very welcoming. All the customs, police etc come to you. call on 16 at about 15 mins away and a marinero will assist.
Not a busy harbour. Good spot as you ask for visiting inland. Did you meet Tim on 'Missie Mollie'? He has been over there a few weeks and has gone off to Marakesh and lots more.
Easy pilotage too, just follow the commercial harbour wall towards beach.
Humdagalelbub, Chris

 

[Conachair]

Thanks mate! Sounds cool, may well go for a look. Shall most prob be passing Lanzarote later in the the year so shall drop in for a beer if you're around.


padz