Morocco gone slightly wrong

[john_morris_uk]

We left Gibraltar a few days ago hoping to visit Tangier, but were told there was no room in the port and it was full. Local information tells us that there is a 100 meter superyacht taking up a lot of space. My guess is that it’s a Russian owned yacht and it’s avoiding being impounded but that’s just a guess. We moved on and headed down the African coast.

Our intention was to sail down to Rabat which is one of the ports of entry into Morocco but after a day and a half motoring in the complete flat calm we found that Rabat was closed as the swell was several metres and breaking on the bar.

We decided to proceed to Casablanca and phoned to be assured tgere was a place for us. But the telephone number we were given for the Casablanca Marina was actually for Mohammedia just before Casablanca. The chart shows a Port du plaisance in Casablanca, so we believed everything was okay. We entered Casablanca in the dark thinking we were in the right place but were told that we were not allowed to be there and repeatedly ordered to leave.
By this time we’d motored 200 miles in flat calm and were running low on diesel and the option of leaving into no wind with very little fuel was not safe so we protested our problem and they eventually relented and allowed us to tie up in a commercial dock. A small boat met us and various officials gathered round to stare at this strange sight of a yacht in a commercial dock.. Two anchors out with lines ashore with Serendipity surging with the swell that was still affecting the harbour 1 mile in!

It took us two nights to escape after many officials came to interview us and ask whether we needed anything and check our papers multiple times. We couldn’t go to ashore from a boat held off the dock 5 metres by anchors fore and aft. so everything had to be photographed and sent across electronically or shouted across the gap

We’ve now escaped and are in Mohammedia just up the coast with Wi-Fi etc. Leaving for Lanzarote tomorrow after trying some of the local Moroccan food. I’m still trying to work out where we went wrong as we followed what I thought were the instructions we were given in good faith.
The joys of cruising…

My apologies if I don’t reply as we’re going to be out of range for the next 400 miles and I probably won’t be back online until Sunday or Monday.

 

[Roberto]

Casablanca has always been forbidden to pleasure crafts, well during the last 15/20 years at least. Some old ybw threads are more updated than the Sailing directions

 

[Sandy]

Just wondered if you are members of the Ocean Cruising Club or Cruising Association? As they will have county or port officers that are up to date with the local situation.

 

[GHA]

Just wondered if you are members of the Ocean Cruising Club or Cruising Association? As they will have county or port officers that are up to date with the local situation.

not really any need anymore , there's better crowd sourced data a few seconds away on a smart phone or tablet. Imho a critical part of cruising passage planning these days. Noforeignland & navily cover an awful lot of the bases.

 

[BobnLesley]

Our intention was to sail down to Rabat which is one of the ports of entry into Morocco but after a day and a half motoring in the complete flat calm we found that Rabat was closed as the swell was several metres and breaking on the bar.

...still trying to work out where we went wrong...

You went wrong in not checking on the weather forecasts or preferably with Buoragreg Marina as to the predicted sea state off Rabat before ever leaving the Straits. Rabat was one of our favourite marinas but it's no secret that the entrance is lumpy even on a nice day

 

[capnsensible]

The reports of a Marina being opened in Casablanca has not happened for many years! Glad to hear you escaped without damage.

By now you may have discovered the delights of.....Mohamedia. Isn't Maroc beaurocracy fun?

Agadir is the place to re discover that it can actually be a nice country!

 

[Sandy]

not really any need anymore , there's better crowd sourced data a few seconds away on a smart phone or tablet. Imho a critical part of cruising passage planning these days. Noforeignland & navily cover an awful lot of the bases.

That's not been my experience.

Navily is a site I use, but the posting are from an individual or individuals at a moment of time. It is not boots on the ground, with a relationship with the local community, you know the thing, there is a wee hardware shop behind the big carpark that will stock a left handed thingibob.

Which reminds me I must update my posting on Navily that said the hot water was not working in a marina on the Solent as I had a hot shower on my last visit. Sadly, the architect who designed the showers clearly does not sail and has no idea about taking soaking wet kit off in tiny cubical while keeping your dry stuff dry.

 

[john_morris_uk]

You went wrong in not checking on the weather forecasts or preferably with Buoragreg Marina as to the predicted sea state off Rabat before ever leaving the Straits. Rabat was one of our favourite marinas but it's no secret that the entrance is lumpy even on a nice day

We’d checked the forecast so knew there was no wind, but Rabat had answered saying they had a place for us and the port was open. No idea whether the swell was predicted or not but it was certainly closed when we arrived. I asked them for the telephone number of Casablanca Marina assuming the Marina on Navionics was open. Somehow between my French and his English he gave me the telephone number for the marina in Mohademmia without saying it wasn’t Casablanca!
We have no data offshore so it’s no use people saying ‘use Navily’ etc
Yes we are members of the CA.
We’d been stuck in Gib for two weeks waiting for parts so we were keen to move on. (Spanish impounded the UPS lorry for alleged faulty paperwork…)

 

[GHA]

We have no data offshore so it’s no use people saying ‘use Navily’ etc

Use Navily!! & noforeignland. ??
But cruisers generally have a good look at anywhere & everywhere there's a chance of ending up *before* setting off. Part of passage planning these days.

 

[sailaboutvic]

That's not been my experience.

Navily is a site I use, but the posting are from an individual or individuals at a moment of time. It is not boots on the ground, with a relationship with the local community, you know the thing, there is a wee hardware shop behind the big carpark that will stock a left handed thingibob.

Which reminds me I must update my posting on Navily that said the hot water was not working in a marina on the Solent as I had a hot shower on my last visit. Sadly, the architect who designed the showers clearly does not sail and has no idea about taking soaking wet kit off in tiny cubical while keeping your dry stuff dry.

Noforeignland is a very good source of info posting by people who actually been there and you have to chat to other who maybe at the same place your going to.

 

[sailaboutvic]

We left Gibraltar a few days ago hoping to visit Tangier, but were told there was no room in the port and it was full. Local information tells us that there is a 100 meter superyacht taking up a lot of space. My guess is that it’s a Russian owned yacht and it’s avoiding being impounded but that’s just a guess. We moved on and headed down the African coast.

Our intention was to sail down to Rabat which is one of the ports of entry into Morocco but after a day and a half motoring in the complete flat calm we found that Rabat was closed as the swell was several metres and breaking on the bar.

We decided to proceed to Casablanca and phoned to be assured tgere was a place for us. But the telephone number we were given for the Casablanca Marina was actually for Mohammedia just before Casablanca. The chart shows a Port du plaisance in Casablanca, so we believed everything was okay. We entered Casablanca in the dark thinking we were in the right place but were told that we were not allowed to be there and repeatedly ordered to leave.
By this time we’d motored 200 miles in flat calm and were running low on diesel and the option of leaving into no wind with very little fuel was not safe so we protested our problem and they eventually relented and allowed us to tie up in a commercial dock. A small boat met us and various officials gathered round to stare at this strange sight of a yacht in a commercial dock.. Two anchors out with lines ashore with Serendipity surging with the swell that was still affecting the harbour 1 mile in!

It took us two nights to escape after many officials came to interview us and ask whether we needed anything and check our papers multiple times. We couldn’t go to ashore from a boat held off the dock 5 metres by anchors fore and aft. so everything had to be photographed and sent across electronically or shouted across the gap

We’ve now escaped and are in Mohammedia just up the coast with Wi-Fi etc. Leaving for Lanzarote tomorrow after trying some of the local Moroccan food. I’m still trying to work out where we went wrong as we followed what I thought were the instructions we were given in good faith.
The joys of cruising…

My apologies if I don’t reply as we’re going to be out of range for the next 400 miles and I probably won’t be back online until Sunday or Monday.

All part of the learning curve when cruising , there quite a few here on the forum who have headed your way .
You pick up tips from those if ask in advance.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Use Navily!! & noforeignland. ??
But cruisers generally have a good look at anywhere & everywhere there's a chance of ending up *before* setting off. Part of passage planning these days.

Yes there no point in focusing on port of arrival when so much can alter your plains .

 

[GHA]

Noforeignland is a very good source of info posting by people who actually been there and you have to chat to other who maybe at the same place your going to.

So much online info nowadays, httrack will download parts of a site like noonsite for you as well, can be very useful.
HTTrack Website Copier - Free Software Offline Browser (GNU GPL)

 

[Roberto]

Use Navily!! & noforeignland.

Very useful to check where all people tend to congregate so one can sail somewhere else

 

[dunedin]

We’d checked the forecast so knew there was no wind, but Rabat had answered saying they had a place for us and the port was open. No idea whether the swell was predicted or not but it was certainly closed when we arrived. I asked them for the telephone number of Casablanca Marina assuming the Marina on Navionics was open. Somehow between my French and his English he gave me the telephone number for the marina in Mohademmia without saying it wasn’t Casablanca!
We have no data offshore so it’s no use people saying ‘use Navily’ etc
Yes we are members of the CA.
We’d been stuck in Gib for two weeks waiting for parts so we were keen to move on. (Spanish impounded the UPS lorry for alleged faulty paperwork…)

I believe that the CA’s app CAptains Mate keeps a local copy of the Cruising reports, so should work when out of data signal (though see stuff on the forum about how to avoid it suddenly asking for an online login).
I see it does have some brief reports on Rabat and Mohammedia- but if you get a chance worth adding additional info as a new report. Possibly also adding an entry for Casablanca - even if just to warn that not generally an option for yachts

 

[Frank Holden]

My 'go to' is Noonsite - usually pretty reliable.
Cruiserswiki is also good in parts - not so much for Morocco - Morocco - a Cruising Guide on the World Cruising and Sailing Wiki
Its a pity that so many cruisers want to take but not all that many seem willing to give.
This is 'my' Cruiserwiki page Chile - a Cruising Guide on the World Cruising and Sailing Wiki

 

[sailingmartin]

No idea whether the swell was predicted or not but it was certainly closed when we arrived.

You can get swell predictions pretty easily, even offshore if you have a satellite phone which can handle Grib files. I use the MFWAM Europe model for Atlantic Portugal and the Algarve which would also probably cover Morocco. More info here: What is MFWAM weather model and how it works - Windy.app. I also check Navily which gives a good feel about a place provided you are aware of it’s limitations as others have mentioned.

 

[GHA]

You can get swell predictions pretty easily, even offshore if you have a satellite phone which can handle Grib files. I use the MFWAM Europe model for Atlantic Portugal and the Algarve which would also probably cover Morocco. More info here: What is MFWAM weather model and how it works - Windy.app. I also check Navily which gives a good feel about a place provided you are aware of it’s limitations as others have mentioned.

Also opencpn will create email text to get grib emailed back from saildocs, requests for the gfs model also include WW3 wave data. Image below from last saturdays grib showing enough swell midweek to close Rabat.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

If you pay for navily then it has an offline mode.

 

[GHA]

Don't forget to get charts while doing bit of passage planning to pastures new as well, sat images in opencpn can be *so* useful ? Bing often a bit better than google for some reason. Arcgis sometimes good. Get em all! ?
Can be big downloads though, overnight with half decent connection helps. Sasplanet is win only unfortunately though some reports of it running OK under Wine in linux so might be possible in a raspberry pi.

Making mbTiles