pedrosail
New Member
Have you ever sail in the Guadiana River?
I intend to go up to Alcoutim or Pomarao.
Regards
Pedro
I intend to go up to Alcoutim or Pomarao.
Regards
Pedro
Sail in Guadiana River
- Thread starter pedrosail
- Start date
BobnLesley
Well-Known Member
We Visited Alcoutim in August 2004, there were losts of longtermers anchored up there, though we couldn't see the attraction - there was sod-all to do or see and away from the sea breeze, it was stinking hot! the passage is simple enough, just stay midstream and you'll find lots of water.
evmars1
Active Member
Did it June 2005.
As bobnlesley said, lots of longtermers anchored in river and on pontoons in Alcoutim and San Lucar. Alcoutim worth a visit but San Lucar on the opposite bank appeared to be closed!!
Pomerao, quiet, free berthing on good pontoons no power, do not take on fresh water here. One bus a week (tuesdays) to the nearest town of Mertola. Two bars, one, the cooperative has showers. Various mobile shops visit during the week.
When approaching Pomerao keep to the port hand for the last 300metres.
In the summer months a very large, hotel type river boat lays in Alcoutim on Sunday nights. Any vessel unaware of this and anchored in the river below Alcoutim could have a nasty shock early Monday morning when the hotel departs in the dark.
Rafts of floating bamboo were a problem at Alcoutim, both at anchor and alongside. Would be better to go up on neaps.
We thought the Guadiana worth the visit,
We'll probably go back, but not for some time.
david
As bobnlesley said, lots of longtermers anchored in river and on pontoons in Alcoutim and San Lucar. Alcoutim worth a visit but San Lucar on the opposite bank appeared to be closed!!
Pomerao, quiet, free berthing on good pontoons no power, do not take on fresh water here. One bus a week (tuesdays) to the nearest town of Mertola. Two bars, one, the cooperative has showers. Various mobile shops visit during the week.
When approaching Pomerao keep to the port hand for the last 300metres.
In the summer months a very large, hotel type river boat lays in Alcoutim on Sunday nights. Any vessel unaware of this and anchored in the river below Alcoutim could have a nasty shock early Monday morning when the hotel departs in the dark.
Rafts of floating bamboo were a problem at Alcoutim, both at anchor and alongside. Would be better to go up on neaps.
We thought the Guadiana worth the visit,
We'll probably go back, but not for some time.
david
pedrosail
New Member
Hello
David, didn't you went directly from the Vila Real de Sto Antonio to Alcoutim or did you stop in Odeleite?
My idea is to go in begining of June, travel just one night in Odeleite, one in Alcoutim and one in Pomerao. The main objective is to see the river view and enjoy the small villages.
The complete, trip will be Vilamoura, Olhao, Rio Guadiana, Isla Cristina, Tavira and again Vilamoura. What do you think about the complete trip?
I normally sail in Dinghies, but this year I decided to charter a small yacht, from 31' to 35'. I am also sill looking for the charter boat.
I live in Portugal, but near Lisbon.
Thanks and Regards
Pedro
David, didn't you went directly from the Vila Real de Sto Antonio to Alcoutim or did you stop in Odeleite?
My idea is to go in begining of June, travel just one night in Odeleite, one in Alcoutim and one in Pomerao. The main objective is to see the river view and enjoy the small villages.
The complete, trip will be Vilamoura, Olhao, Rio Guadiana, Isla Cristina, Tavira and again Vilamoura. What do you think about the complete trip?
I normally sail in Dinghies, but this year I decided to charter a small yacht, from 31' to 35'. I am also sill looking for the charter boat.
I live in Portugal, but near Lisbon.
Thanks and Regards
Pedro
oakum
Well-Known Member
Moored my boat up there for while, got away in July and August when yes it's hot (50's) spent last winter there and it can get v. cool once the sun's down. To really appreciate it you've got to stay a while, chill out and get into relaxed atmosphere of place, and get to know the place and people, then you'll find there's quite a lot going on.
evmars1
Active Member
Hello Pedro,
we did'nt stop in Odeleite but anchored for a peaceful night just below Alcoutim. The plan sounds fine, but Olhao might be a problem.
In June 2005, as far as I know, berthing was restricted to a minimum stay of one month. There was no power or water or even cleats on the outside of the visitiors pontoon. Anchoring to the east of the marins was being dicouraged.
If nothing has changed by the time of your trip, I suggest you anchor off Culatra, leave the dinghy on the beach, and take the ferry to Olhao, which is very cheap.
Have a good trip!
David
we did'nt stop in Odeleite but anchored for a peaceful night just below Alcoutim. The plan sounds fine, but Olhao might be a problem.
In June 2005, as far as I know, berthing was restricted to a minimum stay of one month. There was no power or water or even cleats on the outside of the visitiors pontoon. Anchoring to the east of the marins was being dicouraged.
If nothing has changed by the time of your trip, I suggest you anchor off Culatra, leave the dinghy on the beach, and take the ferry to Olhao, which is very cheap.
Have a good trip!
David
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Guadiana
If you're looking for excitement and all-night discos it's probably not the place to go, however it's and enchanted place and well-worth a visit.
Two marinas at the entrance, Villa Reale de San Antonio (W bank Portuguese) and Ayamonte. (E bank Spanish). Watch out for the current through the pontoons on the Vila Reale side, especially on ebb. The Ayamonte marina is a Junta de Puertos de Andalucia so quite civilized, but more expensive.
The entrance bar needs to be watched, in 2003 the ALW on it was down to 1.2m, don't think of entering or leaving from half ebb to half flood, especially with an onshore wind. You'll need to ride the bore going up the river, ask about timings at the mouth, because it adds about 2m to depths
Upstream of these is an elegant suspension bridge carrying the autoroute and you pass through about 6 km of wetlands with lots of quite rare birdlife. The channel is unbuoyed above this, quite deep but winds quite a bit. About 3nm above the bridge you come to the first anchorage, Pedra Amerata on the E side. The village had 1 bar but no shop.
The next two anchorages, Almada de Ouro and Amoriera are both on the W bank, about 5 & 6nm respectively above the bridge. Both villages set back from the bank, don't know of facilities, not having gone ashore there.
Just after the Foz de Odeleite, a large tributary on the W bank is a pontoon, just outside the village. Though equipped with stands, no electricity or water. There is a bar and hotel in the village, both closed when I was last there. The walk up the Foz is fantastic and you can get up to the mountain village of Odoleite within about 11km. Plenty of bars and very welcome too.
There's an anchorage just downstream and on the opposite E bank, below Alamo and another pontoon on the W at Laranjiera, 12nm above the bridge. Bar and general store here, water and occasional electricity available.
Next anchorage just above the bend on the E bank off Puerto Carbon, after whichyou cone to Alcoutim in Portugal and Sanlucar de Guadiana (not to be confused with the Sanlucar of manzanilla fame on the Guadalquivir).
A quay and some pontoons downstream in Sanlucar, two rows of mooring buoys (of doubtful root), pontoons and the quay on Alcoutim side.
Whatever you do don't try and anchor between the rows of buoys, you'll get comprehensively fouled on the unmarked, capsized pontoon. The visibility in the water is about 10cm, but I recovered 5 anchors, but had to surrender 20m of chain to the damned thing.
Alcoutim is suffering with a sense of grievance, it's lost a lot of vacation business to other places, but Sanlucar across the river can be very lively if you know where to go. Ask the proprietor of the restaurant on the quay - his English is perfect and he was mayor (he was also a director of one of the UK's most prestigious hotels for about 7 years) or, if you speak Spanish go to the bar at the very far end of the village.
Had a sardine barbeque (sardines and beer free to your capacity), got incorporated into the engagement party of the nephew of the lady-who-chops-chickens-at-the top-of-the-hill) and many other amusants. The all-night discos are, fortunately rare.
Plenty of anchorage room on both sides of the river above the towns and the castles are well worth having a look at, if climbing to them is a little strenuous.
As you go up the river you'll pass the Rio Tinto abandoned loading jetties, above this you need to be fairly careful about depths of water, keep to the W bank as soon as you sight the village angle diagonally across to the opposite bank.
Several mooring buoys and a pontoon, no power or water but water available up the hill in the village. No bar but Maria of the Sociedad Recreatavo Pomerense does superb casseroles of pork or chicken (go for chicken it permits later mornings abed as the crowing cocks ashore are decimated). Ashore, if you're into industrial archeology, is fascinating, and on the other bank you'll find the remains of the English port facilities and you can walk up the hill to the village and have a party (Portuguese or French get you by). Pomerao and the village above are pretty polyglot, Portuguese, German, English and French. Friday nights excellent fado in the Sociedad, you'll be challenged to play/sing (thank God for Lonnie Donegan, they knew 3 of his songs).
Annie Hammick in her excellent Pilot has got one thing wrong - it's quite possible to get up the river to Mertola, it's done regularly and about 1 visiting sailboat gets there every 5th year. It is however far easier to get the Thursday bus from Pomerao.
Mertola is magic - Roman watergate, mediaeval castle, 5 arch mosque with mihrab still exposed (obviously used as a church).
Great fun, visit strongly advised - the new barrages have tamed the river (which used to flood up to 24m above the bed). Avoid summer months - the river water gets up to 28C and that feels cold!!!
If you want any further info PM me
If you're looking for excitement and all-night discos it's probably not the place to go, however it's and enchanted place and well-worth a visit.
Two marinas at the entrance, Villa Reale de San Antonio (W bank Portuguese) and Ayamonte. (E bank Spanish). Watch out for the current through the pontoons on the Vila Reale side, especially on ebb. The Ayamonte marina is a Junta de Puertos de Andalucia so quite civilized, but more expensive.
The entrance bar needs to be watched, in 2003 the ALW on it was down to 1.2m, don't think of entering or leaving from half ebb to half flood, especially with an onshore wind. You'll need to ride the bore going up the river, ask about timings at the mouth, because it adds about 2m to depths
Upstream of these is an elegant suspension bridge carrying the autoroute and you pass through about 6 km of wetlands with lots of quite rare birdlife. The channel is unbuoyed above this, quite deep but winds quite a bit. About 3nm above the bridge you come to the first anchorage, Pedra Amerata on the E side. The village had 1 bar but no shop.
The next two anchorages, Almada de Ouro and Amoriera are both on the W bank, about 5 & 6nm respectively above the bridge. Both villages set back from the bank, don't know of facilities, not having gone ashore there.
Just after the Foz de Odeleite, a large tributary on the W bank is a pontoon, just outside the village. Though equipped with stands, no electricity or water. There is a bar and hotel in the village, both closed when I was last there. The walk up the Foz is fantastic and you can get up to the mountain village of Odoleite within about 11km. Plenty of bars and very welcome too.
There's an anchorage just downstream and on the opposite E bank, below Alamo and another pontoon on the W at Laranjiera, 12nm above the bridge. Bar and general store here, water and occasional electricity available.
Next anchorage just above the bend on the E bank off Puerto Carbon, after whichyou cone to Alcoutim in Portugal and Sanlucar de Guadiana (not to be confused with the Sanlucar of manzanilla fame on the Guadalquivir).
A quay and some pontoons downstream in Sanlucar, two rows of mooring buoys (of doubtful root), pontoons and the quay on Alcoutim side.
Whatever you do don't try and anchor between the rows of buoys, you'll get comprehensively fouled on the unmarked, capsized pontoon. The visibility in the water is about 10cm, but I recovered 5 anchors, but had to surrender 20m of chain to the damned thing.
Alcoutim is suffering with a sense of grievance, it's lost a lot of vacation business to other places, but Sanlucar across the river can be very lively if you know where to go. Ask the proprietor of the restaurant on the quay - his English is perfect and he was mayor (he was also a director of one of the UK's most prestigious hotels for about 7 years) or, if you speak Spanish go to the bar at the very far end of the village.
Had a sardine barbeque (sardines and beer free to your capacity), got incorporated into the engagement party of the nephew of the lady-who-chops-chickens-at-the top-of-the-hill) and many other amusants. The all-night discos are, fortunately rare.
Plenty of anchorage room on both sides of the river above the towns and the castles are well worth having a look at, if climbing to them is a little strenuous.
As you go up the river you'll pass the Rio Tinto abandoned loading jetties, above this you need to be fairly careful about depths of water, keep to the W bank as soon as you sight the village angle diagonally across to the opposite bank.
Several mooring buoys and a pontoon, no power or water but water available up the hill in the village. No bar but Maria of the Sociedad Recreatavo Pomerense does superb casseroles of pork or chicken (go for chicken it permits later mornings abed as the crowing cocks ashore are decimated). Ashore, if you're into industrial archeology, is fascinating, and on the other bank you'll find the remains of the English port facilities and you can walk up the hill to the village and have a party (Portuguese or French get you by). Pomerao and the village above are pretty polyglot, Portuguese, German, English and French. Friday nights excellent fado in the Sociedad, you'll be challenged to play/sing (thank God for Lonnie Donegan, they knew 3 of his songs).
Annie Hammick in her excellent Pilot has got one thing wrong - it's quite possible to get up the river to Mertola, it's done regularly and about 1 visiting sailboat gets there every 5th year. It is however far easier to get the Thursday bus from Pomerao.
Mertola is magic - Roman watergate, mediaeval castle, 5 arch mosque with mihrab still exposed (obviously used as a church).
Great fun, visit strongly advised - the new barrages have tamed the river (which used to flood up to 24m above the bed). Avoid summer months - the river water gets up to 28C and that feels cold!!!
If you want any further info PM me
bazobeleza
Well-Known Member
Re: Guadiana
I'm taking Beleza down to Portugal for this summer, first time for me but not Beleza as she was originally Portugese owned, I'm looking forward to it and this thread has been very usefull, thanks all!
I'm taking Beleza down to Portugal for this summer, first time for me but not Beleza as she was originally Portugese owned, I'm looking forward to it and this thread has been very usefull, thanks all!
LeonF
Well-Known Member
Re: Guadiana
What a great post Charles.....I sat in the Parador on the headland last year while helping a friend to house hunt and watched a ketch entering the river at sunset in a stiff breeze..it looked idyllic and I was envious. He has since bought further east in Chiclana and I am tempted to one day soon take my boat down there....have you sailed the coast around Cadiz?? Any recommendations for marinas in the area? The tiny harbour at Chiclana is idyllic but they have a year long waiting list for moorings !
What a great post Charles.....I sat in the Parador on the headland last year while helping a friend to house hunt and watched a ketch entering the river at sunset in a stiff breeze..it looked idyllic and I was envious. He has since bought further east in Chiclana and I am tempted to one day soon take my boat down there....have you sailed the coast around Cadiz?? Any recommendations for marinas in the area? The tiny harbour at Chiclana is idyllic but they have a year long waiting list for moorings !
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