Sotogrande and Costa del Sol

[Magnum]

Following on from the other thread re: shipping to Med it was suggested that if I was doing it all myself or even just last leg from Gib to Palma I should fill up with cheap diesel (30p) at Gib. This got me thinking. Wouldn't it be nice to fill up with cheap diesel more often? Like all the time if the boat was close enough to Gib?

So, Sotogrande is close I believe, but I know nothing about the area, cruising grounds, marinas, prices, availability and desirability compared to Palma and Antibes.

Anyone got some info? Clive, Tony7?

 

[kindredspirit]

Cruising grounds would appear to be up and down the coast and Ceuta, North Africa et al.

Marinas:
Soto; emptyish. Buy an apartment there, get a berth with it.
Dukessa: looks full.
Banoose: ask the right people.

Desirabilty? To Palma, Antibes???

 

[Tony7]

I love it!!! ( not cheap seats but you get a better class of caravan) All Costa del sol round to Portugal within a days cruise, always fill up in Gib 20mins. Last trip 2 weeks ago, quick trip to Morocco (Shmear) 1hr. overnighted and spent next day in some great little bays up the coast. ( want to do a lot more of this, n may spend a full week over there next trip )
I also have property in Soto, love the privacy and security. www.sotogrande.com
very easy flights into Gib and Taxi to Soto (€25 + 20 mins) or to Malaga ( 1hr).
Mate of mine with no property has just moved to Gib berth full time on basis he fly’s into Gib anyway and then cruises round to Soto as a base when he’s over (saves about 40% on being in Soto full time)
Best Polo and Golf in Europe. with some great long winding roads for Harley riders.
IMHO

 

[Magnum]

How big are the berths there? Can't find anything larger than 15m x 5m.

 

[Tony7]

Plenty of 25M and up to 40M
if you look at the pic on the web link ( www.sotogrande.com ) then click LIVING IN SOTOGRANDE you can see the 15M far right going smaller to the left.
the very back wall to the left of the tower are 25M, and off to the right (off picture ) are also 25 + 30m.
most of the properties built in the marina with own berths are only up to 15m.
hope this makes sense!!

 

[Tony7]

Sorry just looked at pic again, my mistake. you can see 20m on far right going down to the left.

 

[wakeup]

"So, Sotogrande is close I believe, but I know nothing about the area, cruising grounds, marinas, prices, availability and desirability compared to Palma and Antibes "

ROFLMAO you've got all the gear and no idea!!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Renegade_Master]

Hi Magnum where do yo reckon we fill up /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Its just gone up 4p per litre the swines.

 

[Renegade_Master]

Duquesa berths max 20m , believe your just over.
What Tony didnt mention of course is that Gib has other delights, (apart from the Dolphins) like if your happen to be chain smoking alcoholic its the ideal place as fags 75p a pack and spirits £5 litre.

 

[Magnum]

wakeup, you been at the cooking sherry again?

Yes we all know Antibes is the centre of the yachting universe blah, blah, blah. But I have never been to Sotogrande and this is an internet forum where people learn and share. It could be crap or superb, that's what I'm trying to find out.

 

[kindredspirit]

Quote;

"Yes we all know Antibes is the centre of the yachting universe blah, blah, blah. But I have never been to Sotogrande and this is an internet forum where people learn and share. It could be crap or superb, that's what I'm trying to find out."

Do you want "peace" or "buzz" in your marina?

If you want a peaceful berth, its Soto.

If you want to be in the middle of all the action, its Banus.

And it seems you're too big for Duquesa.

 

[wakeup]

Ahhh just yanking your chain.......

 

[jfm]

Worth checking the ground tackle arrangements also. Some boats in that pic of Soto seemed to be attached to groundlines but some seemed to be using their own anchors. Bit odd. The one at bottom rh corner looks like it is using a groundline but oddly it is brought over its bow roller. Next-but-one boat from bottom rh corner seems an odd set up. Anyway, didn't look like many/any had proper double groundlines, as a 15x5 in Antibes would have, let alone a 23x6. You wouldn't want to be worrying about the p67 when back home and seeing the weather reports (strong winds) down there. No doubt it's all pukka ish, but worth checking.

 

[Tony7]

All berths have ground lines and 20+ double lines ( very pukka ish ) nobody drops achors in marina ? ( is this what happens in Antibes?? ) Tut Tut.
Magnum, enjoy the trip, visit as many ports as possible, life is an adventure not a competition.
If I can be of any help, give me a call.

 

[Magnum]

Having done a bit of research today and spoke to a number of forumites (thanks) it would appear the differences between Costa del Sol and Mallorca could be summarised as follows :-

Mallorca - Great cruising grounds, expensive fuel, very quiet out of season.
Costa del Sol - Cheap fuel at Gibraltar, stays "open" year round, cruising grounds not so interesting.

I can have use of a berth in Banus for a while - maybe a few weeks or a few months, longer if I dig deep. It has been suggested that a good combination would be summer in Mallorca and rest of season in Costa del Sol. At least that would involve 2 fairly long trips each year, which would be fun.

 

[tcm]

i stayed around there last year, and went again to take the boat thru to uk staying another weekend waiting for better weather in portugal.

Sotogrande is a new-money marina-estate place with eateries called things like "the k-bar" that serve burgers. The multicoloured houses are built without damp courses around an evergrowing building-site swamp. It´s cheap cos it´s near gibraltar where it´s even cheaper, the ship can tip the boat out in gibraltar obviating the need for actually using it as an axshul seagoing item PLUS they´ll split the restaurant bills between several cards for tightwad brits. Loud parents attempt to chastise their bored kids in lonely off-season restaurants and if you say you´ve got a boat - theirs is always bigger, or so they say, but then just to check if you really DO have a boat, they rip along the quayside in their car later but don´t dare come on board as invited - perhaps i didn´t fit in cos i wasn´t a bullshitter? Duquesa 5 miles up the road has far more life about it - better quality chips, a far wider selection of greasy spoons run by expat brits all competing to sell a big breakfast for 4 euros, plus regulation pints of lager sold by other brits in bars with large tellys showing all the premiership footy AND coronation street as well, tho the big chinese family is much more serious about actualy attracting customers and does er free schnaps til dawn as far as i remeber. imho , amongst the best things about sotogrande are the very nice peeps at suncoast, a fab place to do rya training courses.

Dunno if all this means it´s good or bad ?....

 

[Magnum]

Hmm, doesn't sound that great.

 

[tcm]

oh, i mite be being a bit unfair, or a bit too brutally honest. Why not try it anyway? I bet you´ll love it - i spect it has classy bits somewhere - as per "footprints on the ceiling" tony7 says...

 

[Tony7]

Oh, TCM you loved it really!!!!! you smooth talker you.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Quite by chance I've just had dinner with a chap who moors his boat in Gib and he has 2 comments. Firstly, when its windy its more windy in the Straits as the wind funnels through there and since there is an almost constant east going current any easterly wind kicks up a big sea. Second, he does'nt think that the coastline is that interesting although, the availability of cheap diesel might outweigh both these factors for some peeps
Your idea about summer in Balearics and winter on Costa del Sol sounds good but he says winter is windiest time