stranded
Well-known member
Well, it took a while, but I can confirm that Tangier’s new marina is properly open for business. There is still quite a bit of work to be done - there are only a few fingers in place, together with a lot of buoys for Med style moorings. I presume the latter are temporary but really didn’t fancy them, despite becoming an enthusiastic convert to the ease of Med mooring over the past few months. The tidal range means the (virtually all unoccupied) buoys wander all over the place at low water making getting through them to the pontoon a prop snagging obstacle course, and the variable tidal height would surely mean they would have to be continually adjusted to account for the tide? Anyway, we politely declined, and were given a very nice hammerhead. The two other sailing boats that turned up on Friday did likewise (somewhat less politely). I had a brief discussion with one of the apparently senior marineros who I think may have had something to do with their installation who said that they had a similar arrangement where he had worked previously, in Smir, which I presume is somewhat less tidal.
Anyway, back to our arrival. The marina does not have VHF at present, and the phone went unanswered, so we went to the reception berth which is on the left round the corner from the fuel berths. We were met by a number of marineros and what turned out to be police. It was a bit shambolic, but very friendly, though English was in short supply and even French not understood by everyone, or not my French at least. A stroll up to the police office 50 metres away, then next door to customs, an extremely cursory look over the boat by customs - one cupboard, one drawer opened, and that was that, official formalities done in less than half an hour and Q flag down. The marina office took about as long, but the three women working there, all of whom seemed to have to be involved with some aspect of our paperwork, were absolutely charming, so that was no hardship! Nor was the cost, at around £18 a night for 13.4m in mid-August.
Shelter seems fine. It’s been blowing old boots from the east for the last couple of days - regularly gusting 35-40kts - with some decent seas running outside. The wind blows home, and there is inevitably a bit of slap, but no swell whatsoever. Dunno what it would be like from other directions but it looks unlikely anything much would get in.
Electricity and water at all berths, and decent WiFi at ours (‘L’). Toilets and showers working, if not quite sparkling clean. Only two loos in the main men’s, but it looks like there are other blocks dotted around for when it’s fuller. No loo roll (but a ringside shower head if you really like to get into the culture of the places you visit) and no soap. The pontoon gates and loos are without locks at present although it looks as though a card system is planned. This is not a problem though as there are seemingly dozens of security people around, and the public are not allowed to access the road the pontoons run from. Immediately alongside the road is a new development and at first floor level there is a promenade which is obviously very popular with apparently well heeled locals. Great views across the bay, a few decent looking restaurants, and a nightclub. Best thing about it is a ‘Paul’ bakery and patisserie - great coffee and pastries literally one minute from the boat. And with better kept loos...
So here we sit, one of 12 sailing boats, plus a few mobos, in a marina built for over a thousand. Unfortunately, as we know, nature abhors a vacuum, and what the marina lacks in boats, it makes up for in seagulls. Everyday the marineros are out hosing the pontoons, and every morning, by the time I head for the facilities after my first cuppa, they are absolutely covered in birdshit again. I should think after a week of not being cleaned you would not be able to see much pontoon through the guano. They haven’t thus far soiled Nooka’s decks - with so much pontoon available perhaps they don’t need to, and maybe they will eventually wake up to the fact that the fishing port has been moved to the west, but something to think about if planning on a long stay.
All in all, a great new option if visiting Morocco, one of my very favourite countries.
Anyway, back to our arrival. The marina does not have VHF at present, and the phone went unanswered, so we went to the reception berth which is on the left round the corner from the fuel berths. We were met by a number of marineros and what turned out to be police. It was a bit shambolic, but very friendly, though English was in short supply and even French not understood by everyone, or not my French at least. A stroll up to the police office 50 metres away, then next door to customs, an extremely cursory look over the boat by customs - one cupboard, one drawer opened, and that was that, official formalities done in less than half an hour and Q flag down. The marina office took about as long, but the three women working there, all of whom seemed to have to be involved with some aspect of our paperwork, were absolutely charming, so that was no hardship! Nor was the cost, at around £18 a night for 13.4m in mid-August.
Shelter seems fine. It’s been blowing old boots from the east for the last couple of days - regularly gusting 35-40kts - with some decent seas running outside. The wind blows home, and there is inevitably a bit of slap, but no swell whatsoever. Dunno what it would be like from other directions but it looks unlikely anything much would get in.
Electricity and water at all berths, and decent WiFi at ours (‘L’). Toilets and showers working, if not quite sparkling clean. Only two loos in the main men’s, but it looks like there are other blocks dotted around for when it’s fuller. No loo roll (but a ringside shower head if you really like to get into the culture of the places you visit) and no soap. The pontoon gates and loos are without locks at present although it looks as though a card system is planned. This is not a problem though as there are seemingly dozens of security people around, and the public are not allowed to access the road the pontoons run from. Immediately alongside the road is a new development and at first floor level there is a promenade which is obviously very popular with apparently well heeled locals. Great views across the bay, a few decent looking restaurants, and a nightclub. Best thing about it is a ‘Paul’ bakery and patisserie - great coffee and pastries literally one minute from the boat. And with better kept loos...
So here we sit, one of 12 sailing boats, plus a few mobos, in a marina built for over a thousand. Unfortunately, as we know, nature abhors a vacuum, and what the marina lacks in boats, it makes up for in seagulls. Everyday the marineros are out hosing the pontoons, and every morning, by the time I head for the facilities after my first cuppa, they are absolutely covered in birdshit again. I should think after a week of not being cleaned you would not be able to see much pontoon through the guano. They haven’t thus far soiled Nooka’s decks - with so much pontoon available perhaps they don’t need to, and maybe they will eventually wake up to the fact that the fishing port has been moved to the west, but something to think about if planning on a long stay.
All in all, a great new option if visiting Morocco, one of my very favourite countries.
Where to next, winter in the Canaries?
