Tunisia, Bizerta Marina?

[jimbaerselman]

It seems the skeleton of a marina is in place in Bizerta, but not commissioned. Very optimistic (and imaginative) web site. Has anyone tried to park there this year? Or did political winds blow you away from cheap fueling?

 

[charles_reed]

Yes I went there in 2009 - there is a small marina with full pontoon for the yacht club and a summer-only pontoon extending as a dog leg out of it. Very difficult to moor up as there's a 4 knot stream coming out of the lagoon on the ebb and a similar stream going in on the flood. Water and electrix and shower/toilet in the club.
It's almost impossible to walk down the pontoon in any decent wind from the W sector because the pontoon bucks about so much and has been known to come apart.
Pleasant enough town and an excellent restaurant at the yacht club. Some of the reds are about 15% and need to be chewed.
The old harbour, under the belvedere is most picturesque, full to brimming with small local boats and with only ~1.2m in the main body.
Would suspect any marina is a work of considerable imagination and look forward to hearing from someone who has been there more recently

 

[steveallan]

WE are in Monastir for the winter which is almost full (as usual) The locals we have spoken too see to be happy with results of the elections so far. Some interesting comments on Bizerte here: http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Tunisia/Bizerte

 

[jimbaerselman]

Thanks Steveallen,

I had a report from a non-sailor, and checked noonsite about two weeks ago, so missed the new comment added on 28th. Google earth and the marina web site indicated big change from Charles' assessment. It's good to have that confirmed by another source. The new set-up suggests excellent shelter within the marina from currents and chop. It'll take a few years to move from bare bones to the published pictures though! Time to update my web page . . .

 

[chuckr]

Jim -- we can only tell you from experience this past May. Sent them an email and asked about stopping there when we left Port Yasmine and were told it was closed and was being rebuilt but probably would take about a year. So no idea of the status right now but most of what we found on the net was old and not relevant.

We are in Port Yasmine again this year and it is close to full again.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Jim -- we can only tell you from experience this past May. Sent them an email and asked about stopping there when we left Port Yasmine and were told it was closed and was being rebuilt but probably would take about a year.

Thanks Chuck. There's no doubt that the quays and breakwaters are all in place now, and providing very good shelter. Some boats appear to have used the pontoons, and to have been received by "some staff". What's unclear is whether there's any water, electricity, or mooring arrangements. There's no evidence of shore facilities for boats yet.

 

[chuckr]

Jim -- I was in the docs office yesterday and there was an ad in a magazine from Dubai I think for Bizeret that said it would be open in Oct 2014. So they are advertising it's opening but if it open or not ??