The Mediterranean is an integral part of many sailors' holiday plans each year and has already become a second home for many. With its sun, warmth and mild breezes, as well as dreamy harbours and beautiful anchorages, it's no wonder that thousands of crews head to the coasts of Croatia, Greece, Italy, France and Spain every year to enjoy sailing holidays. With delicious food, enticing coastlines and stunning scenery, it's the highlight of the year for many sailors. What should you know to have a smooth and safe holiday in the Mediterranean?
Tip 1: Registration via radio
In most Mediterranean ports, with the exception of Greece, it is advisable to check in by radio before entering. Some marinas even insist that you contact them before arriving. This has many advantages: You save yourself a long search and will usually be assigned a suitable place directly. In addition, a helpful marinero will be ready upon arrival.
Tip 2: Roman Catholic investing
As a rule, Roman Catholic mooring is done with the stern to the jetty. To get on board, the bathing platform and a stelling carried along - usually a simple plank - are used instead of climbing over the pulpit. It is also easier to bring luggage and provisions on board via the stern. Not only beginners, but also many experienced sailors have respect for this mooring manoeuvre. Especially when it comes to anchoring the wide and long charter yacht in a narrow gap between other boats.
Tip 3: Working with moorings
When mooring backwards at a pier, a crew member should stand in a sideways aft position and have the boat hook ready to pull up the mooring lines. These are anchored to the bottom of the harbour basin and must then be pulled forward to the bow cleat. To protect yourself from injury from the coarse, sometimes slippery lines, you should wear work gloves. The mooring is properly tensioned by putting slack on the stern lines, driving the boat forward, hauling through and covering the mooring and then machine hauling back to the pier. Then tie the stern lines. Note: Avoid mooring the boat backwards when the bathing platform is folded down - it cannot withstand a collision with the pier.
YACHTING.COM TIP: Are you interested in this topic? You can find more detailed information about this type of mooring inour article How to moor stern-to: a step-by-step guide.
Tip 4: Marineros
Marineros are the harbour masters' often quick and experienced helpers who welcome arriving crews, guide them to their berths and sometimes even assist with mooring. In some areas they even approach the yachts themselves with their own boats and help with manoeuvring.
Tip 5: "Anchor salad"
In many smaller and simple municipal and town harbours, as well as in front of restaurant and tavern jetties, there is often a lack of mooring lines to moor the boat. This is often the case, especially in Greece. In order to moor the ship nevertheless, the Roman Catholic mooring manoeuvre with a bow anchor is used here. Before mooring, the harbour basin must be checked to estimate the required chain length. Turn a circle in front of the pier, read the depth on the echo sounder and then drop the anchor at a sufficient distance from the pier. Return to the chosen mooring as straight as possible, stern first, and set the anchor chain tight. If the anchor does not hold, the manoeuvre should be repeated before the stern lines are used.
The more ships there are in the harbour basin, the more anchor chains and lines are distributed there. This can sometimes lead to the chains and lines getting tangled among themselves, which is called "anchor salad". To solve this, one should first catch up one's own anchor so far that the foreign chain becomes reachable. Then you can pull a hook under it or rope through it and tie it on board, then free your own chain and free the anchor. If this does not work, the only option is often to hire a diver to resolve the mess.
Tip 6: Anchor hooks
A hook is needed that belongs in the yacht equipment, although it is usually not present on yachts. It can be used to break up an anchor mess without the crew having to dive into the harbour basin. To do this, the hook is attached to two lines. One line serves as a trip line and is hooked under one of the anchor chains. Then, with the help of a winch, the chain can be lifted and the anchor underneath can be pulled in. The hook is then released from the chain again by tightening the trip line and simultaneously setting the other line.
Tip 7: How and where to anchor properly?
On the Balearic Islands or also in Croatia, there are increasingly more mooring buoy fields in addition to the many harbours. These buoys anchored on the seabed make it easy to moor boats and protect seagrass fields from being ploughed through by anchors. There is usually a cost associated with mooring, but unfortunately there is no guarantee of a safe berth. It is therefore advisable to dive down yourself if possible and check that the mooring buoy is intact and that the base weight is sufficient. Unfortunately, it occasionally happens that the line rots or the weight on the seabed is not strong enough to withstand the vessel. In case of damage, it is difficult to hold the operator of the buoy field responsible.
Operators who come alongside with a boat usually collect money from the boat owners. In return, they take the rubbish ashore for disposal. If you prefer to anchor freely, you should keep a distance of more than the 150 metres from the buoys that is usually required, otherwise heated discussions with the operator may ensue.
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Tip 8: Land lines
In order to create more space for anchoring in narrow or crowded bays, additional shore lines are deployed next to the anchor. If conditions permit, these should be used against the wind direction and at the stern. However, care should be taken when the wind shifts, as there is then a risk of the anchor breaking loose if strong gusts of wind hit the side of the vessel. Avoid using trees to attach the lines ashore, instead choose boulders as large as possible without sharp edges! In many places there are iron rings that you can use for the lines.
Tip 9: Bathing zones
It is forbidden to sail a boat or dinghy with a running engine in closed-off bathing zones marked by buoys or tapes. Sometimes, however, there is a lane through the bathing zone or a dinghy jetty where you can land. Those who violate this prohibition not only risk danger to swimmers, but also face a hefty fine.
Tip 10: Mistral
The mistral is a cold wind that blows from northwest to northeast along the coast of France and Italy, the Tuscan Archipelago, the sea area between the Balearic Islands and Corsica, and in Genoa. It can reach strong winds and therefore it is advisable to regularly check weather forecasts before being in a potentially endangered area. As the mistral announces itself a few days in advance, you can move to a safe harbour in good time and wait there for a few days until the weather becomes safer.
Tip 11: Wind Bora and Jugo
A bora is a Mediterranean wind that blows from a northerly to north-easterly direction, sometimes bringing very hard gusts that are cold and dry. It is particularly common on the east coast of the Adriatic, especially in Slovenia and northern Croatia. If there are signs that a bora is imminent, it is advisable to reef the sails and consult the local meteorological services, which usually issue a warning of the strong wind a day in advance. To be on the safe side, if a bora is forecast, stay in port should be preferred or head for the nearest safe port.
Bora - a strong and cold north to northeast wind
The south-easterly, humid wind Jugo, also known as Scirocco, is often accompanied by yellowish clouds and rainstorms that can also bring violent thunderstorms. The wind is often mixed with a lot of sand dust that impairs visibility. Unlike the bora, which builds up suddenly, the jugo takes several days to reach its full strength. This gives enough time to seek refuge in a safe harbour.
YACHTING.COM TIP: In the Mediterranean you don't just encounter the Mistral, Bora and Jugo, but also other types of wind. Don't know which ones they are? Find out more in our article The 7 most common winds you'll find in the Mediterranean.
Tip 12: Wind vortex
In the late season, small-scale wind vortices can form in certain regions, reaching peak speeds of up to 500 kilometres per hour and causing severe damage. It sometimes even happens that several vortices form at the same time but rotate in different directions. If such a vortex is spotted while sailing, one should observe its trajectory and try to gain distance. However, if the trunk approaches, it is advisable to recover the sails, start the engine and sail away in the opposite direction.
Tip 13: Nozzle effect
The wind accelerates when it is pushed through a narrow passage. Examples of this are the Straits of Bonifacio and Messina, which separate the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the Italian mainland and Sicily. It is advisable to arrive early in such regions, as you can tell that the wind speed will increase by the white crests that indicate the wind draft.
We have prepared several more articles for you on the topic of weather. Read more.
Tip 14: Regional rules and customs
For example, in Sardinia there are local regulations that require you to keep at least 100 metres from rocky coasts, 200 metres from sandy beaches and 300 metres from harbour entrances. It is advisable to ask the charter company locally to make sure that you follow the rules. If you still do not comply, you may be fined. It is therefore advisable to allow a little more distance than necessary instead of having to deal with the police, who are always right in the end.
Tip 15: Culinary adventures
On Croatia's coast and on many islands you will find small restaurants that are sometimes rustic and sometimes fine. They usually include jetties or mooring buoys where you can moor free of charge, as long as you stop at the restaurant afterwards. The same is true of the tavernas in Greece and the "bush pubs" along Turkey's Aegean coast.
Ispod Peke - Traditional octopus dish in Croatian cuisine
JACHTING.COM TIP: Traditional Croatian cuisine offers a variety of delicious specialities. On a cruise you can try these dishes and drinks on the various islands and beaches. Find out more about this topic in our article Croatian cuisine: dishes and drinks you have to try.
Tip 16: Clear out and clear in
When sailing from one country to another, especially when reaching a non-EU state into an EU state or vice versa, you have to clear out and clear in at a so-called Port of Entry. This is the case, for example, when crossing the border between Croatia and Montenegro. Certain documents are required for clearance, including a list of fellow sailors with name, address, date of birth, nationality and passport number, as well as the skipper's licence, the international boat certificate, a confirmation from the charter company that the skipper is allowed to operate the yacht, and proof of insurance for the boat. While the declaration is not yet completed, only the skipper is allowed to leave the boat.
Tip 17: Sailing in protected regions
A permit is required to sail in some protected regions, such as the Maddalena archipelago in the north of Sardinia, the Cabrera island off Mallorca or the Kornati islands off the Croatian coast. It can be obtained online, in the local port or in Croatia at the national park. The charter company can also help to obtain the permit in advance. For the approach to Cabrera, it is advisable to make a reservation before the cruise, as spaces there are limited. Depending on the park, the permit may be subject to a fee, but it is much more expensive locally in Croatia.
Island landscape with old building on Cabrera
Tip 18: Yacht insurance
Before entering some ports, such as Antibes on the Côte d'Azur in France, a confirmation of yacht insurance must be sent by email. It is advisable to have the document ready on your smartphone or tablet, otherwise you could be refused entry to the port.
Tip 19: High season vs. low season
During the summer months of July and August, for example, the marinas along the Côte d'Azur, on Mallorca and on Sardinia are very busy and therefore the most expensive. However, if you travel outside the high season, prices go down while the number of free berths increases. Nevertheless, if you are travelling in high season, you should reserve a berth in good time or moor in the afternoon.
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Tip 20: Cheap yacht mooring at the Moll Transit
In many areas, you can save money by using a public marina instead of a private one. On Mallorca, for example, there is the so-called Moll Transit, which consists of ten simple facilities. Here you can book a berth for three days on the website www.portsib.es. Although the site is in Spanish, it is enough to use the browser function to translate in order to understand what to do. This effort is worth it, as the mooring costs at Moll Transit are up to two thirds cheaper.