Marinas

Winds

Menorca normally offer a steady weather in summer, but after all, do not trust in it. There is always the danger of strong Mistrals and Tramontanas. And, in summer 2000, there were a lot of wind (too much) and clouds....also not usual for that area.
As they are islands, every coastal area has got its own wind, capes increase the wind. So, for example, in Palma bay, you mainly have southwesterly winds in settled weather, no matter what the other areas may have... The wind awakes in the morning, blows over the day in various strength and normally dies at afternoon... in settled weather, do not calculate with tis!!

The main wind is a N, Tramontana (called Mistral in Lyon, Maestral at Costa Brava), which blows dry and cold from the french coast, often stormy. If there is a bft. 8 or 9 in Lyon, still bft. 7 arrives mainly in Menorca. The more you head south, the less wind arrives from that direction, but always take care of this wind, it´s a beast!
But, if you are in a sheltered bay, he sometimes helps to stand the heat, for he brings cool winds; skys are clear and blue, when he blows and sun shines.

In contrast to Tramontana, the southwind, in his strongest form called Scirrocco, is a hot, dumpy wind, coming from the Sahara, blowing along the northcoast of Africa and turning to east towards the Med.
He announces himself with a darkyellow stripe at the horizon and carries a lot of sand, you will not recognize your deck afterwards......It needs hours, to get this darkyellow dirt off!!
The southwind normally starts dry in Africa, but on his way to the Balearics, he gets more and more humid, so if he blows, you feel like in a dumpy hairdresser´s salon.

Grace Rasumus, the windgod, he is not blowing very often and long!
Levante is called the eastwind, coming if there is a depression between the Balearics and Africa. He normally comes 8-10 times a year in storm strength.

Normally, you should have moderate winds in that region, normally. In the last years, as anywhere else in the world, we have learned not to trust the rules, they have changed a lot, so aswell here in that area.
So, take care of weatherreports and listen to CH16, where you will get gailwarnings, as usual. Navtex aswell sends gailwarnings, not always in right time....

Also look at the clouds! A good sign for an immediately starting Tramontana/Mistral are cigarshaped clouds. If you see them, hurry up into the next harbour, this wind is able to produce short waves of 2-4m in a VERY short time!!

Marina	Position	Contact/Address	Information
Mahon (Mao) Puerto De Mahon	39° 52 00 N - 04°4 18 5 W	Anden de Levante, 1-12, Mahon, Menorca, Baleares. Tel +34-971-363066 Fax +34-971-363101	Considered one of the most impressive natural harbours. All facilities are available, although hard standing is limited. There are moorings both along the Quayside, and in the form of floating pontoons. There is the up-market Club Maritimo, with showers and an updated weather forecast, well provisioned chandlers in the form of Pedro's boat yard, together with a series of restaurants to suit all tastes and most pockets. A climb up into the town and you have an excellent fish market and selection of shops, although the cheapest and best supermarket, SYP, is on the outskirts and needs a short taxi ride.  At the harbour entrance there is a small channel to starboard leading behind an island. Anchorage can be obtained there and a dinghy with reliable motor can get you over to the town side, in particular Es Castell, where there is a further range of restaurants worth a visit.
Es Castell			The original garison town on the outskirts of Mahon proper, is worth a visit, and even take the Pirata boat trip around the harbour to learn a bit about the place. The restarants serve good food, and there is a Club Nautico with good views at the head of the small bay. There is practically no anchoring or mooring here. Es Castell, inside the approaches to the port of Mahon, has its own small picturesque harbour, Cala Fons. Read more about Es Castell
Es Grau			A small village. The beach is long and the water shallow for a long way. Behind it is a Nature Reserve. There are limited shops, but O.K. for a few provisions. A couple of Beach side restaurants provide food, whilst one of them allows you the opportunity to sit down for a beer under the shade of the trees. A few basic provisions can be bought here in the local shops, but they are more expensive, with limited choice.   Off shore there is the Isla de Colom, with a beach, but it gets crowded at times with visitors from the village. You can anchor anywhere between the mainland and island in sand. Shelter is best obtained from the NE if you stay closer to the island. The mainland coast has a series of rocky inlets, but these are more exposed. W can only recommend approach from the north, as a long underwater line of rocks extends from the island to Es Grao about 0.5 metre below the surface.
Addaya Puerto De Addaya	40° 01 03 N - 04°4 12 5 W	Aptdo.389, Mahon, Menorca, Baleares. Tel +34-971-188871 Fax +34-971-188871	A recently enlarged private harbour in a quiet tourist village in a sheltered natural port which is not easy to enter due to its shallows and two little islands at its mouth. You have to follow the red and green buoys carefully. It does not offer much in the way of facilities or entertainment for the passing boatman. Probably the best harbour/port on the island with one of the worst entrances although the local port are dab hand at pulling in grounded yachts. Although facilities for people are limited to a few cafes in the village. Na'Macaret which you pass on the way in has a nice quiet, small beach and cafes. You can dinghy there from the port. The entrance is decidedly tricky, basically aiming straight for a tower, nearly going onto rocks, sharp port, bend starboard, but not too far or you go aground. SERIOUSLY STUDY a pilot book, and unfortunately don't give the bouyage system your unconditional belief. Once inside, a large incredibly sheltered bay opens up. The port itself has a really nice feel, with good facilities for maintainance, either structural (Marcus at MARDAYA) or mechanical (Angello). Tolo the harbourmaster is most dependable and reliable. If you require fuel, you can order it to be delivered by Land Rover. Provisions are available after a healthy climb to the supermarket in the village. Once in, shelter from all directions is excellent, but entry or exit either at night, or when there are winds from the north is not advised. Travelling west from here, the first port is Fornells, in a large bay, which even so can get crowded in the summer. As with all of the ports, restaurants abound.
Ciutadella Puerto de Ciutadella	39° 59 06 N - 03°3 49 4 W	Ciutadela, Menorca, Baleares. Tel +34-971-383918 Fax +34-971-385871	The old capital of the island has some lovey architecture and features. There is a market in the town square two or three times a week, and leather goods and shoes can be bought quite cheaply. On the outskirts is a SYP supermarket, but too far to walk and carry much back. The harbour is beautiful and lined with restaurants/cafes. with good food especially out of high season.   The Club Maritimo overlooks the moorings, and has a few of its own. All short term moorings are pricey, and in summer I have seen boats rafted eight deep. The channel itself is narrow, and mooring is typically stern to the quayside. The public harbour, with modest facilities, is best avoided. The Sailing Club offers quiet moorings.
Cala n'Porter			A narrow cala with limited anchorage. There is a beach at the head and a disco in the caves. You see the white path leading to this as you enter between the steep sided cliffs. A fairly substantial town exists at the top of the hill. From here round back to Mahon you pass Binibeca, which offers shelter and overnight anchorage, but is under the flight path. The channel between Isla del Aire and Punta Prima is the shortest route, and anchorage can be found on the island, but beware of fouling as there a a number of rocky grooves to drop your anchor into and get it stuck.
Fornells Bahia de Fornells	40°40 04 N - 04°4 08 2 W	C/Mayor, 27-29, 07748 Fornells, Menorca. Tel +34-971-376636 Fax +34-971-376346	The harbour has space for 96 boats (10 of which for small to medium sized craft in transit). Out in the harbour there is always plenty of room. Nearby is a club with 60 places for boats of up to 20 metres (1 0 of which for transit boats).