Flying Fish Articles

Members Websites

Barry and Lindy Bullen - Samarang


Reports on:

La Maddalena & Islands – 41°12.36'N, 09°24.20'E
Porto Cervo – 41°08.20'N, 09°32.00'E
Cannigione, Sardinia – 41°06.30'N, 09°26.37'E
Arbatax – 39°56.25'N, 09°42.14'E (2)
Porto Corallo – 39°26.24'N, 09°38.26'E
Cagliari – 39°12.00'N, 09°07.00'E
Villasimius – 39°07.15'N, 09°30.26'E

Isola Rossa – 41°00.00'N, 08°52.00'E
Isola Asinara – 41°03.06'N, 08°17.24'E
Carloforte – 39°08.70'N, 08°19.00'E
Stintino – 40°56.00'N, 08°14.00'E
Alghero – 40°34.00'N, 08°18.40'E
Bosa Marina – 40°17.20'N, 08°28.60'E
Torre Grande – 39°51.00'N, 08°30.00'E
Malfatano East Cove anchorage – 38°53.20'N, 08°49.40'E
Porto Piscinni anchorage – 38°54.42'N, 08°46.48'E
Porto Teulada – 38°55.38'N, 08°43.07'E


La Maddalena & Islands – 41°12.36'N, 09°24.20'E
We visited some of these islands in May and early June 2011.

Although we did buy a permit (which worked out at the equivalent of 13.80 Euro a night) it was only checked once in 9 days (2 days after it had expired) and we saw no other yachts displaying one. In theory you need one even to visit La Maddalena Harbour but that really was ignored by everyone.

Our experience was:-

La Maddalena-Cala Garetta.(23Euro a night) RIB meets you and directs you to a berth either on E quay (traffic noise but close to town) or a pontoon on W side (some berths are a bit short). Supermarket in Via Giovanni Amendola (the 'front '); launderette in Via Italia.

Porto Palma. 16 buoys in place in May. About half are 'cans ' with a ring on top. The remainder are spherical with a ring underneath (no pick-up line), securing to which is very entertaining. The presence of the buoys did not prevent a good many people anchoring, especially on the W side of the bay.

Cala Spalmatore. No bouys in place in May but some concrete blocks and chains visible on the bottom. A very nice anchorage on sand, avoiding aforementioned blocks.

Cala Santa Maria. Italian Waters Pilot takes you to a waypoint and then rather leaves you to your own devices. We entered the anchorage by passing E and N of the rocks in the centre of the bay and so did the few other yachts that came in (min depth 4.8m). Some of the tripper boats passed to the W of the rocks. Nice walk NWwards to the lighthouse.

Cala Lunga. 8 buoys in place and popular so worth getting there early.

[/b]Porto Cervo – 41°08.20'N, 09°32.00'E
In spite of comments elsewhere, in early June 2011, we had no difficulty anchoring here. A couple of mooring buoys at the W end did not prevent 4 yachts from anchoring with space for more - although it might be different in July and August. We took our dinghy inside the mole, where the superyachts keep their tenders, but most people used the outside of the root of the mole, near the rocks.

Cannigione – 41°06.30'N, 09°26.37'E
(Aug 2009) New breakwater not complete. Construction halted supposedly due to problem with quality of construction. Possible to tie on inner side of breakwater. Bollards only available at southern end. Further northward boats were tied to construction materials or long lines over wall to boulders on outer side. No water or electricity. Marina office advised that mooring to wall is forbidden, but the wall was full and no one hassled us, so free night. No berths were available in marina in any case.

Good restaurants and supermarket (open Sundays, at least in August) in town. Attractive place. Anchorage looked good too though wakes from numerous motor boats might be disturbing in morning and late afternoon.

Arbatax – 39°56.25'N, 09°42.14'E (2)
(Aug 2009) Space in marina at 1800, but filled up quickly. (€53/night for 12.50 metres). Ormeggiatori on floating pontoons gave directions and helped with berthing. Showers good. Coin op launderette. Town didn’t appear to have much to offer. Harbour stank of dirty bilge at night when wind vanished.

Porto Corallo – 39°26.24'N, 09°38.26'E
Aug 2009) Plenty of space in marina. (€48/night for 12.50 metres). Portacabin showers hardly worth the walk – might just as well use hose on the dock. Unexciting campsite across the road. Also, and separate from the campsite, a small restaurant. Otherwise nothing much around. Only reason to use this marina would be for shelter, otherwise in calm weather probably better to anchor in one of the coves or bays along the coast.

Cagliari – 39°12.00'N, 09°07.00'E
Marina del Sole (September 2010) The dry dock shown in the pilot was not present, its place probably having been taken my pontoons for the St Elmo Marina.

Marina del Sole is quite a 'laid back ' place with fairly basic facilities (take your own loo roll).In spite of its, in places, slightly ramshackle appearance, it seems to have a good reputation. Washing machine (small) in portacabin in the yard, not the marina. Takes liquid detergent only - pay Eur5 when you 've finished, if you can find someone.

The pilot book exagerates when it says that busses pass the maina. They go along Viale Armando Diaz which is the road you come to once you 've walked along the road which goes under the autostrada. Buses to the city centre are lines PF and PQ - buy tickets at the tobacconist just along from the bus stop. Punch your ticket as you get on and you have 90 minutes to complete your journey changing as many times as you like (or just come back). The bus terminates at the bus station at the end of Via Roma, in the city centre and close to the tourist office (which looks rom the outside as thoug it has closed down - but it hasn 't.

Villasimius – 39°07.15'N, 09°30.26'E
(Sept 2009) A well sheltered marina in a beautiful area (€40.00/night for 12.50 metres in September). Toilets and showers are on opposite of harbour from visitors berths. €1.00 for a time limited shower with only mildly luke warm water. Only one restaurant, but excellent service at a reasonable price and a very enticing dessert trolley. Lots of picturesque beaches and anchorages nearby. A long walk into the village of Villasimius, but there is a minibus service - €5.00 ticket valid for one day. The village has numerous bars, supermarkets and restaurants.

Note : Don’t try to anchor anywhere within maybe a mile or more of the entrance to Villasimius. In 2009 the local police/coast guard were fining yachts anchoring in this area.


Isola Rossa – 41°00.00'N, 08°52.00'E
Quite a small marina in a holiday town. There is a SISA supermarket close to the marina and an ATM in the marina car park, near the entrance slope.

In May the ormeggiatori knock off at 1400 and aren 't there at all on Sundays. When we were there (May2011) visitors (there were 2 of us) berthed in vacant slots towards the end of E pontoon. There was plenty of room on the wall but further from the town. and facilities.

Isola Asinara – 41°03.06'N, 08°17.24'E
Crispin Latymer 's article in June 2010 Yaching Monthly describing this place is excellent.

In late may 2011 we were the only boat on one of 30+ moorings in Cala Real. We hadn 't booked, weren 't asked to pay and could find nowhere obvious to do so ashore. There is a cafe ashore.

The clearest water imaginable! You are allowed to motor on to the buoys in Cala Real but are expected to sail on to those elsewhere (they have a very long pick-up line) and to sail rather than motor within 2km of the coast (a requirement largely ignored by italians!).

Carloforte – 39°08.70'N, 08°19.00'E
The three principal options (although there may be others) are:

1. 'Marina di Carloforte (Marinatour) - 2 pontoons on the SW side coming out from part of what my pilot book shows as being the town quay. Listens Ch09, 'phone 0781 854110 (not as shown in my pilot). Nice, but small, facilities; quite close to two supermarkets.

2. Marine Sifredi (which also, confusingly, calls itself Marina di Carloforte) has berths in the NW corner and thus slightly more protected from wind from that direction. Listens (sometimes) on Ch15. 'Phone 0781 857008 & 0781 854437.

3. Public Quay, next to 1. In September 2010, yachts were lying alongside here, seemingly without charge though, of course, without any facilities. May not be the same in July/August!

Carloforte is a nice, low key place - pleasant walk up to the castle. Laundry (service wash) at Feola Simona, Via Don Signi 24, three streets back from the front. Camping gas at the small chandlery/boutique in the square opposite the main ferry berth.

Although the pilot book talks gloomily about 1.8 meters in the Fishing Harbour (where the fuel berth is), in September 2010 there was at least 2.3m right up to the fuel berth providing one kept to the centre of the channel.

Stintino – 40°56.00'N, 08°14.00'E
Most visitors use the 'Marina di Stintino ' in the NW corner of the outer harbour, being met by a RIB as usual. Perfectly adequate although the facilities are a bit temporary and it 's quite a walk into town. Closer would be a berth on the S side of Porto Mannu - try 'Nautilus 079 523 721.

Alghero – 40°34.00'N, 08°18.40'E
Likely to be intercepted by a RIB from one of the mooring companies while still outside the harbour. The St. Elmo moorings whose RIB 1st approached us (Sept. 2010) are in the S part of the harbour nearly opposite the entrance and thus a bit exposed to the prevailing NWlies. Less exposed (& less expensive - Euro33/night for 11.80m in May 2011) are the Ser-Mar berths in the N of the harbour. Try Ch09. To port on entry are 4 pontoons and then a gap where the customs gun boat moors and Ser-Mar are the next two.

In spite of the Italian Waters Pilot (7th. Edn.) there are no laundry facilities at Ser-Mar. Nearest self service is Launderette Ballicine 3, Vitt. Venito, 10 mins walk from Ser-Mar.

When visited, the town quay had very few boats on it but I was unable to gain any information about mooring there. If anyone does get any information, would they post it here, please.

Bosa Marina – 40°17.20'N, 08°28.60'E
A row of red "swimmers" buoys in the bay forces you to anchor S of a line between the 'commercial ' quay and the rocky breakwater to the E. However, holding seems good on sand although there are some patches of weed.

A new mole is under construction to the W of the river entrance and this should improve the entrance by protecting it from the worst of the swell. In September 2010, the entrance channel into the river was marked by a row of yellow buoys to be left to port. There is now a marina on the N side of the river where my pilot book shows only a single pontoon. Likely to be met by a RIB as you approach.

Torre Grande – 39°51.00'N, 08°30.00'E
Don 't be put off by the shallowness of the approach (the buoys shown in my pilot book don 't exist) - providing you draw less than 2m. Our 1.9m got in without problem but it is worth calling ahead to verify depth and will probably result in a RIB being despatched to guide you in, although running parallel to the long breakwater about the same distance off as the width of the entrance worked for us on the way out. Genmario, the manager speaks good English, nobody else much does.

Relatively inexpensive (Eur 23 for our 11.8m in September). There is a good bus service to Oristano (Eur 2) which is well worth the visit, especially for the museum which has a lot of information and artefacts relating to the Nuraghic/Phoenecian/Punic/Roman settlement of the isalnd in general and nearby Tharros in particular.

We left Silent Wings here afloat for the winter of 2010/11. We sufferred some slight cosmetic damage during a 60kn E 'ly blow but this was repaired without charge. Ours was the only British yacht there and the place is dead during the winter but relatively inexpensive. Public transport from Cagliari is good, from Alghero less so. Probably quite a good place to leave a boat for a while mid-season.

Tharros is frustratingly difficult to get to by road without a car. However, there are buoys laid each side of the Sinis Penninsula but of unknown strength. A landing pontoon just N of Capo San Marco on the bay side ought to make an expedition on foot possible.

Malfatano East Cove anchorage – 38°53.20'N, 08°49.40'E
(Aug 2009) With E wind, expect accelerated winds rounding Capo Spartivento and in “Porto Malfatano” (the bay east of Capo Malfatano). We anchored in 11 metres on sandy bottom – good holding. Picturesque, but windy.

Also possible to anchor closer in, in around 4m. The part S of the promontory that divides the bay has less swell but perhaps a little more wind.

Porto Piscinni anchorage – 38°54.42'N, 08°46.48'E
(Aug 2009) A small cove with popular sandy beach about 2 miles NW of Capo Malfatano. Anchor in 7 – 9 metres on sand. Further in the bottom is weed and depths less than 6 metres.

Porto Teulada – 38°55.38'N, 08°43.07'E
(Aug 2009) All of Heikell 's charge band 3/4 in August (€68.50/night for 12 metres, though apparently would be €27.50 in September). Absolutely nothing in the marina beyond water, electricity and showers. A somewhat dismal dinner in a somewhat dismal campsite if you walk 10 - 15 mins over the hill.

I was wondering if someone has an opinion about a particular marina in Cagliari Sardinia. Planning to leave my boat for a couple of weeks...
Thanks,
Gian Luca