Essaouira : Profile

Location

This small port 65 miles south of El Jadida is not an official port of entry, but yachts may call there.

This ancient port still has its battlements with cannons mounted on top. Its harbour is an interesting and bustling fishing port. A prominent feature is the beach, which stretches south from the town for about two miles.

Clearance

The Immigration Office is at the harbour gate by the beach. The captain must present passports and ship's papers.

Docking

There is a pontoon on the inside of the wall next to Chez Sam's restaurant. There is no security here and the police insist that someone sleeps on the boat.

There is a good anchorage outside the harbour breakwater, in about 5m over a sandy bottom. Suject to some swell and, usually, a fairly strong breeze. In the winter, when the swell is often greater than 3m, this is not a safe anchorage.

The depth inside the harbour at the pontoon is less than generally charted and is about 2m, although the bottom is soft mud.

Updated December 2008.

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