Spain : Profile

Facts

The most attractive natural cruising areas of Spain are situated at its extremes, the north-west Atlantic coast and the Balearics, the islands being one of the Mediterranean's prime yachting centres.
In recent years Spain's Mediterranean coast and islands have seen a tremendous development in yachting facilities with new marinas being built everywhere, so that one is never more than a few hours' sail away from the next harbour.
However, comprehensive repair facilities are only available in the most important yachting centres. The prime yachting centre is Palma de Mallorca, and facilities in the Balearics generally are probably the best to be found anywhere in Spain.
Facilities are also good in Barcelona and the surrounding area. There are many marinas with good facilities along the entire Spanish Mediterranean coast.
The arrival of the America's Cup at Valencia has greatly improved facilities in that port, but those for visiting yachts are still limited.
Facilities outside the Mediterranean are not so easily available. On the Atlantic coast there are good facilities at the new Puerto Sherry near Cadiz. On the north coast the best range is to be found at La Coruña where the yacht club can be particularly helpful.
There are chandleries with a good selection in the main sailing centres, but in smaller ports and marinas the availability of spares is limited.
Most Spanish yacht clubs are exclusive social clubs, where visitors are not particularly welcome. Those which have docking facilities operate on a commercial basis charging visitors marina fees. Dress etiquette is strict and a sloppy appearance is frowned upon.

The climate varies greatly from the Atlantic north coast, which is wet and cool, to the Mediterranean south and east, where summers are very hot and winters mild. The winds are just as varied, the north coast coming under the influence of Atlantic weather systems, with south-westerly to north-westerly winds predominating in winter and northerly winds in summer, although land and sea breezes can be experienced inshore. This is also the case along the south-western coast during summer, while the rest of the year, winds are either easterly or westerly. Alternating sea and land breezes are also characteristic of the Mediterranean coast. The eastern coast and Balearics are occasionally affected by the mistral, a N or NW wind which can rapidly reach gale force.

Weather information is broadcast by:- Radio Nacional de Espana at 1000 and 1300 LT via - La Coruna 639kHz, Seville 684kHz Sociedad Espana de Radio - a programme containing information for commercial fishing operations, plus weather forecasts and sea conditions, is broadcast between 0600 and 0700 LT and again in condensed form at 2205 from La Coruna 1080kHz, Vigo 1026kHz, Huelva 100.5MHz, Cadiz 1485kHz, Seville 792kHz

Weather forecasts on the internet - Spanish Met Office = www.inm.es/

Main Ports

Because of the large numbers of ports of entry as well as marinas which have customs offices where entry formalities can be completed, only the main ports and marinas are listed which are close to Spain's frontiers and are more commonly used by foreign yachts to clear in.

South West coast: Algeciras , Ayamonte * , Barbate , Cadiz * , Chipiona , Huelva * , Isla Cristina , Marina Canela , Mazagon , Rota , Sevilla *