La Linea - Docking
Anchoring
There is NO legal anchorage within the Bay of Gibraltar, hence anyone anchoring runs the risk of either being asked to move on or being fined. La Linea Bay has good holding.
Dinghy Docks
Dinghies can be taken into the Club Maritimo, which has a marina for small local boats on the left (Alcaidesa is on the right). Tie the dinghy to the outside end of the closest pontoon to the restaurant. The gates are locked and you need to buzz to be let out, then go to the front desk to pay. There is a daily charge, but they give you WiFi access too and it is secure.
It is possible to tie your dinghy up for free at the fishing dock or launch ramp across from Alcaidesa Marina, however, dinghies and outboards have been stolen from here. The charge by the Club Maritimo for use of the dinghy dock is very little for peace of mind.
Marinas:
Alcaidesa Marina is conveniently situated just a 10/15 minute walk from the centre of La Linea and not much further to Gibraltar by foot. In the summer, however, this can be a very hot, dry and dusty walk along a busy road.
There is a small cafe at the marina.
In most conditions this marina is reasonably well sheltered, however some of the fingers are completely open to the NW, and with winds from that direction a significant swell can build up. Fingers are also reported to be short.
The reception pontoon/fuel dock is one of those exposed to winds from the NW/W. Cruisers advise that boats under 12m should insist on being given a berth in the inner part of the marina, which is behind a second breakwater and therefore well protected.
A strong current runs through the marina and berthing here should not be attempted in strong winds. Instead, anchor in the bay and wait for more settled conditions.
The marina staff have been reported as being friendly and helpful. Also, the office promptly replies to emails booking a berth in advance. This is a secure marina with locked gates.
For more details on port infrastructure including Bathymetric, see here.
Security:
La Linea is known as having a problem with dinghy theft from boats. Be careful leaving your dinghy in the water and just tied on with the painter while down below. It’s recommended here to always lift your dinghy, or secure it to the boat with a padlock to deter thieves.
Last updated: December 2022
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Related to following destinations: La Linea, Mediterranean Coast (Spain), Spain
Port Navigation
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On Feb 18, 2021, docked at Marina Alcadaesa in La Linea, Spain, we were denied walking entrance to Gibraltar by the Spanish border guards. They said no ‘tourist’ entry to Gib because of Covid restrictions.
I stayed at Marina Alcaidesa just north of Gibraltar for a couple of weeks in August 2019. Friendly English-speaking staff. Easy access in any weather. Surprisingly there were dozens of empty berths! Good prices for short or long stays (I was able to negotiate a very good price for 6 months, but I decided to move on), total weather protection, excellent access security on the pontoons. Sanitary and laundry facilities are good. A short walk to Gib. There is a fuel station, but it would be foolish to use it since fuel is tax-free in Gib (it is allowed to fill up there but not to enter Gib via the gas station). La Linea is a rather plain town, but it has a great beach. Highly recommended.
Read your comments on the marina and either you have a very small boat or your prices are certainly wrong you stated that you paid 450e hardstanding for 3 days were being charged 1626e for a month to work on our own yacht plus you’re NOT allowed to stay aboard to complete the repairs quickly.
We stayed here August 2018. A week turned into a month due to the need to change our sail drive. The marina is very good. The individual docks are great, aside from the check-in dock, which as previous inputs note, is hazardous. Instead, just go a find a free dock, then walk to the main office.
When we needed to haul out, the staff at the boatyard were exceptionally friendly and very professional. Our only complaint is with the days the yard is closed – Sundays and holidays. We happened to hit a holiday during our haul out and showed up at the yard only to find it completely closed; frustrating indeed. We complained to the marina office and were given a 10% discount on a few of the costs. This was generous of them but still does not solve the issue of us (and others) paying a daily rate to have the boat in the yard so we can work on it.
The town initially appears quite shabby; hit hard by the recession a few years ago. But if you spend time here, you will find some gems to eat and drink. And of course, Gibraltar is only a 15-minute walk.
With the need to have our boat out of the water for one week to change our damaged saildrive, and apply antifouling, we thought 7 days more than enough. Being in Spain, we thought there would be no ‘weather days’ to factor into our work.
Unfortunately, we completely lost the plot when it comes to Spanish ‘religious days’. Despite owners paying to have their boats lifted in the yard on a daily rate so they can work on it, the boatyard closes the yard on Sundays (no access), and it turns out today is a religious holiday, so again, no access. Yes, I am venting – two days we have paid to sit on the hard with no access to our boat.
Thankfully, we are ahead of the job somewhat. The old saildrive is removed, and we are able to jimmy the engine forward on planks to allow enough room to lower the new spare saildrive in.
Back to work tomorrow (unless we are surprised with yet another religious holiday…..)
May 2018: Paid €31 per night for 12.5m monohull inc. Water and metered Electricity. Fuel/reception quay very dangerous in westerly blow due to exposure to swell – we tried to dock there, splintered our rub rail because the large rubber buffers got under it and barely escaped without injury to crew. Don’t try it in a strong westerly. Safely docked at a finger on pontoon 10 instead. Long walk to the office and they were about to close, thus perhaps their ill-advised insistence on us docking on the reception quay.
Westerly swell enters the marina, especially the SE quadrant. Good facilities, French chandlery and Volvo dealer in the boatyard, little café with high prices, not much else nearby. Many liveaboards.
The town is a bit so-so, with some dodgy characters hanging around the border and shopping streets.
Access to Gibraltar on foot is easy and no problems at the border, mostly waved through, once a peek into a shopping bag. More chandleries in Gibraltar, all in walking distance.
Posted on behalf of Jan Harzem
Marina Alcaidesa just north of Gibraltar, very cheap at about 11 Euro a night for a 13m yacht plus electricity and other charges. Lots of spaces available. Good shopping in Spain, Carrefour and Lidl close to the marina. Diesel is Euro 1.28 per litre. Just coming from Marocco, I tried to declare in but nobody was only vaguely interested. I even went to the trouble of going to the Spanish Customs and Immigration at the border to Gibraltar but was waved away.
Alcaidesa Marina, La Linea
I have been birthed here now for two years and highly recommend the marina.
I have seen some major changes, all have been good, more staff, a complete refurbishment of the ladies and gents toilet and shower block (June – July 2017) it’s now all completed and looks great.
The amenities are cleaned three times a day, bins are regularly emptied at the end of each pontoon by the marines.
Security is good, patrols day and especially at night, they walk along every pontoon regularly and aren’t afraid to challenge people looking ‘out of place’
The laundry has recently been provided with new machines, €4 for a wash and €3 for the dryer, they take 50 cent, one and two Euro coins.
Access to the marina, via Gibraltar Bay is easy and in my opinion simple.
With a strong Westerly and reasonable fetch coming into the marina, it’s still manageable- but, don’t go alongside the fuel berth, it can be a bit bumpy and as others have said, the fixed rubber fenders are almost a hindrance, so if you have to, put all your fenders out and vary the heights a bit.
If it’s difficult, give the marina call, they will have a couple of pairs of hands waiting to assist.
The marina is run by Tony (Antonio) and his able assistant Anna, they do a good job and are very approachable.
All the girls working the day to day front office, are lovely and all speak good English, as are the marineros.
If you arrive late, you will always get a berth somewhere, it might be unserviced, i.e. no water or electricity- but as a temporary berth, until the morning- it’s fine.
If the office is closed and you can’t get hold of anyone on channel 9, come into the marina entrance, near the fuel berth, security will be nearby and able to assist you, by directing you to a temporary berth etc.
Good haul out facilities, with all manner of repairs being carried out, by English tradesmen if you prefer, or the Spanish workforce employed in the Varedero yard, which is next to the marina.
Agree completely. Good Marina, got here last summer2016, paid for 9 months for the “winter” just paid for another year, it’s getting more full up though, they have just put water and electricity on pontoon 11. Its full of private tuna boats, amateurs having lots of fun. The place is buzzing.
May 2017 We had an excellent experience leaving our boat for the winter at Marina Alcaidesa in La Linea de la Concepcion. The port is modern, clean and secure, and the staff are friendly and helpful. We left our boat in the inner east basin on a finger berth with no electricity or water for 6 months and paid approx. 1900 Euros. We had no damage despite a stormy winter.
The webcam of the marina is on the roof of the hotel just across the street, so we could check on our boat every day. For haul out, pressure wash, 3 days of hard standing and relaunch, we paid approx. 450 Euros. The boatyard staff were professional and friendly.
There are good ship chandlers, canvas repair, mechanics, and electricians around. We particularly appreciated the agreement between the marina and the 4-star hotel across the street, where we stayed while working in the boatyard. Booked through the marina for the first week of May, we received more than 35 % discount with (huge) breakfast buffet and dinner buffet included. The bus station is just across the street from the marina, with bus service to Malaga where you can get cheap flights to most European cities. Gibraltar is a 10-minute bike ride away and the old town of La Linea has its own charm, along with a good market every day.
There are a huge Carrefour supermarket and commercial centre 10 minutes by bike and they deliver to the marina for free. Highly recommended.
Berthing for my 29′ came to about 17.65 per day total. But electricity and water are metered and my use was very light. The marina is in good shape and the staff are helpful. There is also a sociable community of cruisers and good infrastructure for repairs and work if you ask around.
The reception pontoon is indeed a bit of a pain because of its height (particularly at low tide). They have installed rubber guards (contrary to the other comment) that will protect your hull (though they will leave black marks on your hull). I recommend assuming the bollards.
Anchoring in the bay just outside the marina is possible, although it is said that if you stay there longer than a few days, you will be asked to move.
My experience with the shipyard was much better than others reported, but mainly because I left boatyard arrangements to the contractor (and he seemed to know the yard well and working there on multiple boats).
The marina is a 20-minute walk from the Gibraltar border and downtown La Línea.
Be very careful if using the haul out to the hard standing at Alcadeisa Varadero. We asked to show 3rd party liability insurance covering crew working on the boat and also charged 50 euros per day for each person working on the boat.
Very unhelpful office if you don’t want to use their own staff. No staying on board while on the hard. No working Sundays and no locks on the one shared toilet. Very unimpressed indeed. Go to Algiceras on the other side of the bay. 7 days a week access, stay on board and have whoever you choose working for you.
Posted on behalf of Michael K
09/2014: The situation in La Linea is mostly as Peter reported it in March.
Although water and electricity are NOT included but billed separately. Both as a per day fix amount AND additionally metered use. Actually, Queensway would be somewhat cheaper – if you can get a place there.
WiFi is not free and the fees for it are expensive: 24 € per week, 50 € per month. You will do better with a Spanish prepaid SIM.
A word of caution: The waiting pontoon is pure concrete and higher than the usual floating pontoons they use elsewhere. So be sure to bring enough fenders.
The outer berths (pontoon 12 at the outside) are exposed to permanent swell from the bay in even light westerlies, so make sure you get a berth on the south side of that pontoon or, failing that, as close to the main quay at possible