Portimao

From CruisersWiki

Revision as of 21:12, 21 March 2013

Portimao, Portugal

(Click links for more information)
	37°07.13′N, 08°31.60′W
	Photo gallery
	Local chartlet

Portimao is a large resort and popular sailing venue, situated at the mouth of the Arade river on the south coast of Portugal (the Algarve), six miles E of Lagos and 15 miles W of Albufeira. It’s main beach just W of the river entrance, Praia da Rocha, is one of the largest and most celebrated on the Algarve coast. Motor racing enthusiasts are catered for by a motor racing circuit and the waters off the town are busy for much of the year with match racing, windsurfing and power boating events. Visiting yachts have the option of berthing in the huge Marina de Portimao on the W bank of the river or anchoring off the pleasant settlement of Ferragudo on the E bank.

Portimao from SW - Click for larger view

Charts

Please provide a good map or chart that clearly shows details (depths, where to dock, scale etc.) of the harbor.

Give charts applicable to this port or refer to a Chart section of another page (Country or Region) that lists the charts.

Source

Chart Number - Chart Name

Chart Number - Chart Name

Source

Chart Number - Chart Name

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets.

Local Weather

For general weather details, see Portugal. Weather conditions on the Algarve coast are usually more benign than on the west coast and swell is less of a feature.

Sources of weather forecasting info:

• Portugal's Met Office
• UK Met Shipping Forecast.

Approach and Navigation

Portimao is situated just east of the long beach of Praia da Rocha - an area with many buildings - and thus the entrance to the river estuary is easily identifiable. The river is entered from due S between two long moles extending from either side of the river banks. The entrance is about 250m wide. Ponta do Altar with its lighthouse of the same name is on the E side. On account of the height of the cliffs on the E side, the entrance to the port is obscured to those approaching from the east almost until the entrance to the moles.

Once the outer moles have been passed, if heading for the marina a course should be set at 020º off the line of the Ferragudo Fore and Aft beacons, leaving buoy no. 2 to port, continuing in the direction of buoy no. 4 until arriving at the marina entrance on port side. The marina is marked by two moles with beacons at each end and the reception pontoon is to starboard of the marina entrance. Reception is the round yellow building at the end of the pontoon, open 8am to 8pm. The fuel station is on the N end of the same pontoon.

Check-in facilities (Customs and Immigration)

Portimao is a port of entry (details needed).

Berthing options

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

• Marina de Portimao has 620 moorings for yachts up to 50 metres in depths of up to 5.0 metres. Click on link for details

Anchorages

Ferragudo and anchorage - Click for larger view

• Ferragudo 37°07.45′N, 08°31.42′W.

  The anchorage of Ferragudo lies on the E side of the river, just under a mile from the river entrance. The anchorage consists of an inlet off the village of the same name and offers good holding, well protected from the dominant winds. However, it is very shallow and muddy at low tide.

• Portimao Harbor 37°06.84′N, 08°31.36′W.

  Good holding in sand in the large harbor, off the long beach. Well protected from almost every direction, though some swell can make its way in from the SW. Many liveaboards spend many months anchored here. Go as close as possible to the cafe at the NE corner to pick up their unsecured wifi signal.

The Marina de Portimao is very close on the opposite side of the Arade river in the event of a sudden change in the weather

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

See Marina de Portimao.

• In the marina are two small chandlers (Ondanautica and Sopramar) plus Bluewater Algarve which is a general fix-it / source-it type business.
• Sorpamar are useless at ordering stuff in. Bluewater, run by Brits, are excellent, and have a good machine shop for fabricating things. --LifePart2

Repairs/Yards

See Marina de Portimao.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

At Marina de Portimao.

Things to do Ashore

Tourism

List places of interest, tours, etc.

Grocery & Supply Stores

• Small supermarket behind the beach at the south end of the marina.
• Big supermarkets (Continent, Pingo Doce) in town.
• Continent will deliver to the marina if you spend over 100 Euros. Get there by bus from the Tivoli hotel roundabout just outside the marina, or else dinghy about a mile upstream and dock just outside the museum, from where you can walk to the supermarkets. -- LifePart2

Eateries

Lots of tourist restaurants along Praia do Rocha - a short walk from the marina.

Internet/WiFi

• Wifi in the marina.
• When anchored in the harbor, park yourself as close as you can to the Club Nau beach restaurant at the north end of the beach. With a wifi booster you can then hook into their free wifi at variable speeds - sometimes quite good, most of the time pretty slow, sometimes unusable. Personally, I use an unlocked European cell phone (North American won't work), with a Vodafone SIM card, and a pay as you go data connection. Seems to work pretty well. -- LifePart2

Laundry

Behind the marina reception building - 5 or 8 Euros depending on size of load

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Car rentals available above the beach and in town. About 400 Euros a week.

Garbage Disposal

Lots of bins around the marina, along Praia da Rocha, and throughout the town. No charge.

Transportation

Transportation (local and/or international)

Routes/Passages To/From

Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

Links to relevant websites.

References & Publications

See Portugal.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

• October 11, 2011 --LifePart2

Template:Guide2