Molfetta
From CruisersWiki
Molfetta
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The fishing harbour of Molfetta lies on the Adriatic coast of Italy 15 miles NW of the port of Bari and 10 miles SE of Trani. Like its near neighbour to the SE, Santo Spirito, the harbour is small and relatively shallow, with depths inside from 2.0 - 7.0 metres, but is suitable in settled conditions for smaller, shallow draft yachts of up to 12.0 metres. Molfetta has an attractive old quarter and numerous Romanesque and Renaissance churches.
Charts
- British Admiralty
- 186
- Italian
- 921
- 31
- 195
Weather
During the summer months, the prevailing winds in the Adriatic are light to moderate coastal sea breezes. In spring and autumn, northerly winds are more frequent and can quickly rise to near gale force, especially in the northern Adriatic, where the much-feared “bora” is caused by high pressure over the mountains to the NE coupled with low pressure over southern Italy. Fortunately, the fiercest “bora” is normally to be expected in the winter months. Thunderstorms are occasionally experienced in spring and especially autumn and can be accompanied by violent winds of gale force and above. Luckily they are rarely long-lasting. In the southern Adriatic, the “Scirocco”, a S/SE wind blowing up from North Africa which can last for several days, is more common. Unlike the “bora”, which can arrive without warning, a “scirocco” tends to build in strength over 24-48 hours, sometimes reaching gale force (especially in winter).
Sources for weather information:
- There is a continuous (computerised voice) weather forecast on VHF 68 - first in Italian and then followed with an English translation
- The same forecast is given in Italian and English on VHF coastal stations following a notification on channel 16
- Navtex weather forecasts covering the Adriatic are broadcast from stations at Roma, Trieste, Kerkyra (Greece) and Split (Croatia)
Passages
See Adriatic.
Communication
Add here VHF channel for the coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see World Cruiser's Nets.
The twin towers of the cathedral are prominent at the root of the eastern breakwater. The harbour is entered from ENE between the two harbour breakwaters. Depths in the entrance are 6.0 - 9.0 metres. The entrance can be difficult or even dangerous in strong NE winds, when a heavy swell affects the harbour. Once inside the harbour, there is a shoal area, the Secca San Domenico, 200 metres SE of the end of the short inner mole where the yachts are berthed. The area is usually marked by a green buoy.
Berthing
On the SE side of the short inner mole, the Molo Penello, are three pontoons operated by the Italian Lega Navale, the Circolo Nautico Ippocampo and the Nautilus sports club. The pontoons provide a total of 200 berths for small yachts up to 12.0 metres. Depths at the pontoons range from 2.0 - 3.5 metres. No facilities on the pontoons. The remainder of the mole is reserved for fishing vessels.
Anchorages
Anchoring is forbidden in the harbour.
Amenities
Facilities | |
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Water | Some water points on the mole |
Electricity | N/A (Not Available) |
Toilets | ? |
Showers | ? |
Laundry | N/A |
Garbage | Bins on the mole |
Supplies | |
Fuel | Fuel can be delivered by truck |
Bottled gas | ? |
Chandlers | None |
Services | |
Repairs | Slipway. Travel lift (180 T). Mobile crane (15 T). Engine, electrical and electronic repairs. Wood, fiberglass and steel hull repairs. Divers |
Internet | Internet cafes in the town |
Mobile connectivity | ? |
Vehicle rentals | Rental outlet in the town |
Provisioning
Provisions shops in the town.
Eating out
Restaurants and pizzerias in the town.
Transportation
- Buses to Trani, Bari and other local destinations
- Local and international flights from Bari airport (18 kms).
- Train connections to most major cities
Tourism
The mediaeval old town of Molfetta is attractive and has been much restored in recent years. The 13th century cathedral, whose twin towers are so conspicuous from offshore, is an excellent example of the Apulian-Romanesque style. The old town has a number of other interesting churches from 12th to 17th centuries. Around 1.5 kilometres outside the town is the unusual site of Il Pulo, a huge collapsed cavity that formerly housed Neolithic cave-dwellers and was later mined for nitrates used in gunpowder manufacture.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
References
See Italy.
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Molfetta and this page's details validated:
- Data compiled from web research (please update if possible) --Athene of Lymington 19:01, 28 December 2010 (UTC)
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Contributors to this page
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Names: Athene of Lymington |