Cadiz
From CruisersWiki
Cadiz, Spain (Port of entry)
Cadiz
| |
Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Spain and has been the centre of Spanish naval pride since the 18th century. Originally a Phoenician trading harbour, Cadiz fell into the hands of the Carthaginians in around 500 BC and was the centre for Hannibal’s conquest of the Roman province of Iberia. The city was taken by the Romans in 206 during the last of the so-called Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage. Cadiz was then under Moorish rule from 711 until liberated by Alfonso X of Castile in 1262. The harbour was the main port of call for the Spanish treasure fleets returning from the New World during the 16th and 17th centuries, which earned it the attention of Barbary pirates and - famously - the English privateer Sir Francis Drake, who mounted a successful attack here in 1587 designed to slow the preparations for the Spanish Armada. Most of the city’s buildings today, however, date from Cadiz’s heyday as the capital of Spanish trade with the Americas during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The city’s other main claim to fame is the landmark Spanish Constitution of 1812, declared in Cadiz at the height of the Peninsular War against the forces of Napoleon. Today's visiting yachtsman has a choice of three marinas in the city, all situated on the eastern side of the peninsula on which the old town is built and which is connected to the land at its southern end via a long sandy spit. All the marinas are noisy, either from commercial ship traffic or road traffic, and most yachts generally prefer to berth at Rota, Puerto Sherry or Puerto de Santa Maria and travel into Cadiz for sightseeing. Brief details of the three marinas are, however, given below. Note: there is a fourth small, 100-berth marina at Puerto Sancti Petri off the town of Chiclana de la Frontera 10 miles SSE of Cadiz harbour ( 36°23.41′N, 06°12.25′W), but the entrance to the river inlet here is extremely tricky, shallowing to barely 1.5 metres at low water, and should not be attempted without good local knowledge and never with strong winds from any direction.
Local Weather
Give local weather conditions or refer to another page (a region or island group) that covers these conditions.
Sources for Weather forecasts:
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.
From the north, the approach to Cadiz harbour is free of dangers. From the south, the penisular on which the castle of San Sebastian stands should be given at least 0.5 mile clearance all around to avoid the reefs extending from it to the west and north.
Check-in facilities (for Customs and Immigration)
Cadiz is a port of entry/exit in Spain.
Submit details about facilities for checking in - location of immigration & customs, etc.
Berthing options
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
Puerto America Marina
Real Club Nautico de Cadiz
Centro Nautico Elcano
Anchorages
The best anchorage near Cadiz is to the NE of Puerto Sherry marina five miles across the bay, between the marina and the training wall of the channel leading up the Guadalete River to Puerto de Santa Maria.
Offshore Islands and Groups
None.
Yacht Repairs and Services
Marine Stores
There is a tiny (as in TINY) chandler at the marina and not much else nearby. Little English spoken.
Repairs/Yards
Limited repairs can de undertaken at all the marinas.
Fuel, Water, & Electricity
Water and electricity at all marinas. Fuel at Puerto America Marina and Real Club Nautico de Cadiz only.
Things to do Ashore
Tourism
The city of Cadiz is mainly 18th century, with straight, narrow streets overshadowed by houses with wrought iron balconies. The tourist authorities here have painted a red line on the roads to guide tourists round the main sites. These include the cathedral, an impressive edifice with dimensions similar to St Paul’s in London, which has a superb carved stone roof and highly decorative early 18th century choir stalls. The Museo de Cadiz is also worth a visit; its main attraction is two superb Phoenician stone sarcophagi, male and female. The Torre de Tavira, one of Cadiz’s traditional merchants’ houses equipped with watch towers, now houses a camera obscura which reflects a view of the whole city. Finally, the Plaza de San Francisco is a good place for a relaxing lunch stop, surrounded by orange trees.
Grocery & Supply Stores
Eateries
Internet/WiFi
Not officially available. However with a wifi booster we were able to hook into a free open connection from the Real Club Nautico at a reasonable speed.
Laundry
There is one washer and one dryer at a reasonable price (3 Euro to wash, 2 Euro to almost dry) located in the shower block.
Motorbike & Car Rentals
Garbage Disposal
?
Transportation
- 15 minutes walk into town. Go to the main tourist office (Plaza de Espana) outside which one can then get very cheap regular buses throughout the town. There is also a hop-on hop-off tourist bus for 15 Euro per person. (2011)
Routes/Passages To/From
List 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
- Cadiz at the Wikipedia
References & Publications
See Spain.
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. Personal experiences?
- We preferred the river pontoons at Puerto de Santa Maria, from which there are regular ferries into Cadiz, for our visit to Cadiz. It really isn't worth putting up with the noise in the city marinas - even assuming they have space for you --Athene of Lymington 18:49, 13 April 2010 (UTC)
- We were here at the end of October 2011. Note that the marina is a good 15 minutes walk from town, and there is basically nothing at the marina itself, apart from a small bar that is sometimes open. However at this time of year we did not find it noisy. However, passing ships do send some waves into the marina. Staff were helpful and had reasonable English. Figuring out what times shops are open is tricky. Almost always they are open in the mornings from about 9am. Most of them then close at about 1:30 or 2.00pm. Some of them reopen at 2pm or 3pm. these will stay open until 5pm. Others don't reopen until 5pm at which point they then stay open until 8pm or 9pm. Many of the restaurants don't open until 8:30pm or later (at least in October, perhaps earlier in high season) --Life Part 2
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Cadiz and this page's details validated:
- Marina details based on internet research and reports by visiting cruisers (please update if possible)--Athene of Lymington 18:49, 13 April 2010 (UTC)
This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly. |
Contributors to this page
|
---|
Names: Lighthouse, Athene of Lymington |