Sailing Trip Monaci
Two weeks – 169 n.m. Portisco – Baia di San Cipriano – Portisco
This sailing trip fit that crews that don’t want to sail much but want to visit the most beautiful spots of Northern Sardinia and Southern Corsica. The mean per day is 13 n.m., most of them sheltered by the islands’ coasts. Nearly all boats and all crews can sail that.
1° day: Portisco – Cala Sabina – Porto Cervo· 12 n.m.
The first day of your holiday planned route is not long: that’s the best way to become familiar with the boat. You will head towards Cala Sabina, 3 n.m. in 30 minutes. Approaching the bay, watch out for the shallow of Punta Sabina wich is 300 metres off the coast, it is very dangerous. This bay is sheltered from southern winds and is distinguished by a train passage very close to the beach. It stops to leave people at the beach, here proper roads doesn’t arrive.
Leaving your anchorage you will sail to Porto Cervo wich is 9 n.m. away, one and a half hour. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-905605 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. In front of the port entrance, at 0,5 n.m. north-east from it, there is a big shallow with a big light, la “Secca del Cervo”: watch-out, leaving it on the right when entering the harbour, and on the left when going out. The village and the harbour are divided in two sides: the downtown surrounds the old port, entering from the sea at your left; the new side is deeper on the right side, with its majority of boatplaces. Porto Cervo is one of the most elegant and famous holidays destinations in the world. Aga Khan started from here, in the early sixties, the Costa Smeralda building: since then, this area is choosen from the most reach and famous people in the world for their holidays. Many international sailing events are held here yearly, like Rolex Cup, Maxi Yacht Cup, Sardinia Cup, The Veteran Boat Really. Famous fashion boutiques, top class hotels, trendy restaurants and cafè, build the layout of an enchanted village.
2° day: Porto Cervo – Cala Coticcio – Cannigione 13 n.m.
Leaving Porto Cervo your sailing will bring you at the beautiful island of Caprera, in Cala Coticcio. Distance is 6 n.m., about one hour. Tha bay is surrounded by two small beaches: here high contrast of the crystal-clear blu water with the pink of the rocks will take your eyes for sure. Then you will head for Cannigione, 7 n.m., in the bottom of the Arzachena Gulf. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-88422 or by VHF on channel 11, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability.
3° day: Cannigione – Cala Portese – Palau 13 n.m.
Sailing for one hour, 6 n.m., you will reach Cala Portese in the south-easterly side of Caprera; here the shelter is good from southern and westerly winds. Leaving from here you will sail south of Caprera and Santo Stefano, north of Capo d’Orso; this cape is known for having a rock bear-shaped, wich shows itself having it at south-east. Distance from Cala Portese to Palau is 7 n.m., a bit more than one hour. Palau is the ferries terminal to La Maddalena, so that’s why it is one of the most popular village in north Sardinia. Its sound is very busy with ferries courses between La Maddalena and Palau and need attention. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-708435 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability.
4° day: Palau – Cecca di Morto – Santa Maria 7 n.m.
Once out of the port you will head first for Punta Sardegna and then north, between the islands of Spargi and La Maddalena: your target now is the Cecca di Morto sound after 6 n.m., a good shelter from Mistral and northern winds. The first beach on the left (island of Budelli) is “la spiaggia rosa” (the pink beach); here sea streams brought coral sand from the bottom, and until the 70’s the colour was a strong pink. Unfortunally since then, many tourists had the bad use to carry home at least a glass of that fantastic and unique sand, so that today the pink appears really weak, and the beach is not anymore accessible. The berth can be taken on the buoy; anchorage is forbidden, and a sum of money have to be paid to “Il parco della Maddalena” who look after the area. Watch out further north for shallow waters: sailing area is limited until bouys end and you can’t pass through. You can spend the night on the free moorings in Santa Maria island, just 1 n.m. away from Cecca di Morto. Watch out the rocks in the middle of the bay entrance, and leave them on your left. Santa Maria is the only inhabited island between the three (with Razzoli and Budelli) all year long from a shepherd with its sheep.
5° day: Santa Maria – Cala Marmorata – Santa T. di Gallura 11 n.m.
After loosing your buoy, you will head for Cala Marmorata, sailing first between Spargi and Budelli, and then in the open sea of the “Bocche di Bonifacio” for 7 n.m. The bay is wide and a good shelter from southern and westerly winds. The sailing to Santa Teresa di Gallura is 4 n.m. The port is inside a natural fiord and it has been recently built: we advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-751936 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. The small village offers a great seaview over the “Bonifacio strait”; coral fishing and shaping is a local traditional activity, so you will see many shops selling jewelry coral made.
6° day: Santa Teresa di Gallura – Lavezzi – Bonifacio 12 n.m.
Lavezzi island is 6 n.m. away from Teresa di Gallura, you will sail aproximately 1 hour north. The most beautiful bay there is Cala Lazarina in the south-westerly side of the island: watch very carefully the nautical charts before approaching the entrance. Lavezzi is not inhabitated, but can happen to meet some donkey or cow, expecially at the beach; they are not dangerous but love straw and cigarettes, so sometime some bustle grow up between the not informed tourists who see those animals nibbling slowly their bags or hats. On the beach there is the cemetery where the crew of the french ship Semillante is buried; this ship sunk on the Lavezzi rocks on the year 1885. This island is one of the most beautiful of the whole area, really worth to visit. Bonifacio is another natural fiord, giving shelter to a very safe port, with every weather and wind direction; it is 6 n.m. away from Lavezzi. Arriving from the sea white high cliffs with its hazardous climbed houses on top are the typical welcome of Bonifacio, so different from the Sardinian pink rocks. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 04-95731007 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. The ancient city of Bonifacio is in top of the cliffs; from here a superb sea view on Sardinia and the Bonifacio strait is a must.
7° day: Bonifacio – Rondinara 15 n.m.
The Gulf of Rondinara is a natural shelter 15 n.m. north of Bonifacio on the eastern costa of Corsica; you will arrive there after an aproximately 2 and a half hours sailing, leaving on your left Lavezzi and Cavallo; we do not advise to sail the Piantarella passage, wich is very dangerous. Inside Rondinara you can get an anchorage everywhere with good weather, in the north side of the gulf between the beach and the shallow in case of eastern winds: from this point of view, the best to overnight in safe, it seems to be in a lake.
8° day: Rondinara – Baia di San Cipriano – Porto Vecchio 17 n.m.
The Bay of San Cipriano is immediately after of Porto Vecchio north, 12 n.m. from Rondinara. Porto Vecchio is 5 n.m. away. The long entrance way is bounded by buoys; have to be followed strictly expecially in the nearby of the harbour in front of the entrance. It is better to enter in Porto Vecchio in day light. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 04-95701793 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. The ancient city is uphill and is surrounded by high walls; very nice and funny with many shops and restaurant.
9° day: Porto Vecchio – Santa Manza – Cavallò 25 n.m.
The ninth day of your cruise is the one with the longer route, we advise you to loose your moorings before h 10:00. The Santa Manza Gulf is 17 n.m. away from Porto Vecchio, a 3 hours sailing. The gulf is very long and offers two anchorages, one in front of the Balistra beach, the other one in its southern part: this last is certainly the most sheltered. Cavallò is other 8 n.m. south, with its recent harbour. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 04-95701009 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. Here there is not a proper village, but just holiday exclusive villas; a small private airplanes airport is on the island.
10° day: Cavallò – Porto Puddu – La Maddalena 14 n.m.
Leaving Cavallò you can head for 165° towards Porto Puddu, 10 n.m. The Bay is wide and long, sheltered with nearly all winds. The island Cavalli, known as “Isola dei Gabbiani” (seagulls island), closes the bay at west side and is linked with mainland with a tiny sand stripe, creating a perfect spot for the windsurfing: easterly or westerly you will always have fun with your board here, or change waves conditions….crossing few meters of sand by feet. Sailing again, this time heading through Punta Sardegna for La Maddalena, in the port of Cala Gavetta, 4 n.m. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-730121, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability. The city is tiny and nice; from here it is possible to visit Caprera by land, and particularly the Garibaldi house. It’s here the place where the “two worlds hero” was exiled and died on the 2nd of June, year 1882; in the nearby of his home there is his grave, under some trees planted by himself. Today that house is a museum worth to be visited, for information you can call 0789-727162.
11° day: La Maddalena – Cala Ferrigno – Poltu Quatu 14 n.m.
Going out of Cala Gavetta (La Maddalena) you will head for Spargi island, eastern side, Cala Ferrigno, 4 n.m. It is a superb shelter from mistral; you can stay on the free moorings or give a rope at the top of the wrecked peer. This island is not inhabitated and from Cala Ferrigno a path starts to visit the inner part; this walk is partcularly worth for the amazing smells and landscapes. In the afternoon you will sail between islands and mainland heading for Poltu Quatu, 10 n.m., a port inside a natural fiord. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-99477 or by VHF on channel 9, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability.
12° day: Poltu Quatu – Golfo del Pevero – Cala di Volpe 9 n.m.
Once loosed your moorings from Poltu Quatu, you will head for the “Passo delle Biscie” (Biscie sound), between Isola delle Biscie e Capo Ferro, leaving before the island of Capuccini on your right. Pevero gulf is 5 n.m. away, before it you will have to pass by in front of Porto Cervo, so watch out from the shallow with its light there, leave it on the right. Pevero gulf is south of Porto Cervo and is a good shelter from southern and westerly winds. Leaving Pevero, you will have to leave Li Nibani islands on your right (it is forbidden to cross the Nibani sound) and sail 4 n.m. to approach Cala di Volpe. This bay is wide and surrounded for two thirds by a long white beach; in the northern side the famous international Hotel Cala di Volpe has its fantastic position on the sea. The shelter is good from nearly all winds, expecially inside the Hotel small gulf: here the bottom is enough not further than a couple hundreds meter over the entrance light. If weather is good, we advise you to stay at the free moorings here for the night.
13° day: Cala di Volpe – Mortorio – Portisco 7 n.m.
The island of Mortorio is well famous for its wilde landscapes and seagulls together with clear crystal shallow waters: many movies have been taken between here and Cala di Volpe. It is 3 n.m. east of Cala di Volpe. The most beautiful anchorage is on the south western side of the island. Now just 4 n.m. are between you and your final destination: Portisco. We advise you to call the harbour offices by telephone at 0789-33520 or by VHF on channel 69, in order to announce your arrival and to ask for the berth availability.