Flights are booked as we head back to meet up with 45North in Lagos Portugal early April 2023. We have our 2,000+ Nautical Mile route plan for this year, which is all subject to change as we pick weather windows and find new ports to explore along the journey.
The first challenge this year will be navigating the 160 NM route from Portugal to North Africa avoiding the ship traffic and Orcas, which are now notorious for attacking sailboats and biting off rudders -yikes! The second challenge will be traveling about 1,550 Nautical miles within our 90 day Schengen travel visa timeline cruising up the Mediterranean coast of Spain; over to the Spanish Balearic islands of Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca; across to the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily and out of Italy within our ninety day window as we then head over to the Albania port of Sarandë, which in itself is another 265 NM as we cross the Ionian Sea. We will add more ports of call later as we plan sail up the 190NM coast line of Albania and Montenegro for an additional few months.
The 2023 line up - ports of call for 45North
The Winds & Currents of the Mediterranean
The dominant winds of the Mediterranean are channeled through the deep valleys between the mountain chains and sweep into the sea from set angles. The Mistral blows through the Garonne and Rhone vallies and then into the Gulf of Lion and across to Corsica and Sardinia, where it is channeled between the two islands in the Straits of Bonifacio. The Westerly and Mistral winds will be our main weather patterns in the Med with Scirocco and Bora winds affecting us for our Ionian Sea adventures. And not to forget the Katabatic (downslope) and Anabatic (upslope) winds that can surprise you with blasts of winds just when you least expect it.
Leg 1 - Portugal to North Africa - Tangier Morocco
160 Nautical Mile sail to 35 46.95' N, 5 48.03' W Weather permitting we plan to shoot it from Portimão Portugal to Tangier the 2nd week of April. We will spend 2-3 weeks in Tangier touring the country side of Morocco.
tel:+212 5393-31717 VHF ch 11
Leg 2 - Gibraltar UK - 30 NM
30 Nautical Mile across the Gibraltar Straight Heading across the straight probably the 1st week of May and staying a week or so.
tel:+35020073300 VHF ch 71 36 8.95' N, 5 21.25' W
Leg 3 - Marbella SPAIN - 41 NM
41 Nautical Mile journey to get back into Spain to 36 30.35' N 4 53.37' W Once we arrive in Marbella our Schengen visa kicks in and we will have until the end of July to be through Spain, Italy and landed in Albania. Our three month visa limit will surely limit our stay time at each of the ports and we have 1,770 NM's ahead of us to get to Albania. Sailing in the MED is tricky as the winds are either crazy velocities or none existent.
tel:+34952775524 VHF ch 9
Leg 4 - Motril - 65 NM
A 65 Nautical Mile route along the coast of Spain to 36 43.43'N 3 31.62'W Timeline: 2nd week of May
tel:+34600293493 VHF ch 9
Leg 5 - Almeria - 55 NM
A 55 Nautical Mile coastal sail to 36 49.87' N 2 27.73' W Timeline: 2nd week of May
tel:+34 950 23 07 80 VHF ch 9
Leg 6 - Garrucha - 60 NM
A 60 Nautical Mile coastal sail to 37 10.98'N 1 49.07" W Timeline: 3rd week of May
tel:+34 9 50 80 80 90 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 3rd week of May
Leg 8 - The famous racing port of Alicante - 60 NM
Another 60 Nautical Mile sail up the coast to 38 20.48' N 0 28.93' W We will probably spend several days in Alicante but would need to be out by May 28th.
tel:+34965213600 VHF ch 9
Alternatively is the anchorage of Badia d'Alacant. Sand bottom - good coverage. W - N - NE. 76% protection score Timeline: 4th week of May
Leg 9 - Denia - 55 NM
A 55 Nautical Mile sail crossing the Prime Meridian to 38 50.43' N 0 7.17' EAST
tel:+34 966 42 43 07 VHF ch 9 Timeline: Last week of May 2023.
Part two - from the coast of Spain we head to the Beleric Islands
Touring the Mediterranean's islands of Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, Sardegna and Sicily.
Leg 10 - Badia de s'Alga - IBIZA - 60 NM
We head 60NM East towards the Balearic Islands with our first stop in Ibiza. Arriving the 1st week of June 2023.
Many options for anchorage based on wind and swell directions
Leg 11 - Ibiza
A short 8 NM sail to the city of Ibiza to 38 59.02' N 1 32.35' E
tel:+34 971 33 61 61 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 1st week of June 2023.
Leg 12 - Palma MALLORCA - 70 NM
A 70 Nautical Mile island hop to Mallorca to 39 34.03' N 2 38.18' E
tel:+34 971 72 68 48 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 2nd week of June 2023.
Leg 13 - Cala d'Or - 40 NM
A 40 Nautical Mile cruise up the Eastern coast of Mallorca to 39 22.15' N 3 13.55' E
tel:971657070 VHF Ch 9 Alternatively there are lots of anchorages. Timeline: 2nd week of June 2023.
Leg 14 - Cala Millor - 18 NM
A short 18 NM cruise North heading up the Eastern coast of Mallorca.
Weather permitting for anchoring along this coast. Sand bottom with protection from the SW to NW. No dock.. Timeline: 3rd week of June 2023.
Leg 15 - Leg 15 - Alcudiamar Marina - 30 NM
A 30 Nautical Mile coastal sail to the Marina to 39 50.35' N 3 8.03' E
tel:+34 971 54 60 00 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 3rd week of June 2023.
Leg 16 - Leg 16 - Cala'n Bosch - MENORCA - 35 NM
We depart and head 35 NM East to the Island of Menorca to 39 55.67' N 3 50.05' E
tel:+34 971 38 71 71 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 4th week of June 2023.
Leg 17 - Calasetta - SARDEGNA - 220 NM
A big island hop to ITALY and their island of Sardegna to 39 6.78'N 8 22.20' E
tel:+39 0781 88083 VHF ch 74 Timeline: 1st week of July 2023.
Leg 18 - Cagliari - 61 NM
A sail around the bottom of Sardegna to 39 12.65' N 9 6.85' E
tel:+39070653535 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 1st week of July 2023.
Island Hopping - in the Tyrrhenian Sea
Leg 19 - Trapani SICILY - 175 NM
A 175NM sail to Sicily.
tel:+39 375 719 4631 VHF ch 69
Timeline: 2nd week of July 2023.
Leg 20 - Palermo - 50 NM
Weather permitting we will cruise the Northern coast of Sicily, otherwise it would be the South coast.
tel:+39 389 859 3773 VHF ch 74
Timeline: 2nd week of July 2023.
Leg 21 - Cefalu - 30 NM
38 2.27'N 14 1.198' E
tel:+39 338 837 4728 VHF ch 9
Timeline: 3rd week of July 2023.
Leg 22 - Capo d'Orlando - 35 NM
tel:+39 0941 964512 VFH ch 9
Timeline: 4th week of July 2023.
Leg 23 - Messina Sicilia - 32 NM
Our last stop on the island of Sicilia before we head into the Ionian Sea (and out of Schengen visa time)
tel:+39 392 990 0144 VHF ch 9 Timeline: 4th week of July 2023.
Leg 24 - Sarandë ALBANIA - 265 NM
The big crossing of the Ionian Sea from Italy to Albania. to 39 52.25' N 20 0.20' E
Anchor off the marina port & check-in to port customs in Sarandë.
Marina tel:+355695715167 VHF ch 11
The Port of Sarandë or Sarandë Harbor is a port of Albania in the city of Sarandë, Albania. There is a small Marina in Sarandë and possibly you can anchor in Qender which is sand and seagrass bottom. Need to enlist a customs clearance agent to gain access to the port and assistance with clearing customs. Our friend Judy Robertson used Agim Zholi.
Customs office is North of the marina is inside the port.
Address: V2C3+H76, Sarandë, Albania Phone: +355 85 222 235
Hours: Sunday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Tuesday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Thursday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Friday7 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday7 a.m.–8 p.m.
Further up the coast is the Limion Port where you can find TAX FREE FUEL SUPPLY . Contact them on mobile : 00355692566576 / 00355695715167 e-mail : agimzholi@yahoo.com & leonardmehmeti91@hotmail.com
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