Procida
From CruisersWiki
Procida, Italy
 (Click links for more information)
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 | 40°45.6′N, 14°0.9′E |
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 | Local chartlet |
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An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Procida Island.
The island of Procida lies just under two miles off Capo Miseno at the western end of the Bay of Naples on the mainland coast of Italy, between the mainland and the much larger island of Ischia. During the Roman era, the island was a popular country retreat for the Roman aristocracy; it was reputedly on Procida that Brutus and Cassius hatched the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar. Its strategic position at the gateway to the Bay of Naples has endowed it with a series of fortifications dating from the mediaeval period right up to the Napoleonic Wars. Today the island’s main industry is tourism, and its narrow roads are clogged with traffic during the July and August holiday periods. For visiting yachts there are three mooring possibilities: the marina of Marina di Procida, the harbour of Chiaiolella and the crowded anchorage of Corricella. In settled weather, a yacht can also anchor in the bay S of the tiny adjoining island of Vivara, which is joined to Procida by a pedestrian footbridge.
Charts
- British Admiralty 1908, 908
- Italian charts 914, 10, 129, 82
Radio Nets
Also see Cruiser's Nets
Weather
Winds along the Tyrrhenian Coast of Italy are generally light in the summer months. The most notable feature is a SW seabreeze that kicks in in late morning and blows at little more than Force 2 - 4 until the evening. Often in the Bay of Naples a flat calm can prevail for several days. Thundery conditions are not infrequent during early Spring and Autumn, and associated winds can sometimes reach gale force and kick up a substantial sea in the Bay. In winter, gales can blow from both NW and S and entry to and exit from some of the harbours along the coast can become hazardous.
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 are broadcast from stations at La Garde (Toulon), Roma and Cagliari (Sardinia).
The island is relatively low-lying and tends to be dwarfed from a distance by its much larger neighbour, Ischia, two miles W of Procida, and the bulk of Monte Procida (confusingly on the mainland two miles NNE of the island). Approaches to the island’s marinas and anchorages are straightforward, although two isolated reefs, the Formiche di Vivara between Ischia and Procida and the Secca del Torrione between Procida and the mainland, need to be avoided. The first is marked with a W cardinal marker, the second with a S cardinal marker.
Check-in facilities (Customs and Immigration)
No customs and immigration staff on Procida. Port police and customs in Porto d’Ischia on the island of Ischia.
Ports and Popular Stops
Ports
- The Marina di Procida
40°46.02′N, 14°01.99′E is a new marina constructed on the N coast of the island, facing the mainland coast of Italy across the Canale di Procida. For details, click on this link Marina di Procida.
- Chiaiolella 40°44.73′N, 14°00.44′E is a small, practically land-locked natural harbour on the southern coast of the island. Lying immedediately E of the bridge joining the islet of Vivara to Procida, the harbour is overlooked on the W side by a small square defensive tower. Closer in, the small bay is enclosed by breakwaters extending from either side. Once inside the breakwaters, shelter is good (although a heavy swell can make entry tricky in strong southerlies). There are several pontoons in the harbour, all managed by different concessions. The pontoons provide a total of 300 berths on laid moorings for vessels up to 45 metres. Depths at the pontoons range from 2.0 to just under 6.0 metres. Yachting Santa Margherita (call on VHF channel 09 or telephone: +39 081 8968074; fax: +39 081 896804; Email) manages the largest number of berths on the large T-shaped pontoon to port on entering the harbour. Facilities include: fuel station (0800 - 2000); water and electricity; toilets and showers; slipway; mobile crane (70 T); engine, mechanical and electrical repairs; divers.
- Corricella 40°45.52′N, 14°01.89′E is a small and very picuresque harbour near the NE tip of the island, due S of the Marina di Procida. Yachts are discouraged from entering, as the harbour is primarily reserved for fishing boats, although entry is permitted to smaller yachts for shelter when very strong northerlies make it dangerous to enter Marina di Procida. The harbour is entered through the channel either side of the central detached breakwater. Depths in the harbour are only 2.0 - 3.0 metres, so shelter here is only suitable for small or shallow-draught vessels. The harbour is full of moorings, so a yacht sheltering here will probably need to pick up a vacant mooring or in extremis anchor and take a line back to the breakwater. Note: depths shallow to less than a metre towards the W end of the harbour.
Anchorages
- In settled weather, the almost circular bay on the E side of the islet of Vivara, S of the pedestrian footbridge, is a pleasant anchorage. Anchor in 5.0 - 8.0 metres. The holding is good in sand and weed. With any winds blowing, a swell creeps into the anchorage; with southerlies it is not a place to be.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
Also see each Port
Yacht Services and Repairs
Also see each Port
Marine Stores
Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.
Yacht Services/Repairs/Yards
Fuel, Water, & Electricity
Fuel, water and electricity at Marina di Procida and Chiaiolella.
Offshore Islands
- Vivara islet
- Ischia
Tourism and Things to do Ashore
Tourism
The island is small enough to walk around in little more than four hours. An even better way to see it is via cycle hire from Procida or Chiaiolella. The fishing harbour of Corricella is not particularly yacht-friendly but is a delightful place to visit and much-photographed. The Abbazia San Michele Arcangelo (Abbey of St Michael), perched on a promontory around a kilometer SSE of the Marina di Procida, is worth a visit for its church, small museum and catacombs. For nature lovers, an early morning visit to the islet of Vivara (last entry 10.00), accessed by a footbridge, enables you to observe some of the varied bird life on the nature reserve here.
Click for larger view
Grocery & Supply Stores
- Good provisions shops near Marina di Procida and in Chiaiolella.
Eateries
- Numerous restaurants in Procida and Chiaiolella.
Internet/WiFi
None.
Laundry
Motorbike & Car Rentals
Garbage Disposal
Bins in Marina di Procida and Chiaiolella harbour.
Transportation
Transportation (local and/or international)
- Ferries to Ischia, Pozzuoli and Naples
- Buses around the island
- Cycle hire in Procida and Chiaiolella
Routes/Passages To/From Procida
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
Publications, Guides, etc.
Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)
Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:
- Data compiled from web research (please update if possible) --Athene of Lymington 13:07, 15 December 2010 (UTC)
Personal Notes
Personal experiences?
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| | HOMEPAGE | Wiki Contents | Mediterranean | Italy | Naples | Procida | |
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