Porto Palo
From CruisersWiki
| Porto Palo
| |
   
| |
 Porto Palo from the west |
The harbour of Porto Palo is situated around two miles SW of Capo Passero, the extreme SE point of Sicily. It consists of a large natural bay protected by breakwaters on the eastern and western sides, forming an anchorage much used by trawlers and other small commercial vessels. It is also popular with yachts waiting for suitable winds to head down to the Maltese archipelago sixty miles to the south. Shelter here is good from all directions except SW, when an anchored yacht will find a better-protected anchorage two miles to the NE on the north side of Capo Passero.
Charts
- British Admiralty
- 2123 - Capo Granitola to Capo Passero
- 1941 - Capo Paassero to Capo Colonne
- Italian
- 917 - Da Capo Rassello ad Augusta e Isole Maltesi
Weather
Prevailing winds on the east coast of Sicily are NE during the summer and on the south coast, a moderate SW sea breeze predominates. Most of the harbours along the south coast are subject to swell in strong southerly winds which are, however, rare in the summer months.
Sources for weather forecasts:
- There is a continuous (computerized 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 Roma, Cagliari (Sardinia) and Augusta (Sicily).
Passages
See Aegean to West Mediterranean Passages.
Islands
- Isola Capo Passero - two miles NE
- Isole dei Correnti two miles SW
It is possible to anchor off both with care in settled weather, but only as a lunch/swimming stop.
Communication
Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
There are shallows and reefs around Capo Passero and Punta Porto Palo in the approach from NE and both should be given a clearance of at least 0.5 mile. There are similar reefs around Isola dei Correnti two mile SW, which should be given a similar clearance. There are no further dangers in the approach, although entry could be dangerous in strong southerlies. Enter close to the end of the east breakwater, leaving the red buoy off the west breakwater to port. Depths in the entrance are 6.0 - 7.0 metres and in the anchorage range from 3.5 - 6.5 metres.
Berthing
The eastern breakwater is quayed, and in theory, a yacht may berth bows-to along the outer 50 metres, being careful to avoid the ballasting. Depths here range from 1.8 to 2.8 metres. In practice, however, most of the quay is usually full of working boats and trawlers and there is not much space for a yacht. Most yachts anchor off in 5.0 - 6.0 metres, clear of the numerous moorings on the east side of the bay. The bottom is sand and rock and reasonable holding.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
None.
Anchorages
N of Capo Passero
Amenities
| Facilities | |
|---|---|
| Water | There is a tap at the root of the quay is hard to access |
| Electricity | Limited electrical points |
| Toilets | N/A (Not Available). |
| Showers | ? |
| Laundry | N/A |
| Garbage | Bins at the root of the quay |
| Supplies | |
| Fuel | Fuel available at the root of the quay, but difficult to get to in view of the numerous fishing boats moored here |
| Bottled gas | ? |
| Chandlers | Very limited |
| Services | |
| Repairs | There is a slip and fixed and mobile cranes (30T) at the root of the quay. Limited engine and electrical repairs |
| Internet | ? |
| Mobile connectivity | N/A |
| Vehicle rentals | In the village} |
Provisioning
Reasonable provisions available from the village 1.5 kilometres to the north.
Eating out
A few trattorias at the harbour and cafes along the beach.
Tourism
Little of interest ashore.
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
List links external to the wiki such as in Wikepedia.
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 Porto Palo and this page's details validated:
- Data compiled from web research and accounts by other yachts (please update if possible) --Athene of Lymington 15:37, 27 October 2010 (UTC)
| This page has an outline in place but needs completing. Please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to suggest further content or alternatively, if you feel confident to edit this page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly. |
 Contributors to this page |
|---|
|
Names: Athene of Lymington |
