Puerto de Santa Maria

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Revision as of 15:15, 16 April 2010

Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain

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	36°35.15′N, 06°13.54′W
	Photo gallery
	[ Local chartlet]

River moorings at Puerto de Santa Maria
Click for larger view

Puerto de Santa Maria is situated on the banks of the Guadalete River five miles NE of the city of Cadiz. A regular ferry service operates between the town and Cadiz. Originally a 7th century Moorish settlement, it was renamed in 1260 on the town’s conquest by Alfonso X of Castile. Christopher Columbus set sail from here on his second expedition to the Americas and it was here that the first map showing the New World was drawn in 1500 by Columbus’ pilot, Juan de la Cosa. Later the town became an important centre for maritime trade and there are still a number of major sherry bodegas which can be visited in the town today.

The friendly Real Club Nautico Puerto de Santa Maria operates ten pontoons in the river which offer alongside berths to visiting yachts a short walk from the centre of town.

Charts

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Chart Source

Chart No

Chart No

Radio Nets

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Local Weather

Local weather conditions?

Sources for Weather forecasts:

Approach and Navigation

(Details needed of the approach).

Check-in facilities (for Customs and Immigration)

Call Puerto de Santa Maria on VHF channel 09 or telephone: +34 956 852 527. E-mail address: [email protected]. Alternatively, berth alongside one of the hammerheads and visit the club office. The current can sometimes be strong in the river, so care is needed when berthing.

Offshore Islands and Groups

None.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

• The Real Club Nautico Puerto de Santa Maria offers a total of 250 berths on pontoons in the river facing the town. Twenty berths are reserved for visitors alongside the 10 hammerheads. Maximum length 20 metres. Maximum draught 5.0 metres. The club has showers and toilets and there is water and electricity on the pontoons. Fuel station. Good security (24 hours). The club has a swimming pool, tennis courts and gym which can be used by visiting cruisers.

Anchorages

Good anchorage to west of training wall at river entrance two miles downstream.

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

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Repairs/Yards

Small yard adjacent to the club with a slipway which can haul out vessels up to 25 T. Crane (5T). Limited repairs.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Fuel station at the club. Water and electricity on the pontoons.

Tourism and Things to do Ashore

Tourism

The old town of Puerto de Santa Maria is pleasant to explore. Several of the major sherry companies, of which the best known are Osborne and Terry, have bodegas here which can be visited. The town also has a famous bullring dating from the late 19th century which can accommodate over 15,000 spectators. The 15th century Mayor Prioral church at the top of the town has a spectacularly carved entrance and a beautiful altarpiece made from silver from Mexico. For most cruisers, however, the town is a peaceful base for visiting the historic city of Cadiz across the bay. The architecture of Cadiz is mainly 18th century, with straight, narrow streets overshadowed by tall houses with wrought iron balconies. The tourist authorities here have painted a helpful 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 decorative early 18th century choir stalls. The Museo de Cadiz is also worth a visit; one of its main attractions is two superb Phoenician stone sarcophagi, male and female. The Torre de Tavira, one of Cadiz’s traditional merchants’ houses equipped with watch towers to view the arrival of their ships, 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.

Gallery

The Mayor Prioral church

Rooftops of Cadiz

Phoenician sarcophagi, Cadiz Museum

Mighty fig tree, Cadiz

Grocery & Supply Stores

Good Supersol supermarket in the town. Most other provisions can be obtained in the town.

Eateries

Numerous excellent restaurants in the town. The seafood and tapas here are renowned among Spanish tourists.

Internet/WiFi

Available?

Laundry

None.

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Garbage Disposal

At the yacht club.

Transportation

• Airports at Jerez and Cadiz
• Local buses and water taxi to Cadiz

Routes/Passages To/From

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 the Cruiser Log Forum

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:

• June 2001 --Athene of Lymington 15:24, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

• Puerto de Santa Maria is a much nicer and more peaceful berth than Cadiz itself or Puerto Sherry. The club which runs the pontoons here is very friendly --Athene of Lymington 15:24, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

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