Description:
This port is located at the mouth of the River Barbate, just east of Cape Trafalgar. It is a popular destination for Spanish tourists but not much visited by foreigners. It has long sandy beaches backed by pine forests. It is a modern town, but not unattractive. It has been a fishing port since Roman times.
Entrance Notes and Cautions:
Many ports along the Algarve and Atlantic Andalucian coasts are experiencing silting problems and Barbate is no exception. There is a sand bank only a metre or two west of the line between the last port hand buoy (No4) and the eastern tip of the anti-swell boom.
For the latest Bathymetry information for Barbate, see the Agencia Publica de Puertos de Andalucia (APPA) website.
Approaching this port, beware of the tunny nets (during the season - May to September). These are laid close to the south breakwater and run in a SSW direction for approx. 2NM. Often they extend more than halfway across the entrance to the harbour! It is advisable to approach from the east side of the net, although it is possible to approach from the north of the net with care.
Cruiser Highlights:
Many beautiful white sand beaches, a marina and the Trafalgar Lighthouse are all worthy of a visit. There is a boatyard with a 45 ton travelift and hard standing facilities here.
https://www.puertosdeandalucia.es/puertos/puertos/cadiz/puerto-de-barbate
Position:
36° 10.75'N, 05° 55.37'W(harbour entrance)
Last updated: May 2022
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We stayed in Barbate in October ’17. The tunny nets near the entrance weren’t there (only in the season). For boats up to 13 m it costs 20 euros (including VAT, tourist tax, electricity and water)
Posted on behalf of Noah
The tunny nets extend to just off the breakwater, but it is not necessary to go all the way around them. There is about 100m gap between the top of the net and the breakwater. Be aware, if arriving at dawn or dusk, there will be a lot of working boats moving in and out of the harbour.
We visited Barbate in January 2015. Entry is straight-forward. Some of the channel markers have lost their top marks or are unlit, but it’s easy enough to stay in the middle of the well-lit structure. As pointed out in other guides, beware of the floating wavebreaker protecting the entrance to the marina. Electricity on the B pontoon was unreliable during out stay, and from our conversation with other owners this wasn’t a recent problem. There must be a shortcut somewhere in the wiring below the pontoon, and it seemed no one was in a hurry to fix it. We moved to the A pontoon were electricity wasn’t a problem. Water on the pontoons. There’s no wireless (again, no sign of things improving or even the intention to do so). The bar mentioned in some guides had been closed.
Security is acceptable: the usual gated pontoons however it’s easy to go around them. Toilets and showers are very comfortable. Depths are good and the harbour is well protected from swell. Barbate can be quite a windhole though, so proper mooring is essential if leaving the boat behind. Provisions available from large supermarkets (e.g. Mercadona) in the centre. The town is rather dull, but the surrounding landscape is magnificent. Don’t miss the nearby natural park that offers a delightful walk to Cape Trafalgar. Public transport is limited in winter. Great stop between Cádiz and Gibraltar or Morocco; it’s just a pity that they don’t seem to bother to fix these technical issues.
Stan Luyten
SV Noctiluca
Facebook Page: “Cruising Vagabonds”
Blog: stanluyten.wordpress.com