Everything you need to know to sail by boat in Menorca
Before starting to navigate Menorca, you must take into account a series of factors. Here are our recommendations for sailing with a charter boat.
✔️ Rent a boat with a quality guarantee
✔️ Check the weather before setting sail
✔️ Make sure to bring communication equipment
✔️ Prevent dizziness if we have a tendency to get dizzy
✔️ Do not exceed the maximum capacity allowed by the boat
✔️ Sun protection.
✔️ Don’t forget about drinking water
✔️ Go enjoy
It is very important to respect the marine environment. Be careful where we put the anchor.
Rent a boat in Menorca and with a guarantee of quality in the service.
Check the meteorology in Menorca
Ciutadella FornellsIs it possible to see turtles and dolphins in Menorca?
Well, the answer is yes, even sperm whales, as reported by the Diari Menorca.
Seeing dolphins in Menorca is more common than it seems. And blue sharks, from the shark family. What has not been seen because its waters are too hot for them are white sharks and killer whales. You can be calm.
Turtles are common in Menorcan waters, they have even laid eggs on the beaches of Menorca, on which the “GOB” and” Per La Mar Viva” have monitored the evolution of the eggs in 2020.
What to do if we find a turtle?
If you find a turtle wounded or tangled in plastic, never try to untangle or remove the plastic yourself and free it. You must call 112 and keep it in the shade. It does not have to be in the water but it is important that it be in the shade, especially in summer. If you do this, you will have performed perfectly.
The pertinent authority in the area will be in charge of evaluating the specimen and proceeding.
Fishing in Menorca
Individual recreational fishing is allowed in Menorca, with the exception of the marine reserve, with three different levels:
Special protection zone ZPE. Between Cala Barril and Pla de Mar, another smaller area in the bay of Fornells, where fishing or scuba diving is not allowed, nor is it allowed to anchor on the Posidonia meadows.
Recreational fishing closed zone ZVPR. Between Cap Gros and Ses Penyes Blanques, fishing is not allowed from the boat and also from land. Although scuba diving and professional fishing, yes.
The rest of the RM marine reserve, fishing and diving is allowed on a regulated basis.
If you want to fish outside these areas, there is no problem if you have your individual recreational sea fishing license.
You must process your license to be able to do recreational fishing from land or floating artefacts and it is mandatory for people over 14 years old.
You can process it online and the cost is 16.21€ with a validity of up to 3 years.
retirees and over 65 years do not have to pay but they must also process the license.
If you are interested in obtaining the license, you can process it here
Navigations routes and dangers along the coast
Our boats can be rented from two different ports, the port of Ciutadella and the port of Fornells with free parking.
BOAT DEPARTURE FROM THE PORT OF CIUTADELLA
CIUTADELLA HARBOUR
SOUTH Route:
Departure from the port of Ciutadella.We can tour thecoves of Santandria, S’aigodolça, son Xoriguer, son Saura, Talaier, Cala Turqueta, Macarela, Cala Galdana, Mitjana, Trebaluger, Cala Escorxada, Cala Fustam, etc.
NORTH Route:
In the north route departing from the port of Ciutadella we would have the following coves: Cales piques, Pont d’en Gil, S’amarador, cales morts, Cala Morell, La Vall, Platjad’esBot, Cala Pilar, Elsalocs, CalaCalderé, Cala Pregonda, etc.
FORNELLS HARBOUR
NORTHWEST Route:
From the port of Fornells to the west, the route to follow would be the following: Cala Tirant, Illa de Porros, Sanitja, Cavalleria, Binimel.la, Pregonda, CalaBarril, Cala en calderer, Els alocs, Cala el Pilar, etc.
EAST Route:
Another possible route of interest is the East area where there are many nice corners: Cala Couldt, Sonparc, Arenal den Castell, coves noves, Na Macaren, Addaia, Cala de S, inmate, Far de Favaritx, Platja den Tortuga, Cala Presili, ILLA den Colom.The furthest they are already far from Fornells.
IMPORTANT NOTE: THE NORTH NAVIGATION ZONE IS QUITE DANGEROUS IN TERMS OF ROCKS, THERE IS A LOT OF DEPTH BUT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN THE LOW FUNDSNOT TO GIVE IN THE HELIZES OF THE ENGINE.
IN OUR BOATS YOU WIL HAVE A MAP WHERE THE CONFLICTIVE POINTS WILL BE MARKED.
Caution with POSIDONIA when anchoring in Menorca
Posidonia, a common good that we must take care of. And anchoring is a threat to the grasslands that inhabit Menorca.
Posidonia meadows contribute to the preservation of ecosystems, creating oxygen, reducing the erosion of the seabed and being a habitat for animal and plant species.
The presence of grasslands are bio indicators of water quality.
The crystalline water of Menorca are due in large part to the posidonia that surrounds the island and slows the impact of the water against the seabed, ensuring that the suspended particles are retained between the plants, acting as a natural filter and thus serving as food for the species that live in them. If you want to know more about posidonia
For this reason, it is very important not to destroy the meadows and to be careful not to drop the anchor on these plants, which are so important to the ecosystem of Menorca.
Where can you eat if you go by boat in Menorca?
Everything will depend on where you have your base port. Our recommendations are based on the ports where our boats depart. Ciutadella and Fornells.
If you have rented a boat with Menorca en lancha and have left from Ciutadella, you can always eat on the boat, which for us is the best option to take advantage of a full day on the boat. But if you prefer to eat on land, you have several options.
Leaving from Ciutadella
On the southern route you will find restaurants on the urbanized beaches of Santandria, Cala Blanca, Cala Bosch and Son Xoriguer. After the urbanized beaches, you will not find a restaurant, until you reach the virgin beach of Macarella. Where you can eat mixed dishes with a very good quality price and a surprising baked lamb. Keep in mind that in the Susy de Macarella restaurant, they do not reserve a table.
On the North route, leaving Ciutadella you will only find restaurants in Cala Morell. And from our opinion, it is interesting to take the food prepared to get to the Vall and enjoy the whole day there. Before eating you can get to Cala Pilar and have a take a bath, a snack and a drink. And return to La Vall, which will always be calmer because it is a more closed beach than Cala Pilar.
Leaving from Fornells.
In Fornells you have a wide range of restaurants and as a starting point it doesn’t make much sense to go back to port to eat … surely you will have other days during the holidays to savor a lobster stew at es Cranc Pelut or an excellent grilled meat at ca Na Marga, in Ses Salines.