Spain:General

From Skipper2Skipper

General

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom.

Charts

If you are used to Admiralty charts then it is best to stick to these for Spanish waters. Admiralty charts for Spain can he obtained in [[Gibraltar]. Spanish charts for the area are probably the best. They can be obtained from the Commandancia Militar de Marina at major ports.

British Admiralty

Spain. Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, N. Africa.

Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, N. Africa.

• 90 Rio de Las Piedras to Cabo Trafalgar 175 000
• 773 Strait of Gibraltar to Isla de Alboran 300 000
• 774 Motril to Cartagena including Isla de Alboran 300 000
• 1700 Cartagena to Cabo de San Antonio including Isla Formentera 300 000
• 1704 Punta de la Bana to Islas Medas 300 000
• 2831 Punta Salinas to Cabo de Formentor including Canal de Menorca 120 000
• 2834 Ibiza and Formentera 120 000
• 2437 Cabo Quilates to Oran 300 000
• 1909 Ile Plane to Cherchell 300 000
• 822 Approaches to Oran, Arzew and Mostaganem 120 000
• 142 Strait of Gibraltar 100 000
• 92 Cabo de Sao Vicente to the Strait of Gibraltar 400 000
• 2717 Strait of Gibraltar to Barcelona and Alger including Islas Baleares 1 100 000

Spain. Costa Azahar, Costa Dorada, Costa Brava, Balearic, Ibiza

Costa Azahar, Costa Dorada, Costa Brava, Balearic, Ibiza

• 773 Strait of Gibraltar to Isla de Alboran 300 000.00
• 774 Motril to Cartagena including Isla de Alboran 300 000.00
• 1700 Cartagena to Cabo de San Antonio including Isla Formentera 300 000.00
• 1701 Cabo de San Antonio to Villanueva y Geltru including Islas de Ibiza and Formentera 300 000.00
• 1702 Ibiza, Formentera and Southern Mallorca 300 000.00
• 1703 Mallorca and Menorca 300 000.00
• 1704 Punta de la Bana to Islas Medas 300 000.00
• 2434 Bahia de Cartagena 30 000.00
• 2831 Punta Salinas to Cabo de Formentor including Canal de Menorca 120 000.00
• 2832 Punta Salinas to Punta Beca including Isla de Cabrera 120 000.00
• 2833 Menorca 120 000.00
• 2834 Ibiza and Formentera 120 000.00

Spain, Portugal. Atlantic Coast

Spain, Portugal. Atlantic Coast

• 83 Ports on the South Coasts of Portugal 25000
• 85 Rio Guadalquivir 40000
• 86 Bahia de Cadiz 25000
• 87 Cabo Finisterre to the Strait of Gibraltar 1000000
• 89 Cabo de Sao Vicente to Rio de Las Piedras 175000
• 90 Rio de Las Piedras to Cabo Trafalgar 175000
• 92 Cabo de Sao Vicente to the Strait of Gibraltar 400000
• 142 Strait of Gibraltar 100000
• 1110 La Coruna and Approaches 10000
• 1111 Punta de la Estaca de Bares to Cabo Finisterre 200000
• 1113 Harbours on the North-West Coast of [[Spain] 40000
• 1153 Approaches to Gijon 50000
• 1154 Gijon 10000
• 1170 Approaches to Puerto de Bilbao 50000
• 1181 Plans in the Bay of Biscay 50000
• 1455 Algeciras 10000
• 1756 Ria de Muros 40000
• 1768 Ria de Arosa 40000

Spain. Coast of Biscay

Coast of Biscay

• 1102 Bayonne to Santander 200000
• 1105 Cabo Ajo to Cabo Penas 200000
• 1108 Gijon to Punta Candelaria 200000
• 1110 La Coruna and Approaches 10000
• 1111 Punta de la Estaca de Bares to Cabo Finisterre 200000
• 1113 Harbours on the North-West Coast of Spain 40000
• 1153 Approaches to Gijon 50000
• 1154 Gijon 10000
• 1170 Approaches to Puerto de Bilbao 50000
• 1181 Plans in the Bay of Biscay 50000

Sailing Areas

• Bay of Biscay
• Mediterranean Sea
• North Atlantic Ocean
• France

Weather

The north and northwestern part

This area is influenced by Atlantic depressions, especially in autumn and winter. But even in the summer the weather can be variable. This part of Spain has the most precipitation and cloudiness. In the interior of Spain the sun shines about 10 hours a day, averagely, but to the coast it is only 6 or 7 hours a day. The average temperature in January on the northwestern coast is about 10°C and this area rarely has frost. But the interior knows temperatures well under 0°C. In the middle of the summer (July) it can become 22°C on the coast and 25 -30°C more to the interior of the country. This area has quite a lot of precipitation: 1000 mm (coast) to more than 2500 mm in some mountainous areas.

In the winter months there is rain on 16-20 days. In the summer it rains for 12-14 days a month (at least a little), but less in the interior land.

The east coast along the Mediterranean

The mediterranean climate distinguishes itself by the mild, humid winters and the long, dry summers. The coldest month is January, and the average temperature around Barcelona then is 8°C and around Malaga about 13°C. But averages don't say everything: it can be much colder or much warmer than the average temperatures, freezing or summer temperatures.

Sometimes there isn't any precipitation at all in the summertime and when there is some, it is mostly from short during thunderstorms. But the area around Barcelona is an exception to that: even in the most dry month, July, there falls an average of 70 mm rain, mostly from heavy thundershowers. But there is always a lot of sun and temperatures vary from 28-30°C. The interior of Spain:

The big differences in altitude make the climate varied: in winter, at higher altitudes one can do winter sports and in summer it can be very hot. The more one goes into the interior of the peninsula, the colder the winters are and the hotter the summers, whereby it is colder in the north than in the south. Frost isn't uncommon in the winter. Average temperature in Madrid in January is 9°C, near Cordoba 13°C. In summertime temperatures vary from 25-35°C but sometimes they are as as high as 40°C.

Entry

General

Your vessel must be registered before entering Spain. The Small Ships Register will be helpful to most craft.

Passports should be taken. Crew who wish to leave other than in the yacht must have the passport stamped with 'Entrada' which can be obtained at any principal port. If entering Spain through the French canals craft may get clearance in Alicante, Barcelona, Valencia and Palma. Crew Joining in Spain may have an 'Entrada' stamped in the passport on entry into the country.

Entering Spain by sea fly 'Q' Flag. 

Entry by road requires a 'Triptyque' or carnet for the boat. Report to the Port Captain where the craft is to be launched who will wish to see a Certificate of Competence signed by your national authority, in Britain there is no national authority. RYA Certificates are the nearest that we have and which have been acceptable to date.

Temporary importation

Is for a period of 6 months in any calendar year (Australians and Americans have 8 months). In this period neither you nor your spouse 'may be engaged in profitable activities nor render personal services in Spain'. On entering port customs must be contacted and they will issue a customs permit. Ships papers and passports must be presented to the immigration office and you must pay for your berth. If you wish to stay longer you may apply for permanent importation.

Permanent Importation

This is available to 'residents' permitted to live in Spain. The yacht is imported and a tax of 40% of the value when new is charged. Every foreign vessel berthed in Spain for other than a temporary period must be registered with the customs authorities. If you personally wish to leave Spanish jurisdiction for more than 2 months you must inform customs in writing naming a custodian of your yacht in your absence, which may be up to two years. Up to five 6 month extensions are permissible depending on certain conditions which are complicated and variable.

Spain Forecast Areas

These are applicable to Navtex and Radio Forecasts

7. Cadiz. 8. Alboran. 9. Palos. 10. Leon. 11. Baleares. 12. Argelia.

Fiestas

Besides the most important holidays, Christmas, Holy Week, All Saints Day, etc., all towns and cities, and even neighbourhoods and professions have their patron saints whose feasts last for a number of days. These are high feasts, which do not prevent the celebration of other feasts in honour of other saints. The majority of high feasts are observed in summer and fall, following harvest time. That is the justification of such festivals as the 'Sanfermines' in Pamplona, Valencia's Fallas, Sevilla's Feria de Abril and Madrid's San Isidro.

In addition to these popular events, the different Holy Week celebrations in many Spanish cities should be mentioned, especially the ones in Sevilla.

But be it a secular or religious feast, there are always bulls present, the adult bulls in the most important rings and the younger ones (novillos) in the minor rings.

The Fiesta Nacional, as the bullfight is called in Spain, is experiencing an unexpected revitalization, with a great increase in spectators and to the apprearance of a new generation of young bullfighters who alternate with the confirmed masters.

Bullfighting was originally done on horseback and was a sport reserved for the aristocracy. It was practiced in two different ways, either the rider and his mount were face to face with the bull or they practically sideswiped the animal trying to spear it during the fight. Gonzalo Argote de Molina was the first to write down the precepts of bullfighting in his book or 'Libro de la Monteria' which Alfonso XI commissioned him to write. However the most detailed tracts on the practice of bullfighting on horseback were written around the middle of the 17th century.

The vassals or assistants were only there to hand the spears to their masters or help them to up if they happened to fall off their horse during the fight.

A radical transformation took place in bullfighting when Felipe V prohibited the nobles from practicing it, as he considered the sport a bad example for the public's education.

From then on the aristocrats' assistants, common men, took it over and began to fight bulls unarmed by dodging them, pole vaulting over them, raising small spears, the origin of today's 'banderillas' and also using objects or rags to sidestep the beasts, a pastime which took such deep root and became so popular that eminent researchers like Thebusen and the Count de las Navas began calling it the 'most national' of feasts.

The transformation from horseback to fighting bulls on foot took place around the year 1724, however during those times posters didn't exist and bullfights were announced by the town crier.

Very little known about the first bullfighters until Joaquin Rodriguez (Costillares), Pedro Romero and Jose Delgado (Pepe-Illo) made relevant contributions to bullfighting and professionalized it. Delgado did a great deal to stimulate and regulate the art and wrote the first didactic work on bullfighting on foot.

The democratic city councils have played a preponderant role in the recovery of traditional feasts and festivals. 'Romerias' (celebrations held near a shrine), Mardi Gras carnivals, especially those held in the Canary Islands and Cadiz, dances and processions have been revived in great part thanks to the local administrations. At present, the public has retrieved a wide variety of national folklore. There are the 'sevillanas' which have become fashionable in the discos, and 'muneira', 'sardana', and 'aragonese' and 'castilian jota' groups abound while more and more people are becoming enthusiasts of 'flamenco' and 'cante jondo'. As has ocurred with other traditions, folk dances and music seem to have profited from a modernization of customs.

Languages

Spanish is the main language, spoken throughout the whole of Spain. But there are some regions with an additional language. In Cataluña people also speak Catalan, in Galicia Galician, Basque in the Basque Country and finally Valencian in the Valencian society. This can be very confusing at times, because in Cataluña and Basque Country many people consider their dialect the main language. On schools sometimes the regional language is taught as the first language, wih Spanish as a second one. Roadsigns are often first in Basqe or Catalan and only then in the Spanish language in these autonomous regions.

Flora and Fauna

Flora and fauna in Spain have a typical Mediterranean character. Most common trees are the oak, chestnut, birch and the beech tree. On higher areas there are also coniferous woods. The fauna has some African elements (chameleon, mongoose and others), which slowly penetrate into the north. Big mammals are: the brown bear, wolf, lynx, feral cat, wild boar, red deer, roe deer, Spanish ibex and chamois, although some of these species have become quite rare. But the last few decades there is much more attention for the protection of these species, for example by creating national wildlife reserves. There is a great variety in birdlife: the stork and several sorts of large birds of prey are still common in a lot of areas. One of the most striking species is the blue magpie, which can be found in central and south Spain and (except for Portugal) only exists in China. Of all European countires, Spain has the greatest variety of reptiles. And of course there is a lot of fish in the seas surrounding Spain, tuna being the most popular for consumption. Spain has nine national parks and hundreds wildlife reserves.

Pilot Books

• Admiralty Mediterranean Pilot Vol. 1 (NP45) Covers the south and east coast of Spain and the Balearics.
• Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals Vol. I (NP 78)
• RCC Pilotage Fundation. Mediterranean Spain. The late Robin Brandon's East Spain Pilots has been updated by the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Fundation. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.
• RCC Pilotage Fundation. Mediterranean Spain Costas del Azahar, Dorada and Brava. Denia to the French frontier. Robin Brendon. Revised by Oz Robinson. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.
• Mediterranean Spain Costas del Sol and Blanca. Gibraltar to Denia including Marbella, Alicante and the Mar Menor. Robin Brendon. Revized by Oz Robinson. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.
• RCC Pilotage Fundation. Isles Baleares. Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca. Edited by Anne Hammick. This volume has been completely revised and rewritten by Anne Hammick, author of the Atlantic Crossing Guide and Atlantic Island and Atlantic Spain and Portugal for The Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Fundation. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.
• East Spain Pilot. Robin Brandon. Covers the Spanish Mediterranean coast and the Balearics in detail. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.
• Guia Nautica Turistica y Deportiva de Espana. Asambles de Capitanes de Yates. In Spanish but with harbours plans.
• Blue Guide lo Mainland Spain. Black. The best.
• Nagel's Guide to Spain and the Balearic Islands.
• Collins. Companion Guide to The South of Spain.
• Fabled Shore. Rose Macaulay. Hamish Hamilton. A classic.
• Berlitz Guides to Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Costa Dorado and Barcelona, Costa del Sol and Andalusia, Ibiza and Formentera, Majorca and Minorca. Up to date compact guides.
• The Rough Guide to Spain. RKP.