El Jedida
24/09/07 18:28 Filed in: Morocco
There was little wind during the night. We motored continuously at low revs. Sometimes we got a little help from the wind giving us an extra knot under Main and Yankee. Mostly the sails just flapped uselessly.
As the sun came up it was virtually flat calm. During the morning we were visted by lots of dragonflies. Some with red bodies some yellow.
Dragonflies on our aerial.
At 11:15, approching El Jedida, we took the sails down and prepared for mooring.
It was almost high tide and the fisherman were returning with their catch.
Following a fisherman into El Jedida harbour with the Cité Portugaise fortress in the background.
Had we not been able to moor, Tomas thought this would be a good spot to anchor.
Approaching El Jedida sailing club. There appeared no space for us to moor alongside.
Eventually we moored alongside the bright orange fishery protection vessel.
Looking back at the harbour entrance. At almost high tide we had about 5.5 meters depth.
The electronic chart was out by 0.2-0.3 of a mile.
At 12:00 we moored alonside the Moroccan maritime emergency vessel "Doukalla". She is virtually brand new having been built in Spain last year.
She draws 1.5 metres and is capable of speeds up to 30 knots. It was slightly disconcerting to be told by the chief engineer that they sometimes sat on the bottom in this berth.
Fishing boats moored astern of us.
The formalities took about an hour and a half. Firstly the harbourmaster came aboard. I went with him to his office where he filled out a form with our crew and boat details.
Then I went to the harbour administration office where they made some copies of the harbourmaster's form faxed a copy somewhere and retained my SSR Certificate.
Next I visited the customs office where they wrote down the same details on a different form. My last stop was the police and immigration office where four more forms were completed with the same information and our passports stamped. We were done. Pratique was granted.
Proceedings were conducted in good humour at a relaxed pace.
Back on board the very helpful Rachid from the sailing club arranged for shore power with this "Health and Safety" approved connection. He also let us use some basic but very refreshing cold showers in the club.
It was time for a run ashore and a visit to the old Cité Portugaise fortress city dating from 1533 but sadly now falling into disrepair in places.
An old French field gun made in Toulouse and possibly dating from WW1.
The fortress is magnificent. Occupying a strategic location overlooking the harbour and designed to resist attack from land and sea.
It housed a self contained town.
The harbour entrance at low water seen from the ramparts in Cité Portugaise.
El Jedida fishing harbour and sailing club (foreground) seen from the ramparts in Cité Portugaise.
Kiriwina's mast can just bee seen behind the foreground buildings where beige and white meet.
Beyond the harbour large sandy beaches fade into the distance.
Small fishing boats in the inner harbour next to the fortress.
Looking out to sea over the harbour breakwater with suitable placed cannon. The drying area between the fortress and the breakwater is where Tomas had thought we might anchor. Seen here 6 hours later at low water.
A roof scene from the Cité Portugaise fortress. Typical of the contrasts one sees in Morocco this householder has erected a dish to receive satellite television and repaired his roof with a piece of plastic sheeting held in place with bricks and old pallets.
Another (Portuguese?) cannon defending the north wall....
....and bearing these manufacturing marks. I would be interested to know of a source giving the meaning of these marks.
A rare street sign revealing the origins of the Cité Portugaise.
An entrance from modern El Jedida showing just how thick the fortress walls are.
Back in town, we were impressed by the parking discipline shown by this donkey.
The first theatre we have seen in Morocco.
Boulevard de Sete as evening falls. It leads away from a long attractive beach that gently slopes to seeward. As the tide falls a large expanse of sand is exposed. We saw 8 games of beach football in progress.
As we entered the port the duty policeman and customs officer were having their evening meal and invited us to join them. It wasn't bad at all and very kind of them. They work long shifts of 24 hrs on 48 hrs off.
Back on board, with low water imminent, our sounder was showing only 1.7m. We ground at 1.3-1.4 metres.
As the sun came up it was virtually flat calm. During the morning we were visted by lots of dragonflies. Some with red bodies some yellow.
Dragonflies on our aerial.
At 11:15, approching El Jedida, we took the sails down and prepared for mooring.
It was almost high tide and the fisherman were returning with their catch.
Following a fisherman into El Jedida harbour with the Cité Portugaise fortress in the background.
Had we not been able to moor, Tomas thought this would be a good spot to anchor.
Approaching El Jedida sailing club. There appeared no space for us to moor alongside.
Eventually we moored alongside the bright orange fishery protection vessel.
Looking back at the harbour entrance. At almost high tide we had about 5.5 meters depth.
The electronic chart was out by 0.2-0.3 of a mile.
At 12:00 we moored alonside the Moroccan maritime emergency vessel "Doukalla". She is virtually brand new having been built in Spain last year.
She draws 1.5 metres and is capable of speeds up to 30 knots. It was slightly disconcerting to be told by the chief engineer that they sometimes sat on the bottom in this berth.
Fishing boats moored astern of us.
The formalities took about an hour and a half. Firstly the harbourmaster came aboard. I went with him to his office where he filled out a form with our crew and boat details.
Then I went to the harbour administration office where they made some copies of the harbourmaster's form faxed a copy somewhere and retained my SSR Certificate.
Next I visited the customs office where they wrote down the same details on a different form. My last stop was the police and immigration office where four more forms were completed with the same information and our passports stamped. We were done. Pratique was granted.
Proceedings were conducted in good humour at a relaxed pace.
Back on board the very helpful Rachid from the sailing club arranged for shore power with this "Health and Safety" approved connection. He also let us use some basic but very refreshing cold showers in the club.
It was time for a run ashore and a visit to the old Cité Portugaise fortress city dating from 1533 but sadly now falling into disrepair in places.
An old French field gun made in Toulouse and possibly dating from WW1.
The fortress is magnificent. Occupying a strategic location overlooking the harbour and designed to resist attack from land and sea.
It housed a self contained town.
The harbour entrance at low water seen from the ramparts in Cité Portugaise.
El Jedida fishing harbour and sailing club (foreground) seen from the ramparts in Cité Portugaise.
Kiriwina's mast can just bee seen behind the foreground buildings where beige and white meet.
Beyond the harbour large sandy beaches fade into the distance.
Small fishing boats in the inner harbour next to the fortress.
Looking out to sea over the harbour breakwater with suitable placed cannon. The drying area between the fortress and the breakwater is where Tomas had thought we might anchor. Seen here 6 hours later at low water.
A roof scene from the Cité Portugaise fortress. Typical of the contrasts one sees in Morocco this householder has erected a dish to receive satellite television and repaired his roof with a piece of plastic sheeting held in place with bricks and old pallets.
Another (Portuguese?) cannon defending the north wall....
....and bearing these manufacturing marks. I would be interested to know of a source giving the meaning of these marks.
A rare street sign revealing the origins of the Cité Portugaise.
An entrance from modern El Jedida showing just how thick the fortress walls are.
Back in town, we were impressed by the parking discipline shown by this donkey.
The first theatre we have seen in Morocco.
Boulevard de Sete as evening falls. It leads away from a long attractive beach that gently slopes to seeward. As the tide falls a large expanse of sand is exposed. We saw 8 games of beach football in progress.
As we entered the port the duty policeman and customs officer were having their evening meal and invited us to join them. It wasn't bad at all and very kind of them. They work long shifts of 24 hrs on 48 hrs off.
Back on board, with low water imminent, our sounder was showing only 1.7m. We ground at 1.3-1.4 metres.