Posted November 2011
Just a word of warning for those wishing to visit Gibraltar by yacht.
We had a friend who tried to take his catamaran (a Lagoon 570 – UK registered) into Gibraltar in a force 9 for shelter. The marinas refused him and the port authorities threw him out and told him to go to Spain (La Linea).
As we intended taking our cat (a Wauquiez Kronos 45 – the UK registered) north from the Canaries to the Med this October, I thought it wise to book ahead. So I contacted all three marinas, only Ocean Village replied and asked us to use the online booking form. Nothing happened after the booking was made. So I again contacted the marina manager to find out about the booking. Nothing happened. The day before we left to go to the boat I tried to phone, no answer. In desperation, I re-emailed the manager and asked him to text me if there was a problem with the booking, nothing.
After a six and a half day passage, we arrived at Ocean Village Marina on 13/10/11 and tied to the adjacent fuel berth (CEPSA quay) at 2100, while two of our crew dinghied over to the office to find our berth. The night staff had rung the Port Authorities to inform them of our arrival. Then a port boat with staff in work clothes (no uniforms) landed up and told us to leave. We tried to explain that we were waiting for our berth to be allocated, but they told us to leave the port and go to Spain. Then the crew returned to tell us the marina knew nothing of us and no we couldn’t have a berth. So we left for Spain.
We had a very pleasant calm night in the anchorage at La Linea and proceeded to the marina for a short stay the next morning. The Marina and its staff at La Linea could not have been better, the people of Gibraltar could not have been worse.
I am sure Ocean Village are generally an able marina, but their incompetence to communicate was outstanding, by VHF or e-mail. We were also very suspicious at the speed the Port Authority appeared. What was even more annoying was that I had an e-mail waiting when I got home to confirm my reservation (at the marina), dated after the requested date.
The worst thing about it all was the unhelpful and forceful attitude of the port, especially as yacht arrival reporting is now the responsibility of the marinas and has been for some years.
Nick Thwaites
Karl Bissett, Manager of Ocean Village Marina, responded to Mr Thwaites email with the following comments:
This gentleman starts off by saying that after the booking was made he phoned and emailed the marina manager several times with no reply. Our office is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so I find it very difficult to believe that he had no reply when he called.
I personally emailed him in reply with confirmation of his booking and I personally pencilled it in our bookings book.
He also mentions calling on VHF channel 16, with no reply, this is the Port’s listening channel and is always answered, he does not specify which channel he called Ocean Village on (we are on channel 71).
The episode he describes (we think at the fuel berth) with the Port boat has absolutely nothing to do with the Marina. Because of Health & Safety Regulations, no yacht is allowed to berth at the fuel berth for longer than is necessary and it might well be true that the Port Authorities has asked them to leave the fuel berth. We cannot comment on what may or may not have happened as we were not involved at all. It would seem that we are blamed for the action of others.
We find it very difficult to believe that the marina staff at the marina office, who are on duty until 9.30 pm, would have turned them away without consulting the bookings for that day, given that this is our core business and we have been operating for years.
We would just like to say that we welcome all visiting yachts with “open arms” and always have done. We would prefer visiting yachts to book in advance either by email or phone, this makes it easier for us to plan ahead but we are well known for fitting yachts in even when they turn up with no booking. Most of our staff have worked in marinas for many years and know that yachtsmen and women arrive very tired and in need of services offered and we take pride in the services we offer.
Yours sincerely
KARL BISSET
Marina Manager
Posted January 2012
Ref: Gibraltar “Turned Away”
I note the response of Karl Bisset in defense of the treatment received by a visiting yacht in this article.
We did visit that same marina in 2008 following a serious incident at sea which warranted official note by the marina and follows up response. I did report to the Marina and Police and wrote to Karl Bisset to follow up some weeks later expecting a reply which had important insurance implications. The marina neither bothered to respond to that matter nor acknowledge it.
Gibraltar suffers from a lack of regulatory enforcement. The Marina has delegated functions of the authority. I do feel it is rather indifferent to what kind of treatment is meted out to visitors.
Redmond Barry
