Mouillage

Cala della Chiesa

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Shelter: E, SW, S, SE
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Small cove on the east coast of the Îles Lavezzi archipelago, south of Bonifacio, with a sandy bottom.

Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the east in settled weather. The Lavezzi channel between Corsica and Sardinia is swept by strong currents and scattered with granite reefs, so keep to marked passages. No lighting at night. Sant'Amanza lies 3.9 nm north and the port of Bonifacio 4.8 nm to the north-west for shelter.

Practical

Anchor on sand in 3 to 8 metres, only inside the line of yellow buoys, using a bow anchor or bow and stern, lines ashore, once common, are now prohibited and wardens patrol and enforce it. No facilities ashore. The cove is narrow and tight, room for only a few boats and awkward for anything over about 14 m. The whole archipelago falls within the Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio to protect the Posidonia meadows.

Ashore

Granite islets with paths leading to the memorial of the frigate Sémillante, wrecked in 1855 with the loss of 773 men. Two small military cemeteries mark the site. No shops, no water, bring everything aboard. Mosquitoes can be fierce from the island at dusk in early summer.

History

The Lavezzi islands became a protected nature reserve in 1982 and were incorporated into the Bouches de Bonifacio reserve, the largest marine reserve in metropolitan France, covering around 80 000 hectares.