Anchorage

Golfe de Rondinara

Shelter: NW, N, W, SW, S
Seabed: sand, rock
Anchoring: Allowed

Shell-shaped bay on the south-east coast of Corsica between Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio, classified site since 2010.

Pontoon
Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Entry from the east through a pass roughly 300 metres wide between Punta di Rondinara to the north and Punta di Benedettu to the south. Outlying rocks on both headlands, stay mid-channel. An isolated rock lies just inside the northern side of the entrance rather than in the centre, so pass south of it. Depths inside the bay drop from 8 to 3 metres over sand, with rocky patches along the edges. The north of the bay, tucked behind the headland, gives the best shelter and holds around ten boats behind the swimming buoys.

Practical

Anchorage only, no services, though a small floating pontoon by the beach restaurant makes landing the tender easy. Sand holding is good, rock patches show as dark spots from the surface. Protected from NW through N to S and fully exposed to E, with the northern corner also cutting the swell in N to NE winds. It fills up in July and August, with thirty or more boats overnight. No water, no fuel. Nearest supplies at Bonifacio 6.8 NM SW or Port de Sant'Amanza 4.3 NM SW.

Ashore

White-sand beach closes the head of the bay with a snack bar and a seasonal restaurant that takes bookings and collects crews from the anchorage by tender, with large bins behind it open to boaters. A campground shop sits up the hill to the north-west, about 10 to 15 minutes on foot and pricey. Coastal path along the southern headland reaches Punta di Benedettu in about 20 minutes.

History

The bay was classified as a site naturel by the French ministry of environment in 2010 to limit construction on the surrounding headlands. Seasonal mooring buoys are managed locally to protect the Posidonia meadows.