Anchorage

Plage de Barcaggio

Shelter: SE, S, SW
Seabed: sand, algae, rock
Anchoring: Allowed

Anchorage off the northern tip of Cap Corse, facing the Giraglia lighthouse island, with sand, weed and rock patches on the bottom.

Beach
Seagrass

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the north around the Giraglia islet, then head south towards the beach. The best sand lies on the eastern side of the bay in 3 to 6 metres. A rocky shoal in the middle of the bay near the beach carries very little water and is not buoyed, with more rock off the sides, all poorly shown on the charts, so study the chart and keep to the sand. Sheltered from SE through S to SW, open to the north and the libeccio, with no shelter from the north, so treat it as a fair-weather anchorage. The swell builds quickly when the mistral backs NW. Avoid the Posidonia patches which do not hold.

Practical

No facilities ashore. The bay is a protected marine zone where anchoring on the posidonia is banned and wardens patrol. Nearest shelter is the small fishing port of Barcaggio 0.3 NM west, and the marina of Macinaggio 3.5 NM SE for fuel, water and provisions.

Ashore

Sentier des Douaniers coast path starts at the hamlet of Barcaggio and runs west along the cliffs. Land on the beach or leave the tender at the little Barcaggio harbour; a beach bar and windsurf hire run in season, and a baker's van reaches the village in the late morning. Tour de l'Agnello Genoese watchtower stands on the headland above the anchorage. The village has one cafe and a seasonal restaurant.

History

The Giraglia lighthouse, visible from the anchorage, was built in 1848 on top of a sixteenth century Genoese watchtower. It gives its name to the Giraglia Rolex Cup offshore race, run from Saint-Tropez around the island since 1953.