Palau — Rada di Palau
Porto di Palau · Palau roadstead
41°11.0'N 009°23.0'E
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Holding
Good holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
90m
90m covers a normal swing in 5–8m at 4:1 scope with room for the ferry wash to shift you around. Palau sits at the south end of the Bocche di Bonifacio, where the Maestrale accelerates between Corsica and Sardinia — an evening calm here says nothing about 03:00. If the forecast has any N or NE in it, take a berth in Marina di Palau rather than trust the roadstead.
About This Anchorage
Palau is the mainland gateway to the La Maddalena Archipelago and the start of almost every charter in these waters. The town sits at the south end of the Bocche di Bonifacio behind Punta Sardegna, with a large ferry terminal, two marinas and full provisioning — the last proper supermarket before a week of park anchorages. The Rada di Palau gives usable anchoring on sand in the S quadrant but is open to the north, and the constant La Maddalena ferry traffic makes the fairway a place to stay well clear of. Most crews anchor or berth here for a night at each end of the trip, buy the La Maddalena National Park permit online before leaving, and use the town for fuel, water and the last big shop. The granite hill above the town carries the Fortezza di Monte Altura, and the wind-carved Roccia dell'Orso (Bear Rock) that gives Capo d'Orso its name is a mile to the east.
Protected From
S · SW · W
Exposed To
N · NE · E
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free in the roadstead. Marina di Palau and Porto Palau charge standard seasonal berth rates.
- Maximum stay
- 7 days
- Permit required
- No
- Permit details
- No permit needed for Palau itself — it lies outside the La Maddalena National Park boundary. The park permit is required the moment you cross into archipelago waters, and is bought online at lamaddalenapark.it; fees scale with LOA and sailing yachts receive a discount. Buy it in Palau while you still have reliable signal.
Restrictions: Keep clear of the buoyed ferry fairway and the turning basin off the terminal — this is actively enforced. Do not anchor within the marina approaches.
Hazards
- !Ferry traffic: La Maddalena ferries run on a 20–30 minute cycle until late at night; their wash rolls the roadstead and their fairway must be kept clear
- !Maestrale (NW): Accelerates through the Bocche di Bonifacio and can reach F7–9; the Rada is exposed to the N and becomes untenable
- !Weed patches: Holding is good on clean sand but poor over weed — verify the bottom rather than assume
- !Secca di Mezzo Passo and the unlit rocks between Palau and Santo Stefano: make the first passage into the archipelago in daylight
Skipper's Tips
- →Buy the La Maddalena park permit online before you leave the dock — signal is patchy once you are among the islands
- →Provision fully in Palau: the only other real supermarket on the route is in La Maddalena town, and the outer islands have nothing at all
- →Fuel and water are easier here than anywhere in the park — top up both before you go
- →Walk or taxi up to the Fortezza di Monte Altura for the best overview of the archipelago you are about to sail through
Facilities
Full range of restaurants and bars along the waterfront and in the town centre; several stay open late in season.
Nearest provisions: Palau town centre (0.2nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, September, October
May–October. July and August fill the roadstead and both marinas; book berths ahead or plan to anchor. Shoulder season is far quieter and the Maestrale is usually less persistent in late May–June and late September.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 90m
In Sardinia, the Maestrale can build from calm to Force 8 while you sleep. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously — alerting you the moment your anchor starts to drag.
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