Praia de Melides
Melides Beach · Melides
38°12.1'N 08°44.6'W
Depth
3–5m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
60m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
60m
60m in 3–5m on clean sand. Good holding on flat sand. Strictly a calm-weather day anchorage — not suitable for overnight in any predictable sea state on this coast.
About This Anchorage
Praia de Melides is a quiet and relatively undiscovered Atlantic beach between Comporta and Porto Covo — a long sweep of fine sand backed by a pine forest that provides a beautiful and somewhat sheltered backdrop. The anchorage is simpler to approach than Comporta (no bar crossing required) and marginally more comfortable in a slight sea, but remains fully Atlantic-exposed and suitable only as a calm-weather day stop. The coastal lagoon (Lagoa de Melides) behind the beach is a significant bird reserve — flamingos, herons, and waders. The beach is pristine and virtually empty compared to more accessible Alentejo beaches. Carry all provisions and water — no facilities afloat.
Protected From
E · NE
Exposed To
W · SW · NW · S
Orca Interaction Protocol — Alentejo Coast
This anchorage is within the orca interaction zone (Atlantic Portugal 36°N–38°N). If orcas approach under way: stop engine immediately, lower sails, release wheel and drift passively. Do not attempt to manoeuvre or accelerate. Report all interactions at orcas.pt and on VHF Ch. 16. The Nortada builds strongly by 12:00 — plan morning departures to minimise motoring time in interaction waters.
Setting Your Anchor
Deploy 7:1 scope minimum on the Alentejo coast — Atlantic groundswell can arrive overnight even in settled summer weather and will put significant loading on the rode. If staying overnight, use 10:1 scope for additional security.
Nortada assessment: The afternoon Nortada builds from 10:00–12:00 most summer days. If you are setting your anchor for the night, set it at peak Nortada strength to confirm it holds in the worst daytime conditions you are likely to see.
Atlantic swell assessment: Check the ipma.pt ocean swell (ondas) model before anchoring overnight. A 1m SW groundswell arriving at 03:00 will make many Alentejo anchorages uncomfortable or dangerous — know your departure conditions in advance.
Orca protocol reminder: Do not run your engine unnecessarily when in orca interaction waters. Consider anchoring for the night rather than motoring through peak interaction hours (dawn to mid-morning).
Rules & Regulations
- Anchoring fee
- Free
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- None
Restrictions: Day anchorage only. Costa Vicentina Natural Park (PNSACV) rules apply south of here; Melides itself is within a coastal protected buffer. No overnight camping ashore on the beach.
Portuguese Cruising — Documentation
Portugal requires no transit log. EU-registered vessels: carry vessel registration documents and crew passports. Non-EU vessels: clear customs at the first Portuguese port of entry (Faro, Lagos, Portimão, Sines, Setúbal, or Cascais). VHF Ch. 16 throughout; Lisbon Radio weather broadcasts on Ch. 11 (English and Portuguese, 4x daily).
Hazards
- !Full Atlantic W/SW exposure — departure required immediately on any swell or afternoon Nortada build
- !No facilities of any kind — completely self-sufficient
- !Lagoa de Melides lagoon inshore is a bird reserve — do not approach with tender at speed; no landing on lagoon shore
Skipper's Tips
- →Best as a mid-passage stop between Comporta/Tróia and Porto Covo — swim stop in the morning before the Nortada builds
- →The pine forest gives the anchorage a wild, remote character — anchor in 3–4m on clean sand and enjoy the silence
- →Less swell refraction risk than Comporta — slightly more usable in a 0.5–0.8m Atlantic groundswell if conditions are stable
Facilities
Nearest provisions: Melides village (3nm)
Best Months & Season
June, July, August, September
June–September calm-weather windows only. This is one of the most pristine and least-visited stretches of the Alentejo coast — reward for those willing to accept its fair-weather-only limitation.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Praia de Melides
The Nortada builds while you sleep — sometimes from nothing at 02:00. On the Alentejo coast, an unexpected afternoon gust or arriving Atlantic swell can set a vessel dragging before the skipper wakes. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your position through the night and fires an alert the moment you move beyond your set radius — giving you time to act before the beach finds you.
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