Sines — Cape Anchorage
Sines · Cabo de Sines · Sines Bay
37°57.5'N 08°52.5'W
Depth
5–12m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
80m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
80m
80m in 5–10m sand/mud N of Cape Sines. Good holding but a working commercial port — commercial vessel wash and shipping movements mean vigilance is required. If conditions allow, a marina berth is preferable to anchoring here.
About This Anchorage
Sines is Portugal's largest commercial port — a major LNG and oil terminal on a dramatic basalt cape. It is not a scenic anchorage, but it provides genuine shelter from the Nortada on the N side of the cape and is a key passage waypoint on the Lisbon–Algarve route. The marina inside the port's N breakwater has visitor facilities and is the most comfortable option. The town of Sines (birthplace of Vasco da Gama) has a museum, castle, good provisions, and the remarkable contrast of an ancient fishing village now surrounded by industrial infrastructure. A yacht was sunk by orca interactions off Sines in July 2022 — this is among the highest-risk locations on the entire Iberian Peninsula for orca encounters. ORCA PROTOCOL applies on approach and departure.
Protected From
N · NW · NE
Exposed To
S · SW · W
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 (anchorage); Marina fees apply for berths
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- None
Restrictions: CRITICAL: Do NOT anchor in or near the commercial shipping lane. VHF Ch. 16 — Sines Port Control monitors continuously. Call before anchoring to confirm clear of commercial traffic. Marina: call VHF Ch. 16 for visitor berth. Commercial port priority over all pleasure craft at all times.
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
- !ORCA RISK: Sines is one of the highest-frequency orca interaction locations — July 2022 yacht sunk by orcas on approach to Sines. Engine-off protocol mandatory if approached. Report all interactions to orcas.pt.
- !COMMERCIAL SHIPPING: LNG tankers and bulk carriers operate 24/7 — stay well clear of approach channels and anchor only N of cape, outside shipping lane
- !Industrial backdrop and noise — not a comfortable overnight anchorage; marina berth strongly preferred
- !SW/W exposure in the anchorage N of cape — any southerly weather front brings swell into the anchorage
Skipper's Tips
- →Call Sines marina VHF Ch. 16 before arrival — visitor berths available most of the year; a berth is far preferable to anchoring next to commercial shipping
- →Sines old town is surprisingly interesting — the castle, Vasco da Gama birthplace museum, and fishing port are worth a half-day exploration
- →Full provisioning stop here before the Costa Vicentina — this is the last town with a supermarket before the remote Vicentine coast south to Lagos
- →Fuel available at the marina — fill tanks before heading south into the remote PNSACV coast
Facilities
Good seafood restaurants in Sines old town — Adega do Bons Petiscos and others near the castle area. Town has supermarkets, ATMs, and full chandlery.
Nearest provisions: Sines town centre (0.5nm)
Best Months & Season
April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Year-round viable (as a passage port) — Sines marina is sheltered by its breakwater in most conditions. Summer is most comfortable. This is primarily a passage stop, not a destination anchorage.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Sines — Cape Anchorage
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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