Tróia Peninsula
Tróia · Praia de Tróia · Troia Anchorage
38°28.7'N 08°53.6'W
Depth
3–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
70m
Holding
Excellent
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
70m
70m in 3–7m on estuary sand/mud. The estuary mud gives excellent anchor grip — one of the best-holding anchorages on this coast. Allow for tidal stream when setting scope: 7:1 minimum at neaps, 10:1 at springs if staying overnight.
About This Anchorage
The Tróia Peninsula is a long, narrow sand spit enclosing the southern side of the Sado estuary — one of Portugal's most sheltered anchorages in an otherwise Atlantic-exposed coastline. The inside of the peninsula tip offers outstanding protection from the Nortada and ocean swell, with excellent anchor holding in estuary sand and mud. The peninsula is home to the Roman ruins of Cetóbriga (a substantial Roman fish-salting station, worth visiting by dinghy or foot), the luxury Tróia resort, dolphin-watching territory (the Sado estuary supports a resident bottlenose dolphin population), and long empty Atlantic beaches on the ocean side. The Setúbal–Tróia ferry runs frequently — stay clear of its channel. The anchorage is one of the last calm refuges before the exposed Alentejo Atlantic coast begins to the south.
Protected From
N · NW · NE · E · W
Exposed To
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: Stay clear of the marked Setúbal–Tróia ferry channel. Sado estuary is a protected area (Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado) — no disturbance of bird colonies on the sandflats. Bottlenose dolphins are resident in the estuary: maintain 50m distance when motoring. Tidal streams up to 1.5kt at springs.
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
- !FERRY LANE: Setúbal–Tróia ferry runs constantly 06:00–midnight — anchor clear of the marked channel; the fast ferry creates significant wash
- !Tidal streams 1–1.5kt at springs in the estuary narrows — set scope generously and monitor swing
- !Sado estuary mudflats at low water create shallow areas N and NE of the anchorage — approach via the deep channel
- !ORCA RISK applies on the ocean approach from the S — orca interactions reported off the Sines-Setúbal coast
Skipper's Tips
- →The Roman ruins of Cetóbriga (1st–5th century AD fish-salting factory) are a 20-minute walk along the peninsula — a remarkable and little-visited site
- →Tróia marina VHF Ch. 16 — call ahead for visitor berth or dinghy landing permission at their pontoon
- →The Sado estuary bottlenose dolphins often ride bow waves in the approach channel — one of Portugal's most reliable dolphin encounters
- →Launch point for a passage south: leave at first light to beat the Nortada build and have maximum daylight for the exposed Alentejo coast
Facilities
Tróia resort has restaurants and a marina with visitor facilities at the tip of the peninsula — dinghy ashore to the marina pontoon.
Nearest provisions: Tróia resort / Setúbal city (8nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, July, August, September, October
April–October viable. Summer (Jun–Sep) is best — the estuary anchorage is well sheltered from the Nortada and the Atlantic swell is blocked by the peninsula. Autumn brings increasing Atlantic lows; leave estuary before any SW gale develops.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Tróia Peninsula
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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