Farilhões Islands
Ilhas Farilhões · Farilhão · Farilhões e Forcadas
39°28.8'N 09°32.3'W
Depth
8–20m
Bottom
rock
Alarm Radius
100m
Holding
Poor
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
100m
100m minimum — this is an emergency/fair-weather-only temporary stop. Rocky holding is poor; set alarm conservatively. Never leave the boat unattended here. Departure at the first sign of any deterioration. This is not an overnight anchorage under any circumstances.
About This Anchorage
The Farilhões are the remote outermost islets of the Berlengas archipelago — 16nm offshore from Peniche, 6nm NW of Berlenga Grande — an exposed cluster of bare granite rocks rising from the Atlantic. They are a major seabird colony (Cory's Shearwaters, storm petrels, common guillemots) and one of the most important wildlife sites in Portugal. The Farilhões are part of the Reserva Natural das Berlengas. Visiting by yacht is a genuine Atlantic adventure — beautiful and dramatic — but this is fair-weather-only, experienced-crew territory. The anchorage in the SE lee is a temporary daytime stop at best. The islets are famous among Portuguese sailors as the 'edge of the world' on this coast.
Protected From
NW · W
Exposed To
S · SE · E · SW · NE
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free but UNESCO Biosphere Reserve rules apply
- Maximum stay
- 1 days
- Permit required
- Yes
- Permit details
- Part of Reserva Natural das Berlengas — same permit requirements as Berlenga main island. Contact Peniche Port Authority (VHF Ch. 16) before departure.
Restrictions: UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE. No landing on the islets (seabird nesting colony — landing prohibited). No fishing in the reserve. EXPERIENCED CREWS ONLY — open-ocean location with no shelter and no rescue resources. Fair-weather day stop only — never overnight.
Setting Your Anchor
In Atlantic anchorages, use a minimum 7:1 scope — the combination of tidal range (up to 3.5m on spring tides) and overnight Atlantic swell requires generous chain deployment. Before settling, assess the swell period: long-period Atlantic swell (10–16 seconds) creates a slow roll that can walk the anchor across mixed sand/rock bottoms. At Farilhões Islands, anchor in 8–20m on rock bottom and set the alarm to 100m.
Hazards
- !OPEN OCEAN: The most exposed anchorage on the Portuguese coast — no shelter from any direction in practice; rocks and shoals surround the islets; Atlantic swell arrives with no warning
- !Poor rocky holding — anchor drag is likely in any wind; never leave the boat unattended; this is a daytime stop only
- !16nm from Peniche with no refuge closer — in a deterioration, the return passage could be dangerous with a NW Nortada on the nose
- !No landing permitted on the islets (seabird nesting colony — ICNF prohibition)
- !Very remote: no VHF relay from Peniche at this range; ensure satellite comms or EPIRB are functional before departure
Skipper's Tips
- →Combine with Berlenga main island on a settled 2-day trip: overnight Berlenga (night 1), sail to Farilhões for the morning (daytime stop), return to Berlenga or Peniche before the Nortada builds
- →Binoculars are essential — the seabird colonies can be observed from the boat without landing (Cory's Shearwaters, storm petrels, Audouin's gulls)
- →Monitor the wind forecast at Peniche VHF Ch. 16 before departing Berlenga for Farilhões — any hint of Nortada developing early should abort the trip
- →The passage between the Farilhões rocks should only be attempted with up-to-date Portuguese Hydrographic charts (hidrografico.pt) — uncharted rocks abound
Facilities
Nearest provisions: Peniche town (16nm)
Best Months & Season
June, July, August
June–August only in perfect flat-calm settled conditions. This is a destination for experienced blue-water crews on an Atlantic adventure — not a routine tourist stop. Only realistic as a daytime excursion from the Berlenga main anchorage.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Farilhões Islands
Atlantic overnight swell and the Nortada can change conditions fast — a boat secure at anchor in the evening can be dragging by midnight. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously, alerting you the moment your anchor moves beyond 100m. Essential for Atlantic overnight anchorages where conditions change without warning.
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