The board of directors of the Puerto Andratx Sailing Club has asked the president of the Balearics, Marga Prohens, to intervene ‘at all costs’ to prevent the closure of the club, which could take effect in the coming days after almost six decades of activity. In an open letter addressed to the Balearic president, the club has warned that the situation stems from ‘errors made by the public administration in the management of the port since the concession was awarded in 2002’.
The club has complained that the ‘real’ victims will be the citizens, athletes and workers who form part of the club’s social base. The board has stated that it feels ‘administratively unprotected’ in the face of constant threats of closure. ‘All we see are storm clouds,’ such as the possibility of replacing the floating pontoons with fixed ones for boats over 12 metres long, which ‘would put an end to the space for grassroots water sports,’ the club said.
The club has emphasised in the statement that the Balearics cannot afford to lose another sailing club and has pointed out that in recent years the Club Marítimo de Mahón, the Club Marítimo de Es Molinar and the Club Náutico de Ibiza have disappeared or been transformed into private marinas.
In the case of Andratx, the club has argued that the closure would mean ‘the disappearance of inclusive sailing and the values of integration and equality that it promotes,’ and has therefore asked Prohens to ‘take action’ to ensure the continuity of the institution.
Puerto Andratx, one of the most spectacular natural harbours of the Balearics, is surrounded by beautiful coves of crystal-clear waters such as “Cala Llamp”, “Cala Moragues” and “Cala d’Egos”. This modern port town, with approximately 3,000 inhabitants, has evolved from being an old fishermen’s refuge to become one of the most outstanding tourist destinations in Mallorca, thanks to its nautical vitality, which has led to an exclusive residential tourism.
The port is a cosmopolitan and lively place, where different cultures intertwine and where shopping, sun and nightlife are combined. It offers a variety of activities related to the sea and has one of the best sports harbours in the Balearics, the Club de Vela d’Andratx, with around 500 moorings occupied by sports and sailing boats.
The main activity is concentrated on the seafront promenade and in the harbour, where you can find the “la Llotja” building, a symbol of fishing and where in the evenings you can buy fresh fish directly from the fishermen. Shops and restaurants with terraces facing the sea fill the walkway leading to the lighthouse and the Sailing Club, passing the small stream of “es Saluet“.