Waiting list for permits to moor overnight at Cabrera

There is currently a waiting list of 20 yachts wanting to moor at Cabrera over the weekend, a spokesman for the board of the Cabrera National Park said yesterday. Permission is needed to spend a night moored at Cabrera and the number of permits is limited. Requests must be submitted between three and 21 days in advance. José Romero, the director of the board, explained that using this system meant that the most popular days of summer were not fully booked at the beginning of the year. During the day, the board has been sending yachts to the Es Burri area to the south of the island, where they can anchor, but cannot land on the beaches. Romero said that the waiting list was between 20 and 30 boats at weekends and eight to 12 on weekdays. A maximum of 50 boats a day are allowed. The days most in demand are Saturdays in July and August, the least popular days are Monday and Tuesday. In July and August, the Board only grants permission for mooring at Cabrera for one night, while in June and September permission can be obtained for two nights and for the rest of the year up to seven. Romero said that most of the visitors were respectful of the environment. Finally, he said that if someone had a permit and was unable to use it, they should ring to cancel so that it could be offered to someone on the waiting list. There are also regular excursions to the island, which has a ruined castle and was used as a prisoner of war camp in the early 19th century.