Despite this long port tradition ,with rumours of
fleets dropping anchor during the campaigns of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, only the natural conditions of the port were used until well after
the beginning of the twentieth century. It was in 1947 when, at the request of
fishermen, began the first works with the construction of the pier, destined
for the fishing traffic situated in the Illot de's Frares. Later followed the
works on the bridge, which connected this island with the mainland ,built on
the existing sandbar; and some subsequent works on as well the breakwater as on
the dry dock. These works were going on without interruption until 1958.
In 1966 the
buildings for fishery services were already built and extended, as well as the
infrastructures,but it was not until 1973 that the port adopted a configuration
similar to the present one. The initial works and facilities of this port had,
from 1947 on, the local interest and it was in 1961 that the port was included
in the classification as a refuge port. From this moment on it became dependent
of the government.
Accessibility
The port of Colonia de Sant Jordi belongs to the municipality of Ses Salines.
Once you reach Campos, a Mallorcan municipality , it is necessary to take MA-6040
road which leads from Campos to Sant Jordi ,and which comes out of the MA-19que
road, which leads to Santanyi. After about 8 km you reach a roundabout which
connects this road with the MA-6100 , which leads to the entrance of the
village.
Once you're in Colonia Sant Jordi, take the Avinguda Marqués del Palmer and
turn left into Calle de Dofi which leads to the harbour.
Relationship between the port and the environment
The navigation distance between the port of Colonia Sant Jordi and the Club Nautico
de la Rapita is approximately 4.2 miles and the coast has a different natural
aspect, depending on the site, alternating sandy with rocky areas. A landscape
of low altitude is dominating,except in the vicinity of the port of Colonia de
Sant Jordi which is formed by low rocky cliffs.
Attached to the dike of sa Rapita, is the excellent beach SArenal de sa Rapita
, which is 1375 m in length, it ends at a rocky shore where the ancient village
of second residence of ses Cavetes is located, followed by the emblematic site
of es Tren, which beach is approximately 3.6 km in length. It is a much visited
beach and at the present day subject of controversy from an ecological point of
view. This beach ends with some pointy rocky intrusions in es Coto, where the urban
zone of Colonia de Sant Jordi starts ,which occupies the entire shortened rocky
shore until the port.
The sea coast, except from the pitfall of na
Tirapel in front of the beach of Trenc and a few dips very near to the water
line,is generally clean,although very curtailed in the area of Colonia.There
are several easily distinguishable islets, such as the Illeta na Gavina,sa
Llava and at the end of the beach es Trenc,and in front of the rocky coast of
the village of Colonia, the islets of na Llarga , na na Cabot and na Corberana
. Places suited for dropping anchor are located opposite the beach of sa Rapita,
near the sheltering dike of the port , in front of the beach of es Trenc , in
the small cove of es Pererons grans, with some shelter provided by the Illeta
de na Gavina and the Raconada de s'Estany, in front of Coto, with a certain shelter
provided by the islets of na Llarga and sa Llava ;when the weather is suitable
for the given configuration of the coast.
History
It has a great tradition of port activity which dates back to ancient times, as
is proven by the findings of remains of amphorae. This idea of a natural harbour, has given rise to even the name given to the municipality,on which depended the
landing-station which is called "Campos del Port".
Apart from this fishing and recreational nautical activity, it forms the union
point of the passenger traffic with the island of Cabrera, whose port is
located about ten miles of navigation.
There are places recommended for their panoramic
views in the Punta de'n ferrer de ses Covetes, in na Devertida ,in the middle
of the beach of Trenc,in es Pererons Grans and in the dock of es Coto in front
of the Estany, at the extreme end of the beach of es Trenc ,in the Punta de's
Coto or sa Creueta , in the village of the Colonia de Sant Jordi, and the point
in front of the illot of na Cabot and the Puente Alta, which is in the vicinity
of the port of la Colonia.
The depths near the beaches on the shore are generally sandy, although there is
no shortage of algae; in front of the beach of sa Rapita and at rocky shores of
ses Covetes and to a lesser extent, of Colonia de Sant Jordi there are concentrations
of algae.
All of the banks, except for the low cliffs before
the port of Colonia de Sant Jordi, are accessible from the sea; by land, it is
generally possible to walk, but there are major limitations for access by
vehicles, which only have an access in the vicinity of the port of sa Rapita
,in the centre of ses Covetes, and also , at the end of the beach of es Trenc
,in the urban centre of Colonia de Sant Jordi, there is a path to access the
beach of es Trenc,coming from the salt mines des Salobrar.
The entire area, except for the centres of ses Cavetes and Colonia de Sant
Jordi, is part of the “Area natural es Trenc-Salobrar de Campos” including the
sea coast; the dunes and the pinewoods of sa Barrala being paradigmatic.
The site is very interesting from an ecological
point of view, because it is one of the big virgin beaches that are preserved on
the island of Majorca, with the classic sequence of dunes and pine woods,
although recently a progressive degradation of their various ecosystems is
notable. Other points of possible interest are the Baños de Sant Joan de la
Fontsanta ,the only thermal spa resort of Majorca, and the very old salt mines
near es Trenc, which are dated in the Roman era.
