3. Der Hafen

In the harbour of L’Estartit there are several kinds of boats: sail and motor boats, glass-bottom cruise boats, divers’ boats and fishing boats.

L’Estartit began life as a fishing village. Today it’s mainly a tourist centre, but it still has some traditional fishing boats.  Artisanal fishing is the most respectful with the marine environment, using techniques like the fish trap, longlining and the trammel net.

Due to the town’s location between the sea and the mountain, for many years its constructions have been affected by sea storms and floods of the River Ter. The first houses were built beside the mountain and were protected from the force of the sea by a stone dike erected along the shore.

The town of L’Estartit owes its development in large part to the existence of good fishing grounds. The decline of piracy meant that from the 18^th century onwards the fishermen could live close to the beach. For many years they moored their boats directly on the sand of the beach.

The present-day harbour was created in the mid-20^th century, when the first breakwater was built to protect the village from the onslaughts of the sea. The breakwater was raised close to a circular-plan defence tower, now in ruins, that had been built in times when pirates were still a menace. After this tower, there is the last breakwater of the present-day harbour.

Today the artisanal fishermen of L’Estartit are the only ones who can fish professionally around the Medes Islands Marine Reserve.

The Medes Space is a gateway for discovering the thrilling world of the Medes Islands Nature Reserve.

For good coexistence between the users of the sea and its fauna, we have to follow some rules. In the same way, the regulations on anchoring boats and visiting the Nature Park are designed to maintain this space in its most optimal state.

Audioguide