From Muelle Puerto de la Cruz fishing dock to Marina a Yacht harbour?

The Muelle Puerto de La Cruz is how the locals call it. Hence, the Muelle Pesquero is the name of a town location. It means Fisherman Quay or Fisherman Dock. A fraction of it goes way back before its port started to prosper after the eruption of Mount Trevejo in 1706.  In fact, El Cabildo de Tenerife gave the order to Araotava (Orotava) to build a Muelle on first of December of 1506. It was one made of timber which could not stand up to heavy storms. Again and again, it had to be repaired. Eventually, it was rebuilt in more durable ways with bigger piers.

Click the  photos below to enlarge them...

Later on, not even the steamboat era with its heavy trade business could wipe out its fishing dock charm. Tourists like Alexander von Humboldt, Hemingway and even Churchill were enchanted by it.

In fact,  aviation mass tourism that started in the Seventies last century helped to keep it idyllic. This is contrary to the modern apartment buildings that mock the quaint style of the wooden fishing boats and the dock.

The hustle and bustle of bigger ships had totally stopped by 1975. They went to Santa Cruz instead.

However, historic landmarks, such as the impressive old fort still remind the days of yore when pirates were a threat in the pulsating port after 1706.

The six most remarkable Muelle Puerto de la Cruz fiestas

• The Entierro de Sardine of the Puerto Cruz carnival
• Dia de Canarias with Muelle Fiesta Cruz celebration
  
• Fiesta San Juan by hilarious goats bathing at the Puerto dock
  
• Fiestas del Carmen where two Tenerife towns join together
• Fiesta del Carmen, one of much Puerto Cruz Muelle fun has competition highlights for Tenerife fishing 
• Tenerife festivals with a twist by food trucks
  

Indeed often, the Party fun by Plaza del Charco the heart of Puerto de la Cruz takes over to the fishing dock the Muelle, as they are not even a stone throw apart. This can be clearly seen in the picture underneath.

There is constant coming and going between all breakwaters of the Muelle. Almost a stone throw from it is also its free parking ground by the lighthouse. 
   

This quaint port with its dock and jetty that's best depicted in this old photo has been like a motor that drove on progress. Education, art and culture followed suite. Hence, there are further assets by the Muelle. Those are two museums, one for contemporary art and one dedicated to the ships and marine life of the former port and previous dock. The Cofradia restaurant and a beautiful  souvenir and gift shop are beside the excellent tourist information office. All is in the Casa de la Aduana which isn't only the oldest building but also a jewel of the town. 

The interesting photo above shows an important but seldom seen part of the Puerto Cruz harbor that is adjacent to Plaza de Europa behind the Castillo the former Defense-Fortress.

The humble fishwife who is portrayed in the picture above contributed to the Muelle's economy in her own way. In fact she and La Ranilla the fisherman village next to the little port are important parts of the captivating Tenerife history Puerto de la Cruz. Note the cranes in the drydock of the Muelle. That too represents the past, while at least boats are still repaired there. The big blue crane still handles them.

The crab breakwater of the Muelle Puerto de la Cruz

The jetty that's portrayed below is almost 200m long. This  sturdy dock is a part of the Muelle. It's fortified with concrete boulders which forms the port's crab habitat. It must be made more safe.
   
Why?

A father must be able to climb with permission onto the pathway of this jetty to show his child how the Atlantic's wild and wonderful waves attack the town there.

Properties in the first line behind the waterfront

That's the road with houses that are closest to the Atlantic where the man with the child is standing. There, real estate prices are bound to go through the roof,  soon.
   
Why?
   

The planned Marina i.e. yacht harbor project of Puerto de la Cruz

The remodeling of the Muelle the dock to turn it into more than just a Marina yacht harbor will cause that. More tourists are bound to arrive with cruise liners as well as with private yachts. They will visit the top attractions that the town will have to offer.

Could there be a downside to a new Muelle Puerto de la Cruz?

There isn't much space by this section of the Tenerife North coast where you encounter the most ferocious surf and onslaught of dangerous waves that are not to be ignored. 

There also remains the question about eventual problems that big cruise liners may bring. Mind that many are passing through the gigantic German harbor of Hamburg. "Their Diesel is polluting", the residents say. Also, their tourists are said to spend far too little on land to make a worthwhile difference to the economy.

 

Picturesque looks by the Muelle that must live on

Not everything modern is good. The past has values that are priceless. There's a reason why many European towns  have laws that forbid modernization, as not to destroy character and flair. Florence is one of them, by the way. There are countless more.

• The occasional craftwork markets
• Street Chestnut roasting in autumn

There's still wasteland that has been a thorn in the eyes of walkers along the Muelle, but less for its looks than for the discomfort it brings for walking.

 It's the stretch between the parking ground and Castillo San Felipe where the odd camper van may be seen. There, the terrain is rough and landscaping could improve much.

 

From Muelle Puerto de la Cruz back to Puerto de la Cruz the town

Latest news regarding a new fishing, sports and cruise ship harbor for Puerto de la Cruz by the government of the Canary Islands here.. I am very sorry not to have found anything in English about it.

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