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View from Rif mountain onto coastal village South of Tetouan 2.
Built on a hill, slightly inland, the city's Kasbah (or fortified town)
looks out onto the Ocean. On clear days, one can see as far as the Coast
of Spain. Security much depended on such lookouts, as the alternative
beach tower was not as efficient in spotting distant vessels.
Duarte
knew all the benefits of such charmed locations, and he was careful to
point out the safe coves where one could set anchor. He also made note
of the dangerous coastal areas, where rugged waters and violent waters
could wreck a ship on rocks. These treacherous parts were also favored
by corsairs, who learned to navigate them ably and tried to lure their
victims or pursuants into the traps. Follow this trip to Sale, to learn
more about this other kind of Pirate Sanctuary.
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The
Tetouan coast has all the makings of a Pirate's den:
3.
Calm waters: long stretches of beach, with calm and shallow waters made
it easy for small boats to sail back and forth to the greater ships, anchored
at sea. When winter came, and corsairs retired for the year (professional
corsairs only sailed during the calm season, when the water did not add
any extra perils to an already risky profession), ships could be brought
ashore and stored.