The river was known to the Romans as Baetis, a name that may have a celtic or phoenician origin. When the Arabs invaded in 711, they called it "the river of Cordoba," after one of the cities on its shores. But when other Moors of North Africa known as the Almoravids invaded in 1090, they renamed it "the big river," or Wad al-Kabir; when the Spanish took the river back, in the years 1236 to 1248, they kept this name of Berber origin, latinised as Guadalquibir.
Seville is 60 nautical miles away from the sea, but the river is navigable and the city features a very active cargo and cruiseship harbour. Peregrinus has been docked at Odyssey Marina for the last three weeks.
We have often used the Guadalquivir as transport, commuting to the city center by Zodiac. The Sevillanos use the river to practice sailing, rowing and paddling; and in fact a number of them have made it to the Olympic games.
Paddlers and rowers on the Guadalquivir from the Puente de Triana on a Saturday morning. 10:21 AM, 12 December 2015. Leica Typ 114.