from cartagena
Burnadebt
John & Bernie
Sun 30 Sep 2007 16:32
Well, the best laid plans don?t always come off! We set off from Mallorca
and 24 hrs later, after a stunning sunset and moonlit sky, were still
motoring, later we had wind on the nose so we changed course and went into
Tomas Maestre, a marina on an inland lake. This is reached by a lifting
bridge over a canal to the entrance, open once every 2 hours (we held up
all the evening traffic!) and so settled down for the night - even better,
a lie in as the first bridge lift wasn?t until 8.00am. 
Then down to Aguilas where we were due to get a lift-out and had been
assured there would be no probs to find the marina absolutely full and
nowhere even on the fisherman?s quay, so after much dithering and debating
as to whether we could fit into a tiny gap, we set off again in the dusk
to Mazarron, full but at least we could spend the night on the fuel
pontoon.
Then off again, back up to Cartagena, a place we?d passed the day before,
but a biggish marina and they had a berth on the town quay, opposite that
well known Spanish delicacy of Burger King! However, we could stay here,
there is a swimming pool for our use, a washing machine (sad how
priorities change!) and they?d laid on entertainment - a fiesta, lasting 5
days. Believe me, you do start to wonder when you see a Roman, complete
with spear, with a pushchair with child in mini toga walking down the high
street! Basically, they re-enact the battle between the Carthaginians and
the Romans, about 5000 people in full dress, including children and camp
followers, over 5 days, with parades, battles and ceremony. Sadly, it
means the town goes into bank holiday mode, so many of the shops are
closed, but a girl can?t have everything. .
We?re getting used to being on board now, sorting out better places to
store things and throwing away things that are not really that useful. I
may never be minimalist, but learning. Yesterday I really missed the
Saturday Times, so useful for wasting time, and I now appreciate broadband
- there?s only one internet café in the whole town. Today we?ve got to get
a bit tidy as tomorrow we?re off to Aguilas (30 miles but 5-6 hrs at boat
speed) for a lift-out to change the prop, fit the ground plate for the SSB
and fit a new seacock so we can do speed without having all the
instruments on, gobbling up electricity. Then back here to finish bits and
pieces off, with the help of Malcolm from Raymarine, Brighton. I?ll fill
you all in when we get back here. Please keep in touch by email, as we do
miss you, J & B x