Yesterday, after five days at anchor in Azohia, sheltered from the worst of the big winds that blew through this part of the Mediterranean last week, we pulled up the anchor. The impact of the recent gusty winds was immediately evident on the bridle rope. This is a length of ¾ inch nylon rope that we attach with a big steel hook to the anchor chain and secure to two big cleats on the bow; it helps to absorb the shock loads between the anchor, chain and windlass. I had previously spliced an extra cover around the rope bridle to protect it but this had been ‘sawn’ through by the eye in the steel hook. It looked almost melted which gives you some idea of the stress on the bridle when it’s really gusty. We’re stepping up the strength this week with additional shackles and steel thimbles to protect the rope. Think that will work better in similar (or worse) conditions. 

With winds of five knots or less yesterday, we again motor-sailed the 10 miles down to Cartagena past hilltop fortifications and an enormous gun and turret that looked as if it had been lifted straight off a battleship and dropped there. We fuelled-up (again) here in Cartagena and motored around under the dockmaster’s instruction to a marina berth. 

Typically, the wind increased as we went down the narrow channel to the finger berth allocated. I had just enough room before hitting the concrete at the end of the basin to get Cassini’s bows into wind (very necessary to maintain control during reversing) before backing into the berth.  

99% of the time I manage to judge this just right and drive neatly into the berth and we secure all our lines. Yesterday fell into the 1% and reminds you what difficulties you can get into if you misjudge, by as little as a few inches, the end of the finger berth as you back in. I saw too late that rather than slip past within a few inches I was going to hit the berth.  

Unfortunately for me, the dockmaster was busy holding and tying Cassini’s stern in at the same time so I could not, as I would have liked, simply drive out and try again. By now the breeze was catching our bow and gently swinging it right across the front of three boats next to us down the pier. Imagine Cassini like a pair of bails across three cricket stumps and you get the idea.  

Docking in a marina is of course a great spectator sport! We had a few of them… including a chap offering “captain do this, captain do that” and as we eventually got tied up offered: “so where do you think that went so wrong Captain?”. I couldn’t think of a tactful response… so just thanked him for his ‘help’. Oftentimes, yachts in a predicament are seen by genuine sailors (like us) who rush around and actually help. Not everyone is like that.

Not much we could do but fend off as well as we could while the dockmaster fetched his dinghy to tow the bow around again so we could slip properly onto the berth. No harm done to anything beyond the skipper’s pride, and a slightly misaligned Hydrovane on one of the boats we laid across. I left a note for the owner and was thankful to catch up with her this morning to discover that she’d read my note and fixed it herself.  

We explored a little of the old city last night, enjoying tapas and wine in two, or was it three lovely tapas bars. We returned onboard in high spirits and all slept well!  

Today we’ve explored more of the city, climbing to the top of the Castille and getting a great view of the city, harbour and a relatively recently uncovered Roman amphitheatre that had been covered over since about the third Century AD. Considering how many people want to visit the site, we found the signposting awful and despite google maps, took a very roundabout route to discover the entrance to the museum that led into the ruins. Once we were inside it was an amazing place to see and read about in a very well put together exhibition.  

We ate lunch in one of the squares between the city and the harbour. This afternoon, following a siesta, we sought out the local chandlery to buy the necessary fixtures to strengthen the bridle damaged in Azohia. Tomorrow, Nigel and I will be splicing that all together and our bridle will be ready to be back in action whatever the wind as we sail north, first to Barcelona then Marseille. Forecasters are predicting hurricane force wind around the Balearic Islands tomorrow but hopefully they will have gone by the time we leave Sunday or Monday and head that way. 

Simon

The mangled bridle….

The amphitheatre 

views over harbour and city including the amphitheatre 

Tapas and wine :-)