Who needs telly?

DecaDance's Web Diary
Chris White and Jeanna Coleman
Fri 12 Aug 2011 10:55
Position: 39:57.13N 004:16.31E - Es Grau, Menorca 

 

 

Nine days is the longest we've spent without moving since leaving Gib and it was great to be sailing again - from Fornells round the North-East corner of the island working our way to the capital, Mahon.  We stopped at Es Grau, recommended in our guide book and a popular place for second homes giving it a more homely, cared-for feel than other places; the colourful flower pots and sprays of bougainvilla in the ex-fishermen's cottages are vibrant against the white walls and obviously well tended.  The bay shelves down to no more than waist deep a long way out, perfect for paddling, and the long beach is crammed full of families.

 

 

Over lunch we witnessed the two most inept fishermen we've ever seen.  To be fair, they were only about seven years old.  One was dressed in lime green and the other in cerise and they liked to shout to each other alot, so they were obviously targeting the blind and deaf fish.  They did have the sense to move to the little jetty in front of our restaurant when the restaurant owner went to gut and clean the specials of the day there.  When he threw the scraps in the water there were so many fish you could see a cloud of bubbles of activity on the surface, and it beggared belief that time after time the two boys took turns to thread a bit of bread on the line and dip it in the water, only to pull it out seconds later minus bread and fish.  You wouldn't put money on their chances of scoring in a brothel when they're older.  Occasionally Chris provided a running commentary on what they might be saying to each other.  It was the most enchanting couple of hours entertainment and we were as excited as they were when they finally landed the tiniest little tiddler imaginable.  Looking at the size of the bucket they'd brought to put their catch in, their expectations can't have been that high to start with.

 

 

It was Chris's turn to row Tiny Dancer back, and speed over ground increased significantly when I told him there were two naked french ladies just about to go swimming off the boat next to DecaDance.  I almost thought he'd put the engine on and then remembered that won't make us go any faster at the moment 'cos it's finally given up the ghost.  After hours and hours of inspection and tinkering Chris gave up and took it to a marine engineer who, in exchange for a significant portion of our monthly budget, gave it back with with the verdict, "It no go because it has been in the sea."  No shit Sherlock.

 

 

We rigged the hammock above the foredeck after dinner and sat together gently swaying as a convoy of kayaks passed us and disappeared gradually around the headland under the light of a full moon.  It's days like this you almost forget the two days of howling winds and anchor watch...  Almost!

 

 

 

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