From Palma to Palma - News and Photos

Ione
Fri 29 Jun 2012 18:25

From Palma to Palma!

 

Our last blog on 12th June was written in Palma and here we are on 29th June in Palma again.

 

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On our first visit we spent three nights in the Real Club Nautico marina as summer pricing had not yet started. Very luxurious to be moored next to the laundrette with shore power and endless fresh water. Not to mention of course the sights of Palma including the cathedral with wonderful stained glass windows.

 

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A study of the weather GRIBs showed that we should have good conditions to visit the north of Mallorca via the rugged west coast, so from Palma we sailed to San Telmo on the westernmost tip of the island with lovely views over Dragonera island. At San Telmo we moored the buoys which have been laid to protect the carpets of Posidonia sea grass on the ocean floor. These buoys must be booked through the internet but are free and appear strong and well maintained.

 

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Some 25 miles further up the coast from San Telmo is Soller. This is the only natural safe harbour on the Mallorcan west coast and so has been a place of some note for centuries, particularly as the port from which oranges were exported. There is a marina with craft of all sizes including a host of day boats in traditional style, but we preferred to anchor off the beach.

 

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The port of Soller is joined to the town, some 5km away up the valley, by a vintage tramway from which one gets excellent views of the citrus groves and hills beyond. On our visit to the town it was market day so the place was packed both with locals and tourists.

 

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We spent a couple of nights in Soller before beating the short distance up the coast to Cala Tuent. There were quite a few boats anchored here when we arrived, but we reckoned it would be quieter than the better known Cala Calobra a bit further on. A minor road does come down to the stony beach at the head of the cala but there are no bars or other facilities so the beach was far from crowded and the backdrop of steep mountains was fantastic as was the swimming in clear water at 29°C. By nightfall all the motor boats had departed and the beach was empty – a peaceful time and a wonderful sunset.

 

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Life has started to fall into a pattern: Swim, breakfast, swim, move on to another anchorage, swim, lunch, swim, siesta, swim, supper! Our next anchorage was in Cala San Vicente, however this had a rather unattractive hotel and apartment blocks ashore and the beach was not enticing. Additionally there was a quantity of rubbish floating in the cala – unusual and Tony got stung by a jellyfish whilst swimming. At night, although the wind was not strong, we swung across the swell and so rolled uncomfortably. For the first time we were quite glad to move on.

 

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From San Vicente we rounded Cap Formentor at the north of the island and then headed towards Pollensa to pick up another Posidonia buoy just inside Punta de la Avanzada. We had sailed 15 miles, but the point to point distance from San Vicente is only a couple of miles across the peninsula! This was a delightful spot, just below a massive castle with immaculate lawns and terraced gardens, with the moorings well sheltered from almost every direction and superb views all around. We ended up here for three nights – mainly idling and swimming, but also doing a little boat work.

 

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One would never believe that there is a recession in these parts. There are a huge number of massive super-yachts, both motor and sail, plying their trade at charter rates of €500,000 per week or more. This one – Pink Gin - was anchored near us.

 

Friday 22nd saw us in a marina again for a couple of nights. This time Alcudia which we had last visited over a dozen years ago when delivering a Rival 34 from Greece to here. A huge marina, but very friendly and with all services available. Much of the town is devoted to tourism with many look-alike bars, restaurants and tourist shops, however the Blau Maritim restaurant on the edge of the town still existed and still provided excellent food at sensible prices. Ramon’s tapas bar also remains a place to go, but has expanded from just a scruffy little counter stacked with hams to a restaurant and outside tables.

 

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Brother-in-law Andrew and Sally joined us late on Saturday – cause for a further celebration at Ramon’s – before we left on Sunday morning, again planning to visit the west coast. This time our first night was in Cala Engossaubas, just short of Cap Formentor. No beach but attractive scenery and clear water. The cala was pretty full of boats when we arrived such that when the wind turned we had to move and re-anchor. However as typical all the motor boats and all the Spanish sailing boats left by evening leaving just ourselves, and three others, one French, one German and one American.

 

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Cala Calobra and the Torrente de Pareis are written up as the ‘must see’ sights of Mallorca. After a lunch stop in Cala Castell, we therefore approached Calobra with some trepidation expecting it to be packed. Amazingly there was only one other yacht at anchor so we were able to get quite close to the beach and admire the stunning views. We were last here together about 36 years ago with David & Gill Leeming, arriving by land. Little did we imagine that our next visit would be by sail.

 

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The bay is split into two, with tourist boats landing passengers at a little quay in the SW corner where there is a host of self service restaurants.

 

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A path with a tunnel cut through the rock then leads to the Torrente and little beach where we were at anchor.

 

Our route then led us back to Cala Tuent for a lunch stop before an overnight visit to Soller and a surprisingly good tapas meal on the front where we were entertained to Dylan and Cohen songs by a very competent artist.

 

Having previously been unable to anchor in Dragonera, this time we found the tiny

Cala Coco with just enough room to anchor. However with not enough room to swing if the wind had changed we made our way back to the buoys off San Telmo and a dinghy ride ashore for a drink.

 

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Having had little wind for most of the past few days, Thursday brought a better breeze from the south allowing us to beat round Punta Figuera into Palma where we are now again in the Real Club Nautico but this time moored to the club house with the swimming pool only a few steps away.

 

Sadly Andrew and Sally had to leave this morning, so we celebrated the past week with them with an excellent meal – thanks to them – at Can Eduardo close by. Then we had further cause for celebration as Simon & Aurélie arrived from Paris to start the next week with us.

 

Sarah & Tony Boas

Ione – 29 June 2012

Real Club Nautico, Palma, Mallorca.