Back in the Balearics - News and Photos
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Back to
the Balearics We’ve now been back
on board for over a month and have been too idle to write a blog! So here goes: We flew back to
After leaving a bitterly
cold The plan had been that
early the following week our new sprayhood would be delivered and Ione would be
lifted in the yard for antifouling. However inevitably there were delays.
Anastasio, the canvas maker, was in hospital and had not done the agreed
modifications to the sprayhood – eventually his side-kick arrived and the
work was completed.
The yard were also in
some state of chaos and we finally got lifted late on Thursday rather than
Tuesday morning. This meant staying on the hard over the weekend, however this
gave us the time to thoroughly smarten the hull with liquid rubbing and a coat
of wax.
Last year we had suffered
two engine stoppages with a blocked fuel line – even after trying to
clean the tank the year before, so this year we decided to bite the bullet and
have the whole tank drained and cleaned. On removing the inspection cover we
found huge chunks of gunge floating around and hung up on the pipes. After a
major clean up and a big dose of fuel treatment, we hope to have resolved the
problem. For the whole of the
following week the weather was filthy: cool, windy, wet or all three together! However
there are worse places to be stuck than
However by Tuesday 30th
April the weather pattern looked good for a passage to We left just before noon
with a SE wind of 10 knots but within half an hour the wind had risen to over
30 knots, gusting 36, with a torrential downpour. However we pushed on under
double reefed main alone and within the hour the rain ceased and the wind
eased. Indeed the wind eased so much that within 4 hours of leaving the motor
went on and remained on for the whole passage to
The last time we had visited
Cala Basa was in June when the restaurant was crowded in the evening and there
were many boats at anchor. This time there was only one other boat anchored,
despite it being the May Day holiday and the beach had emptied by dusk.
From Cala Basa it was
only 3 miles into Sant Antoni, the second largest town and nightclub centre of
the island. However at this time of year the town was relatively peaceful and
not awash with clubbers. The Club Es Nautic marina has undergone major
renovation over the last couple of years, providing solid pontoons and good
facilities.
Cala Horts was the next
anchorage with wonderful views across to Isla Vedra about which there are
various legends, including being the home to Homer’s sirens. Thence to Espalmador. The
Posidonia mooring buoys had yet to be laid and although there were a dozen
other boats at anchor, the place felt relatively empty. Here in the sheltered
and shallow water, the temperature rose to 18½°C and we both managed a brief
dip!
One of our favourite
spots last year was anchoring off the little village of Es Calo de Sant Agusti
on Formentera. The harbour itself is too small and shallow for anything other
than a number of open fishing boats which are hauled up into reed thatched boat
sheds. With the wind in the southern sector, the anchorage is well sheltered
and so we spent a couple of nights there. It is not written up in the pilot
book, so is little known, and for one night we were on our own and only one of
two boats on the second night.
It is also the home of
the Formentera green lizard!
From Sant Agusti we had
an excellent sail for the 16 miles into
A mediaeval fair was due
to start, so the local police were occupied ensuring that the geese behaved
themselves!
From
After a further night in
Espalmador, where we were joined by Ray and Judy Steward on Start Again who had
over-wintered next to us in Sunday May 12th
saw us back for the night in Sant Antoni marina to re-provision and take on
water. On the way we stopped for lunch in Cala Torrent where we caught the
anchor on a heavy chain on the bottom. After blowing then replacing the
windlass fuse, we managed to get the anchor close to the surface. Andrew swam
down to the anchor to get a relieving line onto it, getting stung three times by
jellyfish in the process. Painful at the time, but luckily not serious enough
to stop A and S doing a little light bopping at a local bar late into the
night!
Cala Salada provided a
lovely lunchtime anchorage the next day, with all of us swimming – and thankfully
no jellyfish. Last year the anchorage had been packed and we had dragged in the
night. This year, it being only May, there was only one other boat here, and we
anchored on sand in crystalline turquoise water.
Cala Binirras has a large
isolated rock at the entrance which bears an uncanny resemblance to the famous statue
of Queen
We spent two nights in
Cala Binirras, on the first evening enjoying drinks on board with Ray and Judy
and on the second enjoying lunch ashore thanks to Andrew and Sally.
Yesterday a gentle beat
took us back to Club Es Nautic marina in Sant Antoni, meeting up again with Ray
& Judy on Start Again. Sadly in the evening Andrew and Sally left us to fly
home to Today started with rain
and the forecast for the next few days is inclement, so we will probably stay
here for a few nights. However it is still low season, the third night is free
and Cruising Association members get a 20% discount. An even bigger plus is
that the brand new clubhouse, bar and restaurant at the entrance to the marina
opens tomorrow and we have an invitation to the opening party! Best wishes and fair
winds to all. Tony & Sarah Ione – 16 May 2013
– San Antoni, |
