Back in Cartagena - News and Photos
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Back in It seems an age since we
last updated the blog – no excuses; only laziness! We are now back in After 5 weeks back in We launched the next day
and spent that night in the marina. The cost for 2 nights afloat, 36 nights
ashore and the lift + launch was €1020 or £755 – much cheaper than
being afloat in any marina in the Balearics. It was good to be afloat
again and away from it all so we spent the next two nights anchored in Cala San
Olla doing various boat jobs between swims and a visit ashore to the
‘Beach Club’.
Thence to anchor for
another night inside Isla Colom. A classic yacht regatta
was being held in With Andrew and Camilla
arriving on a Monday this gave us the excuse to dine at Way’s together
with Dereka to listen to Dennis tinkling the ivories. We managed to show
Camilla and Andrew a couple of calas on the south coast of Menorca –
Calas Porter and Trebuluger – however the weather then turned threatening
so on Thursday 3rd September – a day earlier than planned
– we headed into Ciutadella passing Richard and Sara Willan on Apse on
the way out. Soon the threatened rain started accompanied by thunder –
however, snugged up in the cockpit, we could still play a rubber or two of
bridge! By evening Apse had also decided that discretion was better than
discomfort and had returned to Ciutadella giving an excuse for a boozy session
on their huge Hanse 55.
Friday was slightly
better – until more thunderstorms in the afternoon – so we did
manage both pre-lunch drinks and supper in the Club. Saturday gave improved
weather but sadly Andrew and Camilla had to leave for the airport after lunch.
We always love Ciutadella
so staying over the weekend awaiting our next guests was no hardship – as
well as allowing much laundry to be done! Vicky and Peter Ramsden
arrived late on Monday evening but in time for a plancha supper and a few
bottles of wine. The next day we were able to show them Cala Talé – one
of our favourites. Thunder and lightening rolled around us at supper time but
we remained dry. Wednesday 9th
September was Peter’s birthday and we celebrated with one of the best
sails of the year – a broad reach of about 40 miles across to Porto
Pollensa on
Thence to Cala Colobra.
Little wind; much motoring; a little rain. We did ramble ashore to the
overpriced bar for a glass of wine and to watch the great tits shitting onto
the pizzas. From Cala Colobra it was
only 8 miles to Soller. A bit of a drift, a bit of a motor and a bit of a sail.
With guests due we were extravagant and, rather than anchoring, went into the
Ports IB marina. Pauline Turner, her hostess Diny, and two Janes (all old
university chums) joined us for drinks before we headed to the Albatross for
supper. We were in luck as Joey was playing – we had not heard him for 3
years – and had the usual excellent value tapas and acquired a new CD. From Soller the next stop
was Andraitx where Peter had kept his boat for a few weeks some years ago. An
opportunity to play Pass the Pigs in a bar! Thence to Cala Portals.
Very full when we arrived - a Sunday – but by evening most motor boats
had left and we were able to move further in and re-anchor with a bit more
swinging room.
From Cala Portals it was
a short passage on Monday 14th September to
Sadly Vicky and Peter had
to leave us on 15th but we stayed on in
We had visited the
cathedral before but it certainly warranted a return. There is now an excellent
audio visual commentary. We had booked into
Cabrera for a night, but wanting to head to Ibiza and looking at the forecasts
we decided that we would have to give this a miss and so sailed to Santa Ponsa
for a night before leaving for
Our first stop in
The sun set over Queen From Cala Binirras we
lunched in Cala Blanca – peaceful as ever – then to Cala San
Vicente. This was a mistake. Unattractive with a shoreline of hotels and an
onshore wind and swell. We spent a very uncomfortable night, up at periodic
intervals to check our holding. Thank you ROCNA anchor! A stiff beat then took
us into Santa Eulalia. We had enjoyed this harbour a few years ago but felt
disinclined to climb the hill to the church and so did little other than
criticize the endless English menus! The last time we were in
Ibiza we had spent little time in
The next day was spent
exploring the citadel and old town of
The old citadel guard
house.
An attractive spot
– but much climbing! After three marina
nights, a lunch and a supper it was time to economise. We had hoped to spend a
night at Escalo on Formentera but on arrival we found the swell uncomfortable
and waves breaking on the shore, so not desirable. An about turn and passage
between Thence on Friday, 25th
September, back to Espalmador where we had booked a buoy. There is now a charge
of €29 per night for the buoys. Last time it was free! However it is a
delightful spot and as a bonus we were joined for drinks by Kelvin and Kerry
Riley from the Hanse ‘Freedom’ on their way west from Light winds and a couple
of hours motoring took us to Cala Horts on the west coast of
In the evening we were
entertained by another wedding ashore. Yet again the bride had arrived by motor
boat! 0645 Saturday 27th
September. Alarm. Careful review of forecasts. Nothing wonderful. Looks like
heavy rain and thunder on the mainland coast this evening but possibly wetter
tomorrow. Decide to leave for the mainland only about 60 miles away. Up anchor
and motor out.
For much of the day it
was mainly motoring with little wind then the occasional period of sailing
until around 1545 when the thunder, lightening, rain and wind started.
By this stage we were
under the headland of El Rinconet but with little visibility so decided to head
for a marina to dry out etc.
The church at the top is
not old but the views are superb and there are delightful little streets all
around. We ate at a Himalayan restaurant on the front: Excellent food and
memories of
Studying the present
weather we are delighted that we did cross to the mainland on Saturday. The
weather over the Balearics has been foul since then. From Altea we sailed to We spent two nights in
the marina in
However it is only a
short walk to the lift to take one to the castle. Its main claim to fame is
that it was held by the English in the wars of the Spanish Succession until a wily
Frenchman dug a tunnel through the mountain under the fort and blew it up. The other main claim for
us in From From Torrevieja we moved
south to the Mar Menor. To enter this inland lake one has to pass through the
lifting bridge at Tomas Maestre which only opens at 1000 & +2 hours. Hence
our timing from Torrevieja was critical. We got this wrong: We thought that there
would be no wind so we would have to motor or that there would be enough wind
to beat. In the event we started with little wind but then a sailing breeze
sprung up but so much on the nose that we could not have beaten into it and
still made the 1600 bridge. So motor on it was! We made the 1600 bridge as
planned, entered the Mar Menor and then got a superb breeze allowing us to beat
in a F5+ to the very south of the Mar Menor where we anchored off a hotel/apartment
complex of apparent emptiness and complete silence!
We had three nights at
anchor in the Mar Menor
Enjoying the peace and a
magnificent dawn before making our way back through the lifting bridge and
round Cap Palos to We received a very warm
welcome in Yachtport Cartagena where we had wintered twice, three and four
years ago. We are now spending three days putting Ione to bed for the winter
– wash cockpit cover and sprayhood, Boracol decks, get Liferaft and
outboard serviced etc. We will come back at the end of January to do the more
major winter jobs. Now we will entrust
ourselves to Ryanair on Friday to take us from Tony & Sarah, Malo 37 – Ione
– http://blog.mailasail.com/ione
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