Preparing for winter

 

Our last blog was written on 20^th September when we had just got into Palma and were awaiting the arrival of Simon & Aurélie. Now, 14^th October, we are in Cartagena shutting up Ione in preparation for flying home tomorrow.

 

In the Real Club Nautico Palma we managed to get our favourite spot by the clubhouse and swimming pool, so in addition to several laundries and massive shops we did manage to relax in the pool in the sun after heavy rain and thunder at night.

 

Simon & Aurélie’s plane was delayed so they did not get on board until after 1am however this did not stop us leaving Palma before lunch to anchor and swim in Cala Portals. Heavy rain, thunder and lightening then followed not only for the evening but throughout the night. By morning the forecast was still for rain over Mallorca but better weather in Ibiza, so in occasional showers but little wind we motored across to anchor in Cala Blanco on the north coast of Ibiza.

 

 

Cala Blanco is a favourite spot for us – almost the closest spot to Mallorca and usually nearly deserted.

 

Thence to Santa Eulalia, via Cala Clos de Llamp, where after a night in the marina to provision we made our way, with too little wind to anchor in Espalmador.

 

 

Here most of the crew swam ashore!

 

 

The island is up for sale! Anyone got €26 million?

 

With the forecast still indicating wet and unsettled weather we made a lunch and swim stop in Ensenada de Codolá before heading in the wet to Ibiza town.

 

 

However we did manage some sailing in the dry and Simon showed that he had not forgotten how to helm to windward.

 

 

In all we spent four nights in harbour in Ibiza town, with Simon and Aurélie with us for the first two. We had managed to get a berth in Ibiza Magna marina which, although scruffy, is right under the walls of the old town and also the cheapest. From there it was easy to walk up to the battlements and explore the city and various museums.

 

 

The island of Formentera and Es Calo had been our first anchorage back in April and on 1^st October we were again anchored off this lovely spot. Here the old outboard finally failed us and it was quite a tough row to get ashore to the beach and bar. A new outboard is now firmly on the list of winter purchases.

 

From Es Calo we had another couple of nights at anchor in Ibiza:

 

 

Initially an excellent sail to Cala Bassa with its busy beach bar before a final night on the island in the more peaceful Cala Horts.

 

 

Leaving Cala Horts to cross to the mainland one passes close by the spectacular Isla Vedra.  Across  the bay at Altea we found that most of the mooring buoys off El Albir had been removed, leaving only two, and those were too close to shore for comfort, so we had a marina night in Altea.

 

 

Thence to Alicante for a couple of nights. An interesting town, we had visited the castle last year but did make a second visit to the museum of modern art.

 

 

The climb up to some of the old streets is worthwhile and the market is superb. Wonderful meat, fish and veg at amazingly low prices.

 

On Friday 8^th October we variously motored and slowly sailed down to anchor in Torrevieja harbour. Just as we were about to leave the next morning we had a belated reply to our text to Phil and Jill Gordon on Deliverance – they were on their berth in Torrevieja only 3 or 4 cables from us. Hence a row across to their berth – no functioning outboard! – for coffee and a chance to catch up as we had missed each other all season.

 

 

However we still made the 1600 bridge at Tomas Maestre to enter the Mar Menor where we anchored for a couple of nights off Isla Perdiguera.

 

On Monday 10^th October it was time to return to our winter quarters in Yachtport Cartagena. We did manage a brief final swim at the entrance to the harbour in Cala Cortina but by 1600 were at the fuel berth to fill the tank for winter and thence to B14, our winter berth with 1970 miles on the log since we left on 14^th April.

 

Mixed feelings as the season draws to a close, however Cartagena is a delightful and sociable place. We have already enjoyed tapas night with a group of fellow liveaboards and also had an extended lunch with Tall Ship friends Roy & Lorraine Love and Clive & Janet Jones. Over the last six months we have visited each of the four Balearic islands twice, done full circuits of Corsica and Elba, spent a bit of time in Italy, both Tuscany and northern Sardinia, as well as a few days on the Spanish mainland.

 

 

Tony & Sarah,

Yachtport Cartagena – 14 October 2016

Malo 37 – Ione – http://blog.mailasail.com/ione