36:35.632N 04:30.734W BENALMADENA

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Mon 31 Aug 2009 20:45

36:35.632N    04:30.734W             BENALMADENA

 

Saturday 22nd August, 2009.

 

We motor sailed from Fuengirola along the coast to Benalmadena, the last chance Jackie and Mark had of sailing Ariel. As normal it was hot and sunny without any wind. This will not last for long!

 

Benalmadena is a large marina with four sets of apartment blocks built on islands at the heart of the marina with moorings throughout.  All around the edge is more apartments with shops and restaurants below.  Very popular with tourists and local people.  Four sailing boats continuously give 35 minutes rides out into the bay and back until approximately 1.30 a.m. when thank goodness they stop.  Nearly every journey is full especially the late evening journeys when singing seems to be the order of the day.  During the evenings the local “Noddy” train gave rides around the marina and as we ate dinner we could wave to the people on the train.  On the outer harbour wall was a paddle steamer with a London registration which looked as though it was being turned into a restaurant.

 

For the first two days we were on strict instructions to check with the marina that we could stay as places were short. The marina suffered with rolling when there wasn’t any wind and Jackie spent one night on deck as she couldn’t sleep with the heat and the way Ariel was being rolled by the other boats. We were all tied stern to the wall with a plank from the ladder to the wall which kept moving as the boat rolled so we had to keep it pulled up when not in use.

 

Benalmadena has the advantage of the high street being along the coast road with beaches all along.  The four of us on Sunday took ourselves to the local beach for a swim.  We have become use to swimming off Ariel into very clear water but the local beach which was packed offered grey sand and what appeared like mud to swim in.  We decided we would not do this again as all the sand stuck to us and we needed a shower to tidy ourselves up. We have become quite spoilt.

 

We enjoyed our stay at Benalmadena especially calling in a couple of times to the drinks bar “Two for One” and the ice cream restaurant. 

 

One of Jim’s friends who is retired and lives towards Marbella came to visit us one morning and they were able to catch up on missing years.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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