38:50.845N 000:07.145E
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Mon 1 Oct 2018 07:52
We arrived and dropped the anchor at the entrance of the Dénia port.
The computer reported that it took us 4 hours and 43 minutes to make 21.20 nm…
No matter how much time has been spent motoring, how much time has been actually sailing — the day and the passage were great!
Yes, we were motoring or motor sailing. But seems that in that area — that is the only way to go… ;-) Or wait until the next storm arrives… Or, use a few hours afternoon — and use those short living winds — to try to move towards your destination!
There are still quite a few moving sailing boats around though people are saying that the season is over. Especially today, on a nice and sunny Sunday. And all of them have been motoring… With sails, without sails, going the Northerly or the Southerly directions… All of them have been motoring!
It is so different from what I’ve been observing on Caribbean Islands… I’m returning to this ’sailing practice’ point again and again, since it has really stuck me. ;-)
There have been no shortage of the beautiful settlements on the shores, as we were passing by… The core of most of those places were established long, long, long time ago…. In the ancient days, the cities have been started on the top of the hills/mountains, as far away from the coast line as practise allowed… The history of those Spanish places is closely overlapped with the history of wars — big and small, with reason and without reason at all…. That is why — start the city on top on the hill, away from the coast line — was the simplest defence system… With local climate and mountain topography — not every warrior would be able to walk the distance in full war gear…
About 15+ years ago — the rush of real-estate development came to the region. Tourism of all kind, mostly ‘summer vocation’ properties… and now, the narrow passes between the sea and the mountains are covered with all kind of buildings and properties. The peak of development was so rapid — that there were a lot of development done without all documentation finished.
( In hope, that the papers would be finalised after … ). And some of those properties — the most vivid ‘Hotel Illegal’, as it called now — has been never opened, and is waiting now to be demolished after all court battles are over.
The Mascarat — the town I was anchored near by — is one of the examples. At night, it seems that it is not occupied, with a few lights here and there… But I’m wondering, what would happen with that town if one day it will be visited by 80-90 percent of owners at the same time…
But again, passing by all those places — opens amazing view!
We arrived in Dénia. It is an old town and port, established around 600 B.C. by Greeks. ( At least, that what the book says ). Is it big? Depends what you would like to compare it with.
Why am I here ? The port has a nice harbour, shared by 2 marinas. I would like to see the city, and check ‘of the season’ prices in the marinas. May be I would be able to find something suitable for long stay. If not — next point is probably Valencia.
That is all for now,
Have a great day,
M.