UTC 2056

We are inside the harbour. Docked to pontoon #2.  Lines are set. Electricity connected to the shore… 

We are going to stay there for quite  a while… 

It is a nice Sunny day here… Though the nights are getting cooler and cooler, the days are still very warm.  And on the day like today — it feels a bit strange to ‘winterise’ the boat… ( Whatever meaning it has here, on the South coast of the Mediterranean Spain).

The future will answer if the decision to come to Almerimar for the second winter is right or wrong….  But at this point,  I’m very glad that I’m here, and I’m very happy that I made this passage, about 740 nm… ( Yes, and at the spring next year — I’m hoping to do another one back,  to continue explore the Med,  where I’ve finished it this season… )

The passage.  Three  parts: 

— Trapani ( Italy ) to Palma ( Mallorca, Spain)

— Palma( Mallorca) to Torrevieja ( ‘mainland’ Spain )

— Torrevieja to Almerimar

And all three — were eventful,  with a ‘long ‘ time of pleasant sailing, with a short time, which I may call now as ‘eventful and educational ‘. 

On the way to Palma, I’ve been caught by the storm.  I’ve wrote about it already, all I can add — the link from the Mallorca newspaper… 

To degree,  it proves the point that being in the open water far away from shore — is probably a better way to ride the weather… 

Though based on my experience — it is better to stay away, by all possible means… 

The ride from Palma, with original goal to Almerimar…  It was just a heavy weather.  Probably real F6,  may be beginning of F7… 

Again,  it has been a hard lesson to learn, with a lot of topics covered… From basic principles, like consequences of the tight predetermined schedules,  like remembering that gentlemen are not sailing against the wind, like do not trust the weather forecasts, even if 7 out of 8 weather model forecasts seems coincide, and agrees between each other… It is #8, the worse possible one,  the one, predicting the strongest, unfortunate winds — will always take the real  life… ;-) 

That has been very educational… Not often one would voluntarily sail — motor sail, try to sail… — in 25-30 knots true wind, and especially, to try to progress ahead of it…  But after you did — you get some true experience, for sure. 

The lessons I got  — no matter how good and strong boat you have,  you have to learn her till the last bolt and nut, her habits, abilities, what she likes and does not… Do not listen to your instructors, crew, friends, who appears to be on board…Be ready to hear in the middle of the worse  that… ‘You should have taken a different route…’… And they may be perfectly right on that one… 

But when you are on THE CURRENT route for 30 hours+ already, with F6- F7 outside, greyish skies, foamish waves, whistle of the wind, water hitting dodger… what is the point of their statement above ?   At the end, the dispute bottom line — it will be all  between your loved boat and yourself!  So, learn your boat, trust her and in yourself, and have a good solid reasons to do so… 

No, we did not make it to Almerimar, but diverted to Torrevieja instead.  Which I have no regrets,  where I’ve met a very interesting people… 

The last leg of the passage — from Torrevieja to Almerimar has brought some events too… I guess I mentioned that already in my previous post… Yes, I’ve lost the engine for the couple of hours… together with the wind,  with ability to manoeuvre, close to the shipping line of ships of all kind to Cartagena…   

But all above — is a ‘ the glass is half empty side’ of the trip.  And now, being settled at the dock of Almerimar — all above is part of the history, and more about ’scary stories’ for Halloween coming… 

There is a ’the glass is half filled side’ of the trip. 

The first part — to Palma — was a very pleasant, easy going sailing. Most of the leg, with a  half a day ‘unsettled’ weather… 

Beautiful sunshine,  wind — mostly at the back… Strong wind, but because it was at the back — you do not feel it so strong… 

In short — it was beautiful, what real sailing should be about! ;-) 

I do not know… May be it is just me… But there is some interesting feeling as you are doing the same passage you did before, but in reverse order…  ( The first time — I got it when was going through the Caribbean Islands, from Grenada to Antigua…  my second trip over Caribbean…)… 

This time, as I was dropping the anchor in front of the Puerto Calanova harbour,  in the middle of the night,  I felt in a strange way how much  has changed since I came to the harbour the first time…  It has been only half a year ago… But it felt as infinity… 

The morning brought a couple pleasant surprises —

— In the middle of the night, I’ve managed to get into the sandy spot, I’ve been using before to avoid anchor dragging over the grassy bottom… 

— ‘Michael!!!! … ‘ and a waving person on the shore….  My friends are still there, and they still recognised the boat!!! ;-) 

I’ve spent a remarkable 2 days in Palma, and left for Almerimar on 17th… 

I’ve already described the the passage. I’ve told already that I’ve arrived to Torrevieja instead…  

Nice harbour,  good anchorage… There is another boat, under American flag,  on anchor, near me… 

On a second day,  I hear ‘knock, knock’ on the hull… :

‘… 

— Do you speak English ?

— Yes, I do… 

— Where are you from ? 

— Canada… and you ? 

— We are from Russia… 

…

‘

Such meetings and acquaintances  on the passage(s) — is the most interesting part….  There has been a few evenings  spent together, a lot of topics covered… The most remarkable part:

The youngest member of the crew on boat I’ve met — just started to walk.  Actually, the first time I’ve met him — he was still crawling mostly, with attempts to stand up  occasionally  and making a few steps… 

A few days later — he was walking…  On the boat, which was moving a bit on the waves…  Over the next couple of days, I see him walking over the boat, rolling on waves  in different conditions. I still vividly see his face,  when he was trying to solve that not an easy task — first steps over the floor, which for some reasons unknown,  was moving too, in all directions…  He seemed to be surprised,  that what was  working fine on the previous attempt… was not working any more… And at the same time — for him it was natural, that the floor is trying to move all the time… 

I wish Elon Musk, Google, and all those who are claiming they would create the AI soon, have seen the face of that young boy, doing his first steps… I wish they could see his eyes…  I think that watching the boy, solving his one of the  first real life task — would  change their assurance about AI reachability!  ;-)

I’m sure my new friends will succeed with their dream — to move to life on board,  with all its differences from the life on land! 

I’m sure their dream would become true!  And I hope, we would not loose the contact and would keep in touch!

Another boat dropped the anchor nearby…  The flag of Holland…  And again Russians…   That let me make the conclusion, that most of the people sailing the Med at this time of the year are Russians!  ;-).  No matter what the flag of the vessel is! 

Torrevieja to Almerimar.

Beautiful sailing day  from Torrevieja to Cabo De Palos.  Not so much wind, but enough to progress… Sun, warm, a bit of the breeze… Quite a few boats on the  water…  but those are day sailors from Mar Menor…. Mostly… 

A few boats still seems going further away… targeting probably Ibiza or Palma… Interesting… So, somebody is still sailing in the Med at this point of the year!  A bit jealous…  But I should not…. I have so many small improvements on the boat to do ( not counting some repairs )… And living on the boat — it is not constant sailing… And all part of that living — are becoming equally interesting and appreciated… I guess my process of ‘assimilation on the boat ‘ is taking one of its next stage! ;-) 

Capo De Palos… 

  

It is becoming like approaching your native home town,  by the high way, which you know very well… Another hour or a bit more, and we will turn around… and will take the course to the Cabo de Gata…   The night will come down…  By that point, the Cartagena would be behind us…. As a Mazarron bay will become astern too… we will be out of the shipping lines from Cabo de Gata to Cartagena… and then, in a relax fashion — we should  turn the de Gata to Almerimar… 

( Probably, my wishful thinking would be different, should I know what is waiting for me ahead…  ;-))…

We progressed as planned, leaving the Capo de Palos behind… The Sun has been slowly going down… The wind was doing the same….  The radio was nearly instantly reporting ‘ Pan pan, pan pan… ‘  The old story have been still going…  ‘ The vessel… people on board… moving from Algerian coast… last seen position… report to Coast guard… ‘ … Well, this time — probably some bigger fleet of those illegal  immigrants  around, since there are few Coast Guards ships deployed ….

The sun gone… the wind gone… No Moon…  The sea seems saying — ‘do not know about you, but I’m going to sleep…’…  And as he is going deeper and deeper into his dreams…  he is slowly becoming  as a big mirror, with multiple stars reflecting somewhere deep under the surface…  Fascinating , spellbinding transformation! 

We are motoring, slowly eating the diesel from the starboard tank…. An hour and a bit, the ship line to Cartagena would be behind us, and it would be possible to take a nap… At the mean time, I can watch the lights over the mainland of Spain… Some clouds, highlighted,  from the bottom by Cartagena, and the Mar Minor…  

The sound of the motor,  the stars within endless sky and endless water,  the lights of the ships, going to and from Cabo De Gata TSS lines far to port…  The motor seems working quite good, how much diesel I have in this tank?  Could I do it to Almerimar on it?

Opened the tank,  put the stick… Yes, plenty!  Should be enough for the next 24+ hours none stop… And I would need quite less… 

Time to have nap…. 

That what the moment, when the engine stopped…  With all signs of the shortage of the fuel… 

Ok,  forget the nap… Bleeding the air from the injectors,  started the engine  — which started… But no power, and after a few minutes of running… stopped again… 

Looked around… The radar reported the ship ahead… Should not be on collision course… Let me wait… A few minutes later… I can clearly see them all —  green, red, and 2 whites, one above another…  Classic… ‘ a ship more then 50 meters is dead ahead… ‘ …

I’ve already mentioned the story before…  That was only the beginning of the long 6 hours of ’negotiations’ with motor… 

But finally, it has started, and has been working on the way to Almerimar… 

After noon.  We are near Cabo de Gata…  The scenery is completely different… Some fog over the Cabo itself, grey sky…  Light, but very gusty winds… The fog is getting a bit sicker, but then lifting up a bit…  I can see the mountains far away… We are going to turn around the Cabo de Gata soon…. The feeling — that we crossed some invisible line… 

Am I hallucinating ?  What the hell is that ? The ship is appearing slowly, turning our way… 

Is it what I think it is ?  Yes, it is… 

 

What is  she doing here ?  Silently, with no sign of people on board, the ship passed by….  Another one appeared on the horizon…