As I’m typing that — it is May 26.

At the moment we are on anchor, Illetas, Mallorca.  

As we had escaped the Almerimar ,  we did our best to leave the land out of sign as quickly as possible — which has happened shortly after we turned around the Cabo de Cata  point — and stayed so ( without sign of land ) until we reached the Ibiza 2 days later…  Actually, Formantera… But what is a couple of miles between friends ?

The goal has been the Palma Bay….  But… 

First, the wrong weather has been ordered…. The first 24 hours were really refreshing…  We were doing about ~7-8 knots running,  with wonderful breeze around — stable and gentle…, in right directions…. 

But then, on the latitude of Cartagena —  somebody switched the wind off…   I did my best to please Greta Turnberg, and was avoiding to start the motor…. Until the speed dropped to 0.5 knots, in completely unknown direction….  And then I said that my patience should have the limits… Started the engine… and cut the route to Formentera…. 

I did so for the reason that the weather forecast showed complete 0 wind for a couple of days… ( Which we were really observing…. ) and some technical tuning wich should be nice to do…. 

So, we arrived on Formantera,  bounced on anchor for a couple of days, and then — exactly 1 week later from Almerimar departure — left for Mallorca…. 

If the previous  leg — was all about running and motoring, the leg Formantera <> Mallorca  — was all about closed hall going in light — ~10 knots wind… Again, somebody set the wind in such a way, that it was blowing from some direction a bit to Sourth from the Palma bay….  Meaning, on starboard tack — you can not go to Palma Bay, because it is exactly 30 degrees to the wind…. So you are practically pointing somewhere to Adriano / Ponca, the best….  And on port tack…. You are pointing somewhere Sourth, but towards back to Formentera….  

To make the story short — it has been a really fun day of sailing, tacking, coursing on the wind, etc….  All ~70 nm of fun!   Of course, it took us longer then usual, but we dropped the anchor in the Illetas, and staying there happyly since…. 

The days are flying unbelievebly quickly. 

The most valuable repair / re-design / invention has appeared to be the burner inside BBQ…. ( The original one has disintegrated completely, and the local Almerimar welder created a new one…. What a nice device it appeared to be… ;-) ).  Consequently, there is no shortage of people on board in the evening, everybody with the ‘best plans’ where to spend the summer…. 

 

During these days — I’m running behind the schedule to make the system checkings,  small corrections,  checking what I changed during the winter — new solar paneles — 4x385watts… water heater, navigation program, etc, etc…. 

Correcting what get broken….  For reason unknown — one of the GPS sources I have — stopped working properly, another one — has been connected in the wrong way for the time i have the boat…. 

So, I’ve to trace all wires, understood what has been done, and put it back… Tracing the unknown wires on old boat —sorry, the boat in a perfect age —  you know, it is a special fun! 

Most probably, the boat is keeping me busy for the reason.  I’m getting more and more news from the Montreal about old friends who are quiting sailing…. Some of the news — really hard to swollow / to accept….  Which forcing  me to think about my future, re-accepting the fact that my transición to the boat is permanent now,  that my destiny — the sea and the boat… and thinking of the consecuences…. 

Probably, a lot of people has went through those ‘changes in mind’… I’m sure I’ll be fine!!! ;-).  No doubts about it! 

The fact being busy with the boat and people around — has Impact on the blog… The major one — I do not know what to write about. I’m still making a lot of photos.  I still have a lot of stories… And at the same time — I’m a bit hesitant to write,  with the question in mind — who is interested ?  All that has arrived to the point — if in previous good old days, I  had choice to splice a line or to write a blog,  I was writing the blog… Today — I’m more probably would splice the line, check the pump,  clean the floors, and then… when I have time…. Update the blog… ;-)  Add to that the endless and fruitless attempts to learn Spanish and French… And here we  come — ‘ my blog is very thin these days’ as some of my friends mentioned politely…. 

Yes, I know that what I’m doing with the blog — not right!!  To fix and to correct the situation is on ’to-do list’….  It is not the question about to write or not to write… The obvious answer is — ’to write’…. 

The issue is the priority of that ’to write blog’ on everyday to-do list! 

So, what is my current state ?  

The passage from Almerimar to Mallorca has a very re-freshing effect on mind.  

The boat and myself  are in the good shape. 

( Regarding the  boat — there are a few pending issues to resolve, but they are not critical at all, and more about  — ‘good to have’… )

The mood is — to have the fantastic time in the summer months coming. 

What is the future ? 

I have the pilot book for Western Italy + Malta… 

I’m in looking for the good pilot book for the Med France…  ( Checked Navily recently, and see that there is no shortage of anchorages in the area… )

But I’m still a bit undecided which way to go — clockwise — France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia — and back to Mallorca…. , the same route — but anticlockwise…. Or go to Malta…. 

Obviously, the question with Winter — is still opened… 

(I’ve met a couple of people who spent the few years already on anchor in area I’m now… the Bay of Palma…. Heard the stories about how they had been going sailing… in winter… Not everyday, but pretty often… In short — some thoughts has been seeded…. ;-) )

That is basically all I can say right now about our status. What is going to happen — time will tell. 

Your plans seems to be very well laid down.  And they sounds great! ;-)  

At the moment — the weather still changing its mind all the time. The first storm passed over us.  

The temperature jumping up and down… It may be hot during the day, but chilly as the wind arrived… Probably the Sea is still not warm enough…. 

The mood is good. 

Everything is OK. 

Have a great day, and talk to you soon! 

Michael.