Porto Cristo, Mallorca
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Sun 9 Jun 2013 12:28
We decided to divide the 106 mile passage from Mahon, Minorca to Palma, Mallorca by calling in at Porto Cristo. We woke to rain, looked at the gribs and decided to leave as the rain was due to clear by midday. We got to the harbour entrance to be met by large seas and strong winds so we dived into the adjacent Caya to shelter for a couple of hours. At 11.00 we left and had a day of mixed winds and weather. We just managed to hold our course for Porto Cristo till mid afternoon when the wind veered and we were being carted off west between Minorca and Mallorca. We tacked and found that as it continued to veer we could sail the course but on a different tack! All day the sea was big and confused and the crew threatened to fly straight home. The wind then died to about six knots from behind and so all sails down and on with the engine. As the sun set we relaxed looking forward to a calm but late arrival at Porto Cristo. The skipper noticed white water ahead and within a few minutes the wind had backed through 180 degrees and we had 20 knots on the nose. We arrived three hours later at about 22.30 and anchored after four attempts. We moved alongside the quay this morning and have met a boat from St Mawes, a boat from Fowey and the Cruising Association Representative for Mallorca who says that this has been the worst Spring Med sailing weather in the 27 years they have been here!!
The highlight of yesterday occurred at 15.30 when a pilot whale (we think) on a reciprocal course, swam down the side of Marita within ten feet of the skipper who was down on the leeward side watching the Jenny....it gave him a BIG shock!