39.06.69N 001.30.77E 31 July 2011 Santa Ponsa

Our first stop in Mallorca was Santa Ponsa, we had a couple of false starts trying to anchor as it turns out that the wind was a bit flukey all the boats were laying 40 degrees or so off the line of their anchor chains.  We'd lay out our anchor and the wind would turn back exposing us as being in poor position, people standing on bows hands on hips etc etc.  Anyway we got settled in eventually, and we found Dry White who sang the praises of St Carles on mainland Spain as a wintering location so we have that on our short list.

The first thing we noticed in Mallorca was that there seem to be more motorboats, huge big things all with jetski's that like to fly around the anchorage at 50 knots.  Although it sounded at times like I was muttering 'fall off you...' that's not what I was saying OK.   They are mostly British flagged too, so much for the recession.

Looking into Santa Ponsa harbour to the right is is beautiful, pine trees, houses, smaller tasteful apartments and a couple of sandy beaches, very nice indeed.  Walking around the smell of the pine combined with the shade the trees provide is sublime.  Over the water however you could be back in San Antonio, big ugly apartment buildings abound.  Is it a paradox? The lovely houses on the beautiful and no doubt expensive side of the harbour have the ugliest view in town.

The beach at Santa Ponsa looking from the welcoming shade of a clump of pines.

We rigged up the Tinker and did a spot of dinghy sailing, I was thankful for the reefing main as we had 20 knots blowing through, thankfully we did not capsize as there'd be far too much baling required for my liking.  Asia and I sailed up to another ensigned boat that had four kids aboard to try to arrange some play time and were promptly invited for a beer.  We stayed and Richard the owner ferried us back to collect Denise and Aranya.  The kids all played, we drank beer and Richard took everyone for rides in the donut around the boat - he has a 15hp 2 stroke which is exactly what I am trying to get hold of.  You cannot buy a new 2 stoke in Europe any more as they don't meet emission standards.  Why do I want a 2 stroke?  Because a 15hp 2 stoke weighs the same as a 5hp four stroke, we have a Honda 5 but it is a bit gutless and is about as much weight as I want to hang on the pushpit.

Then we spotted Richard's seats, wee chairs that have no frame and fold to nothing.  These things are great for the beach as you can sit up in them, and back on the boat they are easy to store.  We have been looking for some of these for a long time but the last ones we saw were American, so are these ones.  Anyway we asked where he bought them and he gifted them to us, came with the boat - never get used he said.  Cool, this visit is turning out well, then he brought up the subject of his 3 fold up bikes and the need to dump the older rusty one of them, so now we have a (old rusty) fold up bike!

Next day into the harbour comes Chanty, we had not arranged to meet up so it was a nice surprise to see them again so soon.  They are laying up at St Carles so we'll keep in touch now.