38:52.3N 01:17.4E

Formentera is the smallest of the 4 major Balearic islands. We were now safely anchored off one of its long beaches where we went ashore last year. This time we took the dinghy and went ashore on the tiny island of Espalmador which is between Formentera and Ibiza. It’s a private, but usually uninhabited island, and you are allowed to use the beaches provided you don’t stray into the interior. It’s a delight with pink sand and clear water. At one end there’s a long sandy spit where the sea comes at you from three directions. Reminds me of Spurn Point but much warmer. Probably more like Baradal Island in the Grenadines but without the palm trees.

Even the skipper got his photo taken here

We strolled along the beach and swam but there were other people on our island! So we resolved to come back at dawn when we would have the place to ourselves. And that’s exactly what we did.

A magic moment – just the two of us on our own deserted island. Skipper wandered down to the sand spit for a swim. But then not one, not two, but three totally naked women emerged from the water, sat on the sand spit and started practising yoga.

We left them to it and went for a long walk on the far side of the island

About an hour and a half later we got back to the sand spit and the lovely trio were still at it. We swam back to the dinghy and went back to the yacht for breakfast.

It was time to move on as the wind had moved south. We cruised up the East coast of Ibiza and tucked into a little bay on the north coast called Cala Charraca. As we rounded the northern tip of Ibiza we passed an unusual lighthouse – unusual in that it has diagonal stripes.

Cala Charraca was a very quiet unspoilt bay and we were treated to a beautiful sunset where even the sea turned lilac.

Our constant tormentor – the wind - turned north easterly and strengthened so we ran down the west coast and anchored overnight at Cala Tarida. We dinghied ashore next morning at Cala Corral about 1 mile up the coast. Lovely little fishing port with the bonus of a small supermarket.

Just off the south west corner of Ibiza are two islands called Vedra and Vedranell. We preferred to call them Scottie dog sniffing at a trainer.

We completed our Ibizan circumnavigation by stopping off along the South coast at Cala de Port Roig. This was our favourite spot on Ibiza.

Now nowhere is perfect and during the night we swung in a big circle and the anchor chain got caught around some rocks. We then couldn’t lift the anchor so we spent an hour or two trying to resolve the situation. Skipper was in the water snorkelling and directing operations while Pat drove the boat backwards and forwards and ran up and down the deck to lift the chain bit by bit as it came free from the rocks. We then re-laid the anchor in a huge expanse of sand to avoid any chance of a repeat.

I could have stayed there for a week but you might not want to come there for a land based holiday.

The wind changed again and it was time to head across to Mallorca – another double handed passage coming up.