39:33.734N 002:37.700E

19 Oct 2011

Sorry I have not updated since we arrived at Valencia.  As described the weather entering was not great but once inside things were ok.  Actually if the winds are from the north they tend to drive waves into the entrance of the marina.  Since the entrance walls are all concrete they simply reflect the waves into the marina and cause things to move around a bit.  Like a French horn it amplifies the smallest sound.

Valencia is a great town that is a mix of new and old.  The metro system gets you everywhere with no hassle.  Safe, clean and punctual.  The marina is a left over from the America’s Cup and is a bit outside the town but the local street tram connects with the metro so no issues except a little walking.  The marina is also the site for the Formula 1 race so it is interesting to walk on portions of the track that are just parkland for most of the year.

Valencia has a great set of exhibitions in the old river bed.  They diverted the river and made the resultant land into a place for the aquarium and other civic buildings.  This aquarium is a great one, very well designed to allow the visitor to stroll between different exhibits in a very relaxed method.  Also there is a great dolphin/diving stadium that is well worth the visit for the show.  They diver here climbs to a platform something like 70 feet up and made a successful dive.  There was a Swiss flag at the top of the ladder so I am guessing he is Swiss.

Leaving Valencia early in the morning for Palma Mallorca was no issue.  We waited till light was good and then left.  Of course the GPS on the boat was not working.  So again the iPad with the charts came into play.  Luckily the radar was functioning this time so we could track vessels in the night.  Surprisingly the iPad internal GPS worked all the way across the 100 plus miles even though Apple does not confirm that it will.

Trip across was calm so required motoring all the way.  We looked at going to the island of Ibiza to break up the trip but it is a little out of the way so direct was the best path. 

Approaching Mallorca was interesting in the middle of the night.  Since we have been here a few years ago I assumed it was a place I knew well.  But approaching the island from the west at night the lighthouse beacons were strange and appeared nearer than they really were.  Of course the fishing boat lights, they use spotlights to help retrieve the nets, can be confusing.  So I adjusted course to give a wider distance to land to avoid these boats.

Entering the harbor of Palma brought a surprise.  When you think you know a place well you tend to question new things.  Being it was pitch black night I looked at the new blinking red and green lights with wonder and question.  I did not remember these lights before but kept moving forward but at reduced speed.  Good move.  It turns out the harbor authority decided to add a floating boom in the middle of what was the entrance before.  Why? I do not know.  But because we were going slow we were able to stop at the last minute before running over a floating boom.  Then we crept slowly along the eastern edge of the boom and got past it with no issue. 

Approaching the marina berth we used before I checked the bow thruster.  No avail.  It decided to short out between Valencia and here.  Not an issue since there was no wind.

We reversed into the marina as before at 04:30 in the morning in the dark.  I called the marina and they responded that they would help berthing!  Did not expect that and was glad they did.  We were tired and any help was welcome.  For your information there are many marinas here and several boats were making calls to their marina.  Mallorca is a busy place day and night.

We berthed safely and were glad to be “home”.  This is the place we first kept the boat and know the town well.  Glad to be back.