15^th April   ALMERIMAR

36 41.7 N  02 47.6 W

Forecast for Sunday looked to be westerlies, 15-25 kts, diminishing in afternoon to 10-20 kts so we set off at 09.55, thinking to go to Puerto de Adra about 35 miles down the coast. Winds were light and sea state slight. We passed Almunecar, across the bay, and decided Motril was too short a hop for a day’s journey (we’d have been there by 13.00) so on we went.

The wind strengthened, the sea state rose, and a strong swell pushed us westward, though our course was at a few degrees to it, making for an uncomfortable ride. Clouds built, pressure dropped, the wind went from W to SW to S to E to N, gusting from onshore past 35 kts and the swell continued to build. Landward (we were about a mile offshore) the air blackened. There were torrents of rain hammering down on the Sierra Nevada (the next day they were shining with thick snow cover). It was not pleasant. About 2 miles further offshore we could see another yacht with storm jib but otherwise bare poles running at about a 45 degree angle to the swell, which must have been very uncomfortable – our ride was fairly stable at this point. By now we were clipped on.

Approaching Puerto de Adra – where the guide said entry in strong Easterlies was to be avoided – I thought the extra aggravation of 10 more miles to Almerimar was worth it, better shelter, easier entry, more facilities, so I went for it, though Nick was feeling pretty rough by now. We couldn’t see it – visibility was just a vast low black cloud covering that whole area, but I was happy with course, position and speed, so we plowed on.

At 17.45 we were at Almerimar reception – the skies had cleared as we entered the bay, wind calmed, rain gone. I felt we had probably been chasing the front from Marina del Este, it having passed us in the night. Fastening to the reception pontoon I handed a stern line to the marinero, turned, tripped and took a sprawling header into the cockpit, severely barking my shin, but otherwise undamaged.

We berthed stern to in Darsena 2 with no problems, and relaxed. It had been worth pushing on. However, there had been a fairly major difference between the Passage Weather forecast and what we’d experienced, on balance another day at Marina del Este would have made more sense.

Now waiting for a crew change – Nick Heath leaves on 18^th, when Graham Wassell joins for the Cartagena leg; Chris and Beverley Lees should be in port to join their boat from Rally Portugal, Elysium, and David and Anne Holliwell also have their Dragonfly here. Lots of restaurants and bars, laundry, showers OK – but not particularly hot – an easy place to rest up in. Thousands of unsold apartments, quite eerie.

Today did 47 NM.