Cala Pi 39:21.76N 02:50.06E

Red Skies
David Alexander
Wed 25 May 2011 12:48
Tuesday 24th May.   Yesterday evening we again wandered around the old town of Palma and alighted on a tapas bar that looked full of character (El Tunel) so we went in.The advertised tapas menu (a predefined selection) at 15 euros was, we were told by a surly waitress, only enough for one person and we could not share one between two. As we weren't that hungry we almost got up and left - if only. However, we looked at the menu and decided that, as we were in Palma, tapas and sangria had to be done. We ordered two selections of tapas and a small jug of sangria. Needless to say, the tapas were less than exceptional, the delivered portions too much for us to finish and the sangria over-priced. Further charges were made for the water, bread and olives, which together with the tax came to very expensive rip-off snack.
 
We left Palma on Tuesday morning, heading South East to a cove called Cala Pi. Before the wind died after about an hour, we had a pleasant gentle sail. This cala is a delight - very small with steep cliffs on either side. We anchored alongside the then only other boat in the bay and David swam a line ashore to attach to the rock face to limit our swing. Soon other boats came and went and we were anxious every time than one might foul our anchor but at the end of the day we one of only three boats here, so we feel reasonably safe.
 
Cala Pi from cliff above beach
 
Red Skies and another yacht at anchor in Cala Pi
 
Red Skies with a stern line to the rock face
 
We took the dinghy ashore through turquoise clear waters and shoals of fish and walked along the cliff top to the tower on the headland. There was a small development at the head of the cove - an aparthotel, a few brestaurants and bars but it is beautifully quiet.
 
Wednesday 25th May.   We had planned a leisurely morning in this lovely cove and were pleased when the other two boats left and we had it to ourselves. However, this was not for long, as an official looking rib, with a diver and beach safety guys on board proceeded to lay yellow swimming buoys across the best part of the cala (for anchoring), leaving just a gren-red buoyed channel for local fishing boats.
 
Diver in water by one of the buoys
 
Pic showing how far the buoys are from the beach
 
Installing buoy almost under our stern line
 
The now restricted cala as we left
 
They also cut off loops of rope left on the cliff which successive boaters had used  to tie on to (we hadn't - we fixed a piece of our chain around a rock outcrop and fixed a line to that), presumably to ensure there were no mixed messages and anchoring there was now forbidden. We assumed that this change must have been at the request of the aparthotel to preserve an exclusivity to the beach. In reality, swimmers hardly ventured up to the limit set the buoys and the odd snorkeller had stayed close to the cliffs.We were disappointed that so much of the safe anchorage had been put out of bounds and felt that this had changed the atmosphere of this little cove and we were lucky to have seen it, off-season for one day.