Figure that

Serendipity
David Caukill
Mon 20 Jun 2016 10:37

Monday 20th  June, 2016

Off Barcelona, Spain 41 02.9N  2 12.1E

Today's Blog by David  (Time zone: BST+1; UTC +2)

 

When I left you on Friday we were motoring towards Ibiza.  This morning you find us still motoring, but this time towards Barcelona.  We did stop overnight in Ibiza in order to break the journey and avoid some strong northerly winds which would anyway have impeded our northbound progress.  We left  Ibiza yesterday choosing a time that allowed us to sail for a few hours, but East towards Mallorca when we needed to go north towards the mainland. So now we have a confirmed view of sailing in the Mediterranean: Far too much or Far to little wind  -- usually from the wrong direction (although last attribute is not specific to the Mediterranean).

 

Ibiza

 

We anchored in a bay, well protected from the north winds that were to blow later that day. It was mid morning and there were already a handful of boats at anchor off a beach with three reastaurants: two looked expensive from a distant inspection with binoculars -  we thought the “Moet & Chandon” banners  sufficient evidence – and we anchored off a more rustic looking operation under the trees.  The anchorage was already filling up as the crew landed ashore to explore.

 

After rambling up the hillside to enjoy the view, the restaurant beckoned – somewhere to slake a well earned thirst and to evaluate the dining possibilites for later on.  Here we had our first experience of Ibiza.  Beer was priced at €20 for a small ‘jug’ and the food menu was mind bogglingly expensive  -  country hicks that we are. Starters were all priced over €20 and main courses (it was a specialist fish restaurant) started at €75 making the alternative David concocted Spaghetti Carbonara very appealing.

 

By the time the team had re-assembled on board, the anchorage was busy – 50-60 boats - but apparently properly handled and anchored.  We grazed gently at lunch and most enjoyed what has become a customary siesta (there are some things the Spanish do well).  Later in the afternoon, Peter and I were discussing summer vacation plans as a yacht drifted by, beam onto the wind and evidently crew less. The wind was not that strong but his anchor clearly hadn’t dug in: here was a yacht bound for North Africa!

 

The owner wasn’t far behind in his dinghy and he recovered the situation with the help of others;  he was lucky not to have hit any boats (aka Serendipity)  on the way……

 

Figure that

 

From the time we set out on Serendipity five years ago I have been promising Peter that, one day, we will attract a ravishing beauty, a blond bombshell as a figurehead to stand proudly on the foredeck.  Other Oyster owners seem to have them so why not us?  

 

Late yesterday afternoon while we were still sailing in the wrong direction he nudged me and said:  “Is that the best you can do?”

 

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Blond Bombshell  Grey Grandad?

 

Fishing Report

 

Avid readers will recall that, over the years,  our fishing exploits have not met with unbridled success.  We have lost more lures and bits of tackle than fish we have hooked, let alone ‘boated’. So over the winter I have had specialist tuition in fishing from a keen angler in Hawkley.  He advised on the aquisition of a new rod and reel (to replace the one that is being dragged around the North Atlantic by the fish that wrested it from its mount in May 2015).  He advised me to use a braid line rather than monofilament and  showed my how to tie the knots.  So when we set out, I was re-invigorated on the fishing front;  better prepared then ever I have been!

 

We have fished at every opportunity over the 1,900 miles we have covered on this journey.  Not when we have been flying along down wind under full sail, but whenever we have been able to stop easily -  when required to reel in our catch.  So all the time  we have been motoring in daylight (a lot) and often when sailing in light to moderate airs.  So we have been fishing perhaps half the time.

 

I now report the results of our endeavours.

 

Firstly, we have not lost a lure or any tackle in the entire journey; neither have we lost any fish, getting off the hook having taken the lure.   No, not one. 

 

And that would be good news if the bad news were not that:  We have not – at any stage in our passage here – had a single bite. Grand Bretagne ‘Nul points’ as they say.

 

Well that’s about it. We are now about 4 hours from berthing in Barcelona bringing our journey reluctantly to a close.  What remains is to shut the boat up, make some arrangements for the odd thing to be fixed and  the boat to be looked after in my absence – and a bit of sight seeing.

 

Yours aye ……