36:44.02N 04:04.08W TIORAM arrives in the Med

Tioram 4
Tina & Tony
Sat 20 Jun 2009 19:24
 Sat 20th June 1430
 
 
To all family and friends,
 
We have had the most amazing day. In the early hours Rob and John were on the 0400 to 0800 watch and at 0700 Rob kindly called Tony and myself onto deck ahead of our watch start.
We were greeted with the most wonderful sight entering the Straits of Gibraltar---John's 0740 log entry reads ' Into Straits of Gibraltar----Africa right /Spain left---Amazing sunrise'.
The low early sunlight filtered through a mist which hovered over the sea and the mountains of Ceuta in Morocco and a lighthouse at Tarifa on the Spanish mainland. The lighthouse had all the qualities of a Hopper painting draped in early sunlight. We continued along the Straits and enjoyed the sillouette of the hills turn from black to colour as the angle of our boat changed.
At the same time Rob spotted a whale  (approx 30ft in length) slowly taking air and gently gliding along the Spanish shoreline heading out of the Med and into the Atlantic. We couldn't believe it all at the same time. The chart has detailed information regarding the migration of whales through the Straits at certain months of the year with a requested 15 knot speed limit but we never expected to see one------and as our sailing friends will know 15 knots limit is never an issue !!
We added to the log ' 0740--Straits of Gibraltar to our left, Africa to our right, Morocco. Amazing light--early light with mist, mountains to our left and right and Gibraltar rock approaching. Great atmosphere on deck--only added to by a whale gently swimming out of the Med to the Atlantic'.
To add to this wonderful sight it is hard to describe the strong magical smell of spices and pine mingling from Europe and Africa. It sounds unreal, almost fictional but we were rewarded with a sensory feast of vision and smell.
This experience heightened the over flowing of emotion that Tioram was now in the Med.
Our dear family and friends know that the first time Tony and I thought of living and travelling on a boat came in 1995 when we saw a couple lying asleep in the cockpit of their small yacht an early morning in Zakinthos, Greece. It was raw , basic and magic and we said lets do that.
We were so lucky to buy our first boat in 1996 and after ordering her we bought a Greek courtesy flag---before we got the boat !! These national flags have been symbolically added to over the years hanging on a 5ft high model J class boat in our lounge----waiting patiently for use. 
Today we took them from the cupboard and enjoyed taking photos on deck. We debated where the Med sea actually starts----after the Straits ?? or at Gibraltar??
I sat on deck soaking up the magic of the occasion wondering if we had officially arrived in the Med----at that moment we motored through a group of small day boats with local fisherman---I waved to them and they waved back----my emotion spilled over and I thought how could this welcome be any better-----Tioram had arrived .
The emotion was shared, Tony realised a twenty year dream, I marvelled in the moment of sight, sound ,scent and a simple wave and decided the chances of so many lovely things coming together (including a favourable tide) were a gift.  
We were so priveledged to share this time with Rob and John whom I know each individually marvelled at the uniqueness of the atmosphere around us and so generously and kindly shared our moment too.
 
Love from all aboard Tioram in the mediterranean.
 
Rob, John,Tony and Tina x x x x