Mazarron-----Reflections of a great voyage to the Med
Tioram 4
Tina & Tony
Sat 27 Jun 2009 19:06
Hello to Family and Friends,
(Please open the photos we have put onto the site for you to enjoy)
Well it's 5 days since we arrived in Mazarron, Spain. We intended to relax but we have spent time unpacking the boat---all goods safely stowed especially the Champagne ! Tioram hasn't done a long voyage before but we were pleased with the way we had provisioned and stowed her.
The boat is now strangely still and quiet after her voyage and now without her crew!
Tioram has now transformed back into her live aboard mode. I always marvel at yachts----on journeys you feel you are living at 45 degrees inside the boat as it sails along at speed, sails filled, wake rushing past the bow and stern and when at anchorage or in a marina the boat transforms into a comfortable home.
The last few days has given us time to reflect upon a dream come true.
So many friends and family were so kind to us before we left home with great evenings out and great company.
We also had such a lovely time on our sail away weekend in Swanwick marina, Hamble. Lovely family and friends celebrating together. Kind , thoughtful gifts, lots of laughter, a few tears and the ceremonial untying of warps for the last time.---see leaving party photos.
We sailed to Falmouth and were joined by Rob and John for the trip to the Med. All voyages seem to have highs and lows from seasickness , heavy fog with 600ft tankers bearing down on you to magical highs of sunsets, sunrises, dolphins, the boat skipping along and friends on board.
Those of you who sail know that life on board revolves around the watch system of sailing, sleeping, cooking and eating.
The boat becomes a little community of it's own, where people work together and in our case have a lot of fun and magical moments together.
It was so good to have Rob and John on board to share the experience and their good company.
They were both great during the first 3 days of the trip when Tony and I were not up to cooking full meals, but hopefully made it up to them later by cooking lots of nice meals.
We had some great sailing but also a lot of motoring to make our deadline for Johns two week holiday.
The memorable moments were a prop wrap 30 miles out of Falmouth---thank goodness for the new cutter which chewed at the rope until it broke free----much to our relief as Rob came on deck in swimming shorts ready to do super man over the side to free it !!!
The great moments were Finisterre, the shipping lanes down Portugal, dropping anchor in San Francisco ( Spanish Rias ) to mend a block at the top of the mast. see---sailing photos.
But the most memorable moment has to be the arrival of Tioram into the Med. A very special and atmospheric day, charged with emotion and a visual feast. ( see blog 20th June and some great Gibraltar Photos ). It was a great moment for all of us due to the early time of day, swirling mist just lifting, the symbolic and historic rock of Gibraltar and a group of friends bonded together.
After arriving in the Med we enjoyed a further two days on board with some fantastic sailing off Cap de Gata near Almeria.
The lads were enjoying powering up Tioram. Tony a la 'Mr Alingi' in his Alingi hat ( from the Americas cup yacht racing---similar to Formula one in motor racing ) matching t- shirt, shorts sat on the back transom shouting VMG to John on the helm and Rob trimming (Velocity made good--basically the fastest course to a way point on the chart )
The lads had great fun--- see some good pics of them laughing and sailing--- and lots of testosterone as they raced the boat along the coast of Almeria.
I decided it was a Barry White kitcsh moment and said--We've got yo get it together --lads !!!! Fast sailing , VMG and Barry-- what more could you want---sorry bit of a crew in joke.
On the evening of 21st June the day became night and we motored into La Azohia a lovely village in Mazarron bay. We so wanted to arrive in daylight at Mazarrron so that Mom and Dad could take our warps on the dock so we decided to anchor over night and arrive in daylight in Mazarron next day.
We inched our way into the bay in darkness narrowly missing a very large fishing net which floated down our beam and stern. We finally anchored on a beautiful still morning around 2.30 am. We sat on deck sharing tea, coffee and Rum---John calls it 'Black Gravy'.
The boat was still for the first time in days and the calm anchorage gave us a wonderful nights sleep.
Rob woke early to take some atmospheric photos and once we all surfaced we had a great photo call on the foredeck putting up the Spanish courtesy flag. see---photos
Sunday 22nd June we lifted anchor and sailed across the bay with the lads de-bearded, arrival t shirts and Tioram's battle flag flying as we approached the Marina. It was so exciting to see Mom and Dad waving and taking the warps after planning it for so many years. --see photos
The new passerelle was deployed with the lads doing a challenge 'Annika' to rig it up with a fender and halyard to stop the dangerous wobble !!
We had a lovely day all together and a great Spanish evening meal followed by a lovely late night in a bar--El Faro by the lighthouse which looks down onto the whole of Mazarron bay lit up and the Marina below and Tioram proudly moored.
On the 22nd we moved the boat to a different part of the Marina and Rob and John, Mom and Dad and ourselves had a Menu del dia lunch. It was then time for the lads to leave for the airport. Sad, fond farewells were said-- lots hugs--- and we both thanked Rob and John for great sailing, for their company, for keeping us safe when we were confidently asleep in our beds, for great food, fun, laughter and especially the magical , special moments we shared ------dolphins, sunsets, Finisterre, Spanish Ria, coast of Portugal,----oh the Straits of Gibralter, ---VMG, Barry White moments and of course 'pants on rails' !!!!
All our love
Tina and Tony x x x x