Torrevieja
Minka of Southampton - Cruising Log
Edmund Wigan
Wed 19 Oct 2011 18:38
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Position update - 37:58.259N 0:40.852W
Torrievieja Salinas Marina
The wind was kind to me today and we sailed to
Thomas Maestre which is the entrance to the Mar Menor. I planned to go in there
and check out prices for winter berthing. I went up the canal and waited for the
bridge to open at the designated time but no movement. For a moment I thought I
was back in Russia! I tried calling the Control Tower up but they didn't reply
so after half an hour I decided to carry on up to Torrevieja as it was a
friendly wind for once. I have just had an email from my friend Manuel who says
he thinks there is a problem with the bridge and it is only opening twice a day
at the moment.
This marina insists you go onto their holding
pontoon whilst you go to the office and do all the paperwork. This is fine but
the pontoon is about a metre higher than Minka's deck and it was blocked by a
large clockwork tupperware box. Anyway the wind was blowing me on so I let that
do the work and didn't damage any egg sandwiches. The paperwork here is
incredible but no problem as the young women doing it are very easy on the
eye.
This place was certainly testing my skills as
firstly I had to get off the holding pontoon with 20kts blowing me on and trying
to avoid the plastic brick. I had to employ my magic technique which gave the
Marinero apoplexy as I got within three inches of the tick tock box before
getting off. He had the last laugh though as he put me onto a stern to mooring
with a strong crosswind and no downwind boat to lean
on.................
Tomorrow for the first time I will be treading
ground that I didn't cover last year so you might get some fuller
blogs.
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