Our one night in the Columbretes anchorage was a complete contrast to the night we spent there on a buoy in 2009.  Instead of being the only boat in the anchorage, spending the whole night being pitched around by the swell, this time we were accompanied by at least 9 other vessels and in complete calm.  I must say a very delightful evening was spent, but nevertheless we still had a relatively early start for the 65 mile hop over to Ibiza.

The small islands of The Columbretes

Arriving into a nice calm anchorage..

The beautiful sunset!

As we had only spent a couple of weeks in Ibiza in 2009, we decided to explore some new ground.  The first being San Antonio Bay, which provided a safe anchorage for the first few days.  After watching ‘scenes’ on the ‘telly’ about this place, I imagined we would be kept awake to the early hours with blaring music.  In fact it was quite to the contrary and the few drones we heard were of ‘professional’/karaoke singers went silent by midnight. The only signs we saw of the ‘nightclub revellers’ was on a nearby Superyacht, when about 8-10 teenagers were ferried ashore just before midnight and were duly returned just after 6.00am the following morning, not to be seen again until the afternoon!!

Enjoying a drink in Club Nautic, San Antonia, Ibiza

Couldn't resist taking this for obvious reasons.  It needs a suitable text bubble... any ideas?

As we are now in the ‘silly’ season, there is no way we are going into a marina, as we could be paying anything up to €300 per night!!   So bearing in mind we had booked buoys last year by contacting the ‘Life Project Posidonia’ managed by the Govern de les Illes Balears, I booked ahead in Sant Carles.  However, as we were swiftly motoring towards our first buoyed anchorage in Formentera, I checked the mooring details only to find out I had mistakenly booked Ses Salines, which is on the Ibiza mainland!  So after a quick discussion, we made the decision to about turn and head for Ses Salines – only an hour’s detour!  All these restricted anchorages have an official in a red rib managing affairs and after helping us to take our allotted buoy,  we then watched him pursue away any boat, that had either not booked, or attempted to anchor anywhere near the precious ‘Posidonia’ weed and any who had prolonged their stay, even by as much as an hour!

En route from San Antonio through the 200m wide passage between Isla Conejera and Isla Bosque over 3-4m rocky bar (rocky bottom as seen)

Ses Salines was basically a long beach with 3-4 exclusive bar/restaurants, playing loud music and where all the ‘beautiful people’ come and show off their bronzed bodies. We had an interesting day, walking up and down the beach ‘ people watching’ and also got ‘stung’ nearly €10 for 2 cups of ‘cafe con leche’- albeit large ones!!   

Ses Salines achorage - South Ibiza

It's abit rocky around here!!

Nimue - she looks tiny against that big thing!!

A couple of nights and then on the move to the correct anchorage in La Sabina, Formentera.  With my ‘perfected’ Spanish and a nice smile, the young official led us to a buoy for 1 night and then we moved to anchor nearer Sabina town the next day.

More on our adventures in Formentera in the next instalment.......