Ceuta 35 53.410N 5 18.807W
Persephone... Cruiser/Racer
Nigel & Karen Goodhew...
Thu 12 Dec 2019 16:13
It was a lovely sail, we even had a few short minutes with the spinnaker up before the wind headed us as we crossed the busy shipping lanes. Then the waves got up a bit towards the south, which introduced the spectre of mal de mer amongst the crew!
But it was ghostly still in the shelter of Marina Hercules in Ceuta....apparently he has some pillars near here?
Ceuta is a Spanish enclave in Morocco, yes, Morocco! That’s in Africa, right? So, yes, technically we have been to Africa before, since the Canary Islands are situated on the African continental plate, but this was our first visit to the African mainland....which must be a thing....intercontinental sailing, even though it was a trip of just under 3 hours.
The City of Ceuta, an autonomous city state, is as defiantly Spanish as Gibraltar is British. It used to be a Free Port in the days before the EU and it still poses as a shopping destination, if not Mecca. it is also a place where radically different cultures mix, with thousands of Morroccan workers transiting the single border crossing each day for work. Very interesting place to visit, with virtually intact city wall defences dating back to the first millennium.
The old part of the city is fascinating too, affording more than a glimpse into the way the locals standard of housing / living has dramatically improved in the recent decades.
But on a mundane level, nowhere to change a camping gaz bottle, for all its eclectic charm!
I think we walked every metre of the City during our short stay, sailing back to Gib on Tuesday, before a big blow comes in from the west. It is approaching midwinter, after all.
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