Fw: mar menor
Off again
Mark+Barbara
Thu 19 Jun 2008 10:33
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----- Original Message -----
From: rafiki
To: Web Diary
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:03 AM
Subject: mar menor 037:41.846N 000:48.135W
Uneventful sail up from Cartegena arrived to
transit the entrance to Mar Menor via Thomas Maestro lifting bridge.Yet
again let down by the pilot book as info regarding lifting bridge opening
times not correct and one has to wait until the scheduled times of opening not
as we were led to believe opening on request.Waited in very shallow water for
about 2 hrs when at last 6pm came and the bridge was opened.One has to be quite
careful as depths were as little as 1.5m.Decided to tuck ourselves away for the
night just North of the entrance.Anchored in 3m sand, sea very warm and one
can apparently swim all year round as the temperature of the sea quite
constant.Mar Menor Sea is very popular with the local Spanish people and
they flock here to bathe in the 'healing powers of the water'!Apparently it is
rich in minerals a bit like the Dead Sea.
The next morning we decided to sail further in and
anchor in the bay of Isla Perdiguera lovely spot, island inhabited
by seagulls but one is allowed to land on the island and roam.
Lily joined us in the dinghy to explore the island,
she wasn't too sure what to make of the seagulls who were making a hell of
a racket.We met some other sailors who have been here for 3 years and they had
bred a couple of seagulls from the egg stage and had then as pets on board their
yacht.How novel is that, but I would hate to have the job of cleaning
their deck!
Having a really relaxing time swimming, reading and
rowing ashore to have a walkabout, very pleasant.
The weekends get a bit mad here as it seems the
whole population of Mar Minor come to weekend on the island and boats are full
to overflowing with passengers with not a lifebelt in site!! After the weekend
it is back to peace and tranquillity.This is a good place to safely practice any
sailing techniques.We have had a couple of windy nights and quite a swell can
set in, We are being quite vigilant with our anchor watches as we have noticed
quite a few craft drifting.The depths here do not get much deeper than 7m and
the majority is around 3m in sand and weed.
Mark is not able to get much fishing practice. as
there does not seem to be much marine life here,perhaps the waters are too warm
and iodised.Spotted a number of jellyfish so we are cautious when we
swim.
We will spend the next couple of weeks cruising
around this area and trying out the cruising chute!!
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