2012 - Spain and Balearic


Malua is at 43:23.25N 04:50.24E in the Gulf de fos sur Mer


The start of a summer cruise is one of those sails you will remember for a long time.  With the wind abaft of the beam at 15 knots, the seas flat and the moon full we pointed the bow south west and started a year long cruise westwards to America.  Malua had finally left Port St Louis on the start of its trip across the Atlantic. Veronic  It is a REAL yacht again, a full set of sails, all the lines and halyards and a mast that hold all these up.  What a delight to feel the rise of the swell under the keel and the wind in your hair with the salt spray in your face.
We – I now have a crew, a French lady who has some sailing experience. She joined Malua for a month while we sail down the Spanish coast.  She should fit in well and may be a great help in all things sailing and domestic.  A second crew will join in Gibraltar.

We anchored in the bay not far from Port St Louis to get use to the boat and to settle down.  We set off at 3:00 am with a full moon and a flat sea.  The wind came up with the sun.  It was a great start and we arrived at Port de la Selva just before sunset after a dream crossing of the bay to the French Spanish boarder. 
The sail had its moments when a fender came adrift so I chose to practice the man-over-board routine and recover it.  All the right procedures were followed as we pressed the MOB button, furled the genoa, started the engine and turned back on our track.  The white fender was nowhere to be seen but with the MOB on the plotter indicating the course, and distance we knew we where in the area.  We then applied some wind drift and started a circle downwind, when the fender came into view. Motor down wind and pull it aboard.  Good practice.
We could see the Pyrenees in the distance and finally the coast appeared as the wind dropped off in the evening.  We anchored at Port de la Selva. The bay is large with a number of boat anchored and a small town based on a lively tourist industry supplemented with a small big boat fishing harbour.  This is a wonderful cruising ground around the nature reserve of Cap de Creus if the wind does not blow. and is sufficiently out of the way to be attractive although some of the developments could have been designed better.
Malua is now in the Golf de Ravener further down the coast along with a number of day trippers and a few cruising yachts to keep us company at night. We took a walk up on the mountain and returned for Veronic to cook dinner of steamed chicken - the first indication of how different our tastes would be.

Malua is at 42:18.34N 03:17.43E at Playa Guillola

My water wheels finally said enough.  Your dinghy is your family car when you are on a cruising yacht. Without them you cant even go ashore except swim so the outboard is an integral piece of successful cruising.  Without it you are stuck. The Yamaha 8 HP outboard purchased in New Zealand decided to stop, never to go again, just when it was needed most.  Malua is now in the Costa Brava of Spain which is rocky with few places to stay but all requiring a dingy to get to shore.  A day or two ago I had to swim to get us back to the boat so yesterday we went to Cadaques, rented a mooring and took the water taxi to shores to acquire a new outboard.  The Information Centre’s map indicated a marine chandler so off we walked to find it.
There right in the front of the shop was a selection of small outboards.  The lady assistant, in her best Spanish tried to tell be the advantages of one over the other but there is only one outboard for me – Yamaha.  I had looked at purchasing a similar one before in Greece but the time was not right then but now there was no option.  Hand over the plastic, enter the PIN and I am the owner of a brand new 2.5 HP fourstroke outboard. Up on my shoulder and back to the water taxi and we are mobile again – with less chance someone would steal the outboard.
Cruised down the coast but not many places to stay.  The wind had come up so headed for a marina and internet access.

Malua is at 41:50.54N 03:07.59E at Palamos


Stopped at the marina in Palamos to get out of the wind and rock and rolly sea.  Crew would not speak Spanish to harbour master as we came in.  Something going on- can she speak the language as she said she can? Spend one day in marina at Euro 75 per night with very poor internet.  Frustrated by French Customs and inability to communicate with them.
Crew not cooperating and off on her own thing.  We left marina and went to Cala Fasca.  The swell came up and it was a very rock and roll night.  French crew again tried to stay in cockpit but the movement and mozzies got her.  She refused to help bring up the anchor and to make a call on my phone to the French Customs.  That was the last straw I resolved to dump her then and there either take her back to Port St Louis or at the Palamos.  She got upset at the thought of returning to France - she wanted a free ride south so dropped her on the dock at Palamos.  Not a sight her fans would like to see. She left her camera on board so I will have to get that back to her, may be fun..... post via French Post!
Alone on the boat. A great feeling. Now to sail south with no good places to stop between here and Barcelona.  Stopped at A de Mortjoi and P de Blana and then to Barcelona.

Malua is at 41:23.22N 02:12.04E  Port Olympic Barcelona


Great marina at a reasonable price and easy to get into the city.  Have dined out two nights in a row.  The Restaurant on Malua is still the best in town although the tapas in some bars are great. Plenty of room with only self on board.
What a great city Barcelona is,  I understand it changed after holding a large exhibition of the Americas in 1888 and in 1929 and then of course there is the Olympics in 1992.  It changed the outlook of the city from the interior towards the water with great development around the water.  The Olympic harbour has become a lower Barcelona Olympic marinacost Marina close enough to the city to make it the cruisers first choice of where to stay.
The city is made for bicycles and people.  I don't know about cars but one can ride all over the place either in special bike lanes with their own traffic signals or on designated paths or even on the sidewalk which have road crossing up and down ramps.  What a great joy to ride except over the last few days it has been HOT and I mean HOT with not a breath of wind so riding has been confined to early mornings or later in the afternoon.
I visited Antonio Gaudi Sagrada Familia and went inside to look at the columns.  They are just like a forest reaching up into the top of a wonderful canopy.  The most dramatic church I have visited.  The choir stalls will hold 1000 choristers - now that must be a sound.  Only one organ at the moment but planned to have four. The two finished sides of the outside are interesting - the one old world the other new world style sculptures.  The third has not been started and is just concrete and reinforcing rods.
Two more days before I set sail south to ports unknown
Watchmate problem solved and now on its way to Sydney.  The issue is grounding the GPS antenna which is a known issue but not communicated to me the installer burnt the component in the unit.  The designer has been very helpful with almost instant email.  Now to see what the cost will be.
Toured Barcelona on the bike but it got too hot so took a tourist open top bus.  Commentary is very good but very slow.

Malua is  40:48.9N 00:44.3E  at Puerto del Fangar


The day started early with the tasks to leave a marina, fill the tanks with water, collect bread and disconnect the electricity.  Today I also had to return the electrical plug and access key.  The plug was a French special which is only supplied by the marina for a euro 70 deposit so returning it is an essential part of leaving.
I called in at the fuel dock and with one word handed over the belongings of the former French crew.  Not a work of thanks spoken.  Hopefully the end of that chapter in the French crew story.
Off out the marina past the huge dock of Barcelona and south down the coast.  The wind did not come up as expected and 13 long hour later and 89 nautical miles I dropped anchor outside the delta of the Rio Ebro as the clock struck four bells – mid-night.
Another long day tomorrow towards Valencia and then across to the Balearic.

Malua is at 39:53,75N 00:41,18E at Isle Columbretes


Yesterday I set out from Barcelona on passage to Ibiza.  It is some distance and as usual on these occasions in the Mediterranean there is either no wind or the wind in on the nose.  I pointed Malua’s bow south along the coast heading for the delta of the Rio Ebro which appeared to give me some respite from the consistent southerly swell over the shallow waters of the delta.  I left this anchorage early the following morning and headed out again right into the wind with a very choppy short sea.  Not much progress into the swell and little wind but as the afternoon progresses the wind filled in and I started to sail.  12 then 14 knots of wind on the nose.  I chose an angle into the wind in the direction of my destination Ibiza but expected to have a long all night passage.
As the sun started to sink into the west I noticed a black dot on the horizon and zoomed in on the chart plotter.  There right in front of me was an island.  The cruising guide indicated that it was a marine reserve and the remains of an extinct volcano.  ColumbretesThe centre is deep, deep but the authorities have laid some mooring buoys that one can pick up.  So with the light fading Malua entered the circle of rocks which is the extinct volcano of Isla Columbretes.  Much to my surprise it is much larger that the chart indicated.  There where a number of mooring buoys to which a few yachts and fishing vessels where attached.  I chose one and make myself fast.  There are four island all of which are nature reserves.  You are not allowed to go to many of them.  I took a quick swim to inspect the condition of the mooring and found that I was very close to a submerged rock so I had to pick up a new mooring.  Back on board and safe I cooked myself a well earned steak and have a sip of some good French wine.  Off to sleep to the gentle rock of the swell in the anchorage.  Much better than a long night at the helm.
Tomorrow it is the cruising grounds of Ibiza - the party island.

Malua is at 39:06,67N  01:30,79E at Cala Portinatx


After a long slow beat into the wind Malua covered the 66 nm miles from Isla Columbretes to the northern coast of Ibiza and I dropped anchor in the wide bay of Cala Portinatx along with a number of other yachts and stink boats.  It was good to get back into the cruising frame of mind.  How close are you to me and into the calas and coves of the Balearic.
Malua handled the crossing from mainland Spain to the Balearic in the true style of a cruising yacht – with easy.

Malua is currently at 38:52,07N 01:18,09 at Cala Port Roig


The wind rose in a few minutes as it always does in the middle of the night and I found myself close to a lee shore.  I was sure the anchor was well dug in to but I lay listening to the wind in the rigging.  Just to be sure I got up and to my surprise the 54ft Halberg Rassy which was anchored next to me was right on the rocks.  The family was from Panama and we had spend a few minutes discussing the cruising in his country the previous day.  Their lights came on and a torch was shone on the ever closing rocks.  Before I knew it there was a bang and then the master fired up his engine and steamed away from the shore, dragging his anchor as he moved forward.  On the bow was his son of not more than 12 years – handling the situation well.  They came away from the rocks but the over large catamaran that – of course anchored after dark was now bearing down of the same lee shore.  It was time for Malua to start up her engines just in case we had to move at a moments notice.  I must say the cat master skilfully manoeuvred his craft away from the rocks and re-anchored all in one move.  The Halberg Rassy on the other hand circled the anchorage not making his mind up as there where he would try to re-anchor.  After a long time he chose a spot on my port side a good distance off.  Down went the anchor and it held.  I could now  switch off the engine and return to bed.
After the sun was will up I decided I needed to get out of this anchorages and find another place for the following night.  Up anchor and up sail and off we went down wind along the northern coast of Ibiza.
It was a great sail until I had to turn the corner and sail up wind along the eastern coast.  There are a number off lying island which had to be negotiated.  One passage had only 10 meters of water and as the cruising guide said the wind funnels between the mainland and the island and the sea can get quite rough.  Yes in excess of 27 knits of wind and a very choppy sea.  Malua struggled onto the choppy sea but after about 2 hour popped out the other side into the open sea.  Now to find a sheltered anchorage for the afternoon and evening.
Malua is now in a Cala Port Roig along with more than 20 other vessels but there is no rock and roll and I will sleep well again tonight.

Malua at 38:46.783N 01:25.49E in the bay of Isla Espalmador


Malua is at 38:45.56N 01:25.91E in P Sabina


Ibiza is the party island of the Balearic but the island of Formentera is where the party actually takes place - all day long.
The setting is just beautiful. The bay Malua is currently anchored in has turquoise water with white, white sand with just a touch of weed. On the beach which stretches for miles are the sun worshipers from all over the world. Not just along the water line but six or seven deep - on sun bed or just lying on the sand.
The island has this long peninsula with a gentle breeze blowing on the one shore. Thus if you want the wind and a few ripples you sit on the windward side but as the majority do, just like to bake in the sun the place to be is down wind. Out in the bay the party catamarans are loaded with 100 or more young people moving to the thump thump of the beat. The cat noses on to the beach and they all race on to the beach to swim in the crystal clear water. Not all are the centrefold types, some particularly with the Northern English or German accent are fat and pink - their first week of holiday.
The party continues on the super yachts anchored out in the bay. The large yacht (I shouldn't call them that rather floating gin palaces) thumps to the beat of Turkish music with a hoard of young things moving to some mysterious beat of their own. I am sure Daddy is watching that they don’t get into the swing of the topless mode.
As the sun sets the day tripper hop on their rented scooters and return to the dives of the city while the boats up anchor and speed away to some marina leaving the cruisers enough space to enjoy the cool of the evening as the wind drops.

Malua was at 37:54.306N 0:00.0W on 29/08/2012 at sea off Spain


The moon is full, the wind at 23 knots is aft of the beam and we are running down the coast of Spain to wards Gibraltar touching our hull speed of 8.4 knots.  What a great sail.
I was watching the GPS as is ticked down 0:00 East to 0:00 West so we crossed the Greenwich meridian and Malua is again in the Western Hemisphere.  Not since 2006 has Malua been in the western hemisphere but then we crossed the international date line at 180 – exactly the other side of the world.  We were sailing along the coast of Fiji when we moved from E to W on the GPS now we are back.
The next great crossing will be back into the Southern hemisphere.

Malua is at 37:35.761N 00:58.74W at Cartagena


The ocean and weather is so unpredictable which makes sailing challenging and rewarding.  Having posted the last blog when Malua crossed the Prime Meridian the weather started to change and change it did.  The wind rose from the pleasant 15 knots to 20 then 30 and finally at the height of the storm the gust where a lot more than 40 knots.  Malua was running before the wind with the genoa poled out and the full main.  Well first I put one reef in which is easily done.  Then as the wind increased I pulled the second reef in the main.  Now that is not so easy because one has to get the main off the stays so it means changing course more side on to the wind and of course the waves which had by this time build in to white cap rollers.  Denny is usually in charge of stowing all things down below and not having her on board I had not done the usual diligent job so turning side on to the waves to pull in the reef resulted on a few major bangs from down below as items rearranged themselves either in cupboards, bookshelves or just on counter tops landing on the floor.  My cupboard which I usually bolt flew open and deposited most of the items on the floor.  Remember to prepare Malua for the sea not just going to sea.
Having pulled in the second reef and furled the genoa Malua was still surfing down the waves at more than 7 knots.  But the moon was full and the wind aft of the beam, its warm so what more could one ask for.....  well a lot of thunder and lightening, rain is of course what came next.  So out with the wet weather gear.
I arrived at Cartagena at about 5:00 am and the wind is still blowing but the bay gives one protection from the sea so I slipped behind a high headland and dropped and stowed the sails and cleaned up down below.
With things ship shape I motored into the port just ahead of two tugs dragging a large ship into the entrance.  I arrived at the marina with not a sole in sight and the wind still blowing at 25 knots so I just nosed Malua into a dock and made her secure.  Now for a good sleep.


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