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.
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
cost 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.
The 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.
Follow Malua.
