Very few photos taken along the Costa
del Sol – no point in depressing everyone!!
Mike installing the SSB antenna – swinging off the insulated
backstay in La Linea
Harbour
A neat little seat made for the Beeb by the skipper – much more
comfortable, though it has a slight tendency to tip – to be used with care
after a good meal ashore!
The wind vane steering – installation now practically
finished. We requested a manual from
the new owner of Fleming Self Steering, as ours, handed out by the previous
man, was more in the way of a draft with a few sketches. Delighted to report that Phil George, an
Australian, began his manual with a tribute to Blondie Hasler.
The Breeze Bandit – what a great and simple bit of kit. Unlike traditional wind scoops, this has four
separate channels for the breeze, so even it you aren’t head into wind – which
you have to be for other scoops to work – it picks up whatever is coming. It's an American product which a kind friend ordered and sent over as they are a ridiculous price in Europe. Now loved and appreciated [the Breeze Bandit – though Bryan is as well] as are our mosquito
screens. Although well out in La Linea , I resembled a
chicken pox patient for a few days!
Our renewables are just about keeping pace with the demands
of fridge and freezer – plus top ups from the days – too many recently – of
motoring.
Other jobs done more frequently in the heat – inlet
strainers. Each time they are checked a
new form of marine life seems to have worked its way in – yesterday, it was a
sort of transparent gel – rather like sea squirt spat – nearly coating all the
surfaces, plus greeny-yellow scum.
Absolutely vital to keep these clean, for the running of the engine,
fridge, freezer and generator.
Our deck mounted shower is really coming into its own now
that we’re swimming most days [complete with one of those flannels that fit
over your hand to clean the water line]
The side screen by the cockpit awning – which we move as the day
progresses– is an absolute boon – just a simple shaped sheet with lanyards, but
it makes a huge difference.
As we head towards the top of the high season, we will be
going into marinas even less frequently [quoted €78 for one night which, the
manager proudly added, includes electricity and water….. well, it won’t because we won’t be going in
there!] so the big Avon will be out more for shopping
trips ashore, etc.. I’ve made slings to lift it out of the water
at night – for security and to keep the weed down. We’ll tow it on day hops in the Balearics.
A long day without much sailing took us from Herradura to Almerimar marina,
past huge areas of white plastic where, says our pilot, “most of Northern Europe ’s winter vegetables are grown”. The plastic is mentioned as a genuine marine
hazard, if a sheet breaks free.
Almerimar proved much more attractive than anticipated for a
purpose- built marina village.
Efficient, welcoming and very decent facilities. We were directed to a mooring which turned
out to be right besides JA NA – a German boat who had been at Tagus Yacht
Center
Stravaigin and all who sail in her – and their towels &
sheets – were thoroughly washed.
We stayed a couple of nights and had intended just to go
round to anchor in the next bay, as we didn’t leave till about 1600, but a good breeze appeared, so we decided to keep
going. We rounded the Cabo de Gata at
2330 and had a steady [well, OK, quite slow on occasion…] sail through the
night until the wind finally died around 0730 – so three or so hours of
motoring before it obligingly got up again, and had a brisker sail to
Cabo Tinoso, 8 miles West of Cartagena.
Quite a quartering sea had built up from the SE by then, requiring attentive helming . We turned into Baia Saltirona, which got us out of the worst of it.
Two other yachts at anchor, one of whom
shone a torch at us – were we about to tangle in a fishing net? No, it was PLANE SONG, Bruce & Becky
flashing us a welcome! We agreed that
Saltirona was like Ardnamurchan without the heather – dramatic skyline all
round, with a row of forts [OK, not quite like Argyll] leading to the
lighthouse. That’s one photo I should
have taken
Apparently Drake raided Cartagena
and took a whole bunch of their cannons back to the West
Indies with him………..
It was rather a rolly anchorage, but we stayed a couple of
nights, setting off on the 29th to see how far we would get. Happily the NE winds didn’t materialise and
we had good fun, round the Cabo de Palos,
past the Mar Menor – a 12 x 6 mile inland sea which you can go into , but there
were solid high-rises the whole way along the Eastern edge of it, and didn't appeal. Anchored in Torrevieja around 2130.
Whilst bowling along at 6 knots rounding Cabo de Palos, the skipper decided to have a look at the RNSA burgee – and was on the phone to the club 5 minutes later. A new one has already arrived with the Mayos
who are joining us in the Balearics – just as well, feel we could be struck off
for this one!
That's not the cabin sole which is making it look grey....................
We spent a blissful
night in the inner harbour, sleeping like logs with no swell, but were chased
out in the morning – they’ve decided to ban anchoring there – no seamanship
reasons we can see – more a commercial decision with two marinas competing for
custom??
Luckily, in a NE wind, there’s still good shelter outside
the harbour, although not without swell.
We are giving ourselves one night in the Marina
das Salinas here
(the manager rejoices in the name of
Rodney Chinchilla). Once again,
friendly, polite, welcoming staff. A
pretty narrow berth, but we are getting more practised at bows to mooring and
the marinieros have so far been ashore to help with lines etc.
Dad would turn in his grave to learn I am typing with our little washing machine going, but it’s great! Very efficient, and saves an awful lot of lugging large bags of wet sheets & towels back from launderettes, and as most marinas include water & power, cheaper anyway. And drying things is NOT an issue!
Meantime, Mike is happily on deck busily deploying the hose and scrubbing brush. We’ve discovered there’s a Lidl here, so can
top up on chocolate & mueseli, and there’s a produce market and supermarket
close at hand. So the bike has been
landed! The produce markets are always
good, but I do think wistfully of you Tesco-on-line customers as I wobble back
with panniers full of the heavy stuff. I
spotted an enviable little bike trailer being ridden happily along a pontoon
the other day – fear space forbids.
However, it does give one a
feeling of having hunted and gathered.
We’ve got 60 – 80 miles more on this coast, depending on
where we decide to cross, either to Ibiza or
Formentera. Not much variety in the
wind for a week – NE in the morning, SE in the afternoon, seldom more than
force 4. There seem to be better anchoring
opportunities than there have been along this stretch, but we are looking
forward to the heavily indented coastlines of the Balearics.
