Menorca

We left Bonaire Marina for what appeared an attractive anchorage just inside Baia Pollensa – Cala Pinar. 

The log reads:  “Thunder, lightning, rain, nuisance swell at anchor”.  By the following day we were dragging, scratchy from lack of sleep and further  irritated by  leaks round hatches and binnacle [after a long, hot, dry summer] and returned to anchor just outside Bonaire for a second rainy night.

But on the 27^th, the clouds blew away

  

& we headed for Menorca – about 28 miles to Cala Son Saura, a few miles SE of Ciudadella.  A most attractive, wide Cala off a sandy beach,  not a house in sight – and those who did come to the beach had to park about a kilometre away.  Much flatter than Mallorca, the whole feel of its close neighbour was completely different.

We were running a bit low on fruit & veg, and the skipper proposed that I should be rowed ashore, with  bike, to find the road shown on the chart, leading to a village where there were “supplies” – Porto Tamarind – about 4 km to the West.   Despite continuously looking to my left as I pedalled along the stony track, no such road appeared, so eventually I carried on [after a moment’s excitement when I spotted an awning over a table by a van, at a road junction– would this be a smiling, mahogany-faced farmer’s wife with wonderful home grown produce  - perhaps even honey -  on sale?  No, it was the trappings of a car park attendant – complete with LED signs announcing which beach car parks were full.  Extraordinary.]  to Ciudadella – 12 km – where the necessary supplies were obtained and a welcome tortilla & orange juice acquired in a shady square before heading back.  The road to Porto Tamarind must only exist from Ciudadella.    I was surprised to see several herds of healthy looking dairy cattle – the land was exceptionally stony & didn’t look capable of producing the necessary feed – but we learned later that Menorcan milk and cheese are excellent & they are justly proud of them.  So a rather longer trip than anticipated on a very hot day, but an interesting one!

After a couple of nights in Son Saura, we had a fine reach up the coast towards Mahon, finding ourselves amidst the end of a classic yacht race.    There was a brisk breeze by then, and seeing these beautiful ladies flying along under full sail was a privilege which brought a lump to my throat [and, I suspect, the skipper’s]. ……Mahon Harbour

………
…. After crossing the finishing line they all sailed into Mahon Harbour

while we went to anchor in Cala Taulera – a perfect anchorage to the East of Isla Lazaretto [where the poor victims of cholera and yellow fever used to be incarcerated] in the harbour, surrounded by tremendous fortifications. …………

 

This haven is actually now “forbidden” which is outrageous.

It is not off a bathing beach, does not have a posidonia bed [sea grass which is viewed as a precious marine environment where former anchorages are now buoyed – and you pay!]  is not in a shipping lane [being some 5m deep!], and has a clearly marked  channel down one side for small vessels.  However, reports on the Cruising Association forum and advice from Bruce & Becky on Plane Song revealed that we were unlikely to be turfed out at a weekend and, although a single port official came by, this proved to be the case.

The skipper, indifferent to the fact that he is about to be 70, dived on the hull [he has his full set and a compressor on board] and cleaned it – not quite weed, but certainly a great deal of slime.  I’m sure Stravaigin is now going faster!  He slept exceptionally well that night.

On Monday the official returned with his boss and, still unfailingly courteous, admitted that it was purely because the Marinas needed the business.   We had to pay a €7.20 “Anchor Tax”  [new one on us!] but he kindly let us know [the boss didn’t speak English…..] that as long as we were gone by 0800 on Tuesday, no-one would be any the wiser, as they had work in another part of the harbour for the rest of the day.

Embarrassed to report that the skipper and mate of another UK boat were very rude to him, both shouting abuse for some time.  They were liveaboards, just back from Sardinia [but with the benefit of two nights’ sleep], so really should have known better.  We saw the official later in the week, and Mike apologised behalf of the British – he smiled sweetly and said “Oh, well, not everyone can be polite”

So we weighed around 0730 and were just heading towards the channel when a French skipper whistled us up – he had managed to put himself “a little” aground & just needed a gentle tow for 2 metres.  He was lucky – there wasn’t another soul about!  He did tell us that the channel round the back of Lazaretto was only 2.3m which is exactly our draught!  So we went the long way round into Mahon harbour proper.

It now being September, when the islands empty of holiday makers like water down a drain, the prices in Marina Mahon were not actually too bad [and they weren’t worried that we arrived shortly after 0800…] – we even negotiated a discount for the third night!  And we had some extremely classy neighbours…

…  It is a fascinating port, well worth a visit, not only for the extraordinary natural harbour, but for the Moor-influenced historic centre and we were quite happy to do the normal maintenance and then explore whilst waiting for Simon to join us.

We even cycled out to Lidl to stock up on Mueseli & chocolate!  The main market was a bit of a let-down, the prices aimed at tourists and the stock disappointing, but the fish market was good.  I discovered a good fruiteria not far from the marina whose prices were much better!