18th June

17th June
We’ve been at anchor or on a mooring buoy for most of the time since the last up-date and it has been surprising how difficult it is to manage the use of power with limited means of replacing it. That is because we don’t run the engine to top up the batteries and rely on wind and solar – we do have a small petrol driven generator but using that also is kept to a minimum. Of course – coupled to that is the problem of internet connection and trying to get a steady (or strong) signal.

OK – the update since Alcudia – Wednesday 4th we left Alcudia to go to Soller after having spent a couple of days moored next to Seawalk. It was great to see them all again and they are all looking fit and well. The town is a little too touristy for us and there is a bigger problem with mosquitoes there due to the salt marshes nearby.
Soller (well - the port of Soller) is a well protected harbour with local government run berths (also has a Club Nautico) and we tend to use the government ones – because berthing for us (10 metre) for 2 nights (no water, no electricity) is just over 8 euro (low season) where-as in club nautico a 12 metre boat was being charged 48 euro for 1 night (low season)… The town of Soller is a short bus trip from the port (or you can use the tourist tram) and is well worth the visit. The town is a good example of the old traditional buildings of the region, although now mainly for tourism; the majority of people coming via Palma by the train which has a torturous path through the mountains and has old wooden carriages. We hope to get back to Soller to do the train trip (at least the dramatic part) and maybe go for a hike in the mountains. From Soller we sailed to San Telmo with strong winds from behind which were expected and lessened during the day but the swell was larger than we had expected; however it was good to get back to actually sailing. At San Telmo we used one of the moorings that have been provided by an organisation that are trying to protect the seabed grasses and the life that relies on that grass. Their funding is provided by the EU and they say it is to reduce the amount of anchoring and damage done by so many boats in the area; however it is only in selected areas that may be popular anchorages ( there are also other large areas that are not fit to be used as anchorages and have weed). That said – it is free for the time being, although they must be booked at least 3 days in advance, and the fish looked large and health and easy to catch…
San Telmo to Ibiza on Saturday 7th was a long haul because the anchorages that we looked at in the north east end of the island were all affected by swell so we went all the way to San Antoni in the south west. We arrived and anchored in a clear area near some other boats but had to take a chance on whether the anchor had hit a clear patch of sand, or would be prevented from digging-in by a patch of weed, due to the wind on the water and failing light. Anyway the anchor held good but in the morning the wind had strengthened and a few boats around us were starting to drag; it appeared that we were still holding well and not moving ( so I worried about maybe having snagged an old mooring chain on the bottom) but when it was time to bring the anchor up we had been well dug-in to a clean patch. We were quite far out and it was a bit roly from all the tour boats and ferries but we did get the chance to move onto a vacant mooring nearer the shore, on Thursday.
Since being in S Antoni we have finally met up with Bob (Chalky) & Di on ‘Sheer Fantasy’ - we had been told to look out for them by Bob & Nicky (Capalan) way back in La Rochelle. Their plans seem to be quite similar to ours so I expect that we will see a lot more of them in the future. We also met another Scottish couple - on Jade – Norman & Pat who have been travelling for several years.
Saturday 14th we went to Ibiza town with Jaap & Diana and had a delicious meal in the old town (thanks Jaap). The sights around the town are entertainment in themselves – who needs the telly !!. While in the town we also had a telephone call from Robert on Pegasus who had arrived in the evening so we had a beer with him & his crew before having to dash of for the bus back to S Antoni. Pegasus is making passage towards Lisbon and were going to make best use of the weather so left the next day to continue their journey – it’s a pity we didn’t have more time to have a good chat but I hope they have a good trip back home.
We have also had to source a new St Andrew’s Cross for the boat and I can only say ‘Thanks a million’ to Jane in Kilties Bar - if you get a chance go and see them in Kilties, please go and have a pint.