12th September 2008

12th September 2008
The first night we were in the Mar Menor we anchored in the north end near Lo Pagan, the wind was coming from the beach and Carolyn wondered what the smell was – it was from the mud baths that people were going to (and plastering themselves with the smelly goo) for therapeutic treatment…. We anchored early in the day and had plenty time to wander ashore – local map of the area showed that there was a campsite at the south end of the inland sea and as the wind was changing to the south we sailed there the next day (Tuesday 2nd). On the way we had our own private display very close to the boat from the Spanish equivalent of the Red Arrows who were practising for the Murcia show – it was quite good and we managed to get some good video and a couple of pictures. Anchoring at the campsite near Playa Honda was a good idea because it had laundry, showers, a beach café were we landed, and a supermarket at the other end of the camp (about a kilometre walk – big campsite). There are buses to the local towns and Cartagena (12Km) and a cash machine and an internet room (pay) on site; the people we met were very helpful and there was no problem using the campsite facilities. A lot of people claim that the holding for the anchor is not very good in the Mar Menor but we survived a 40+knot blow – OK we had 40 metre of chain out in only 3 metre water but we had plenty swinging room; the bottom was muddy / clay / sand with weed. The strong winds lifted the dust and soil off the land and covered (one side of) the ropes and the whole boat with a thick coating of fine reddish dust. Another problem while we were there was that the trees were being sprayed with fertiliser; they waited until the Spanish holidays had finished then made the most awful smell with the (chicken or pig?) manure – which had the added bonus of bringing swarms of flies – horrible…

Jade (Norman & Pat) had been coming out of the Mar Menor as we were going in and we passed each other in the canal – and we have now met up with them again in Yacht Port Cartagena, where we have been since Sunday 7th. The YPC used to be the super-yacht harbour and is next door to the marina we stayed in on the way out. We cleaned off the remaining dirt from Mar Menor but then the next day had massive winds overnight from the north which gave the boat and ropes another coating of fine red dust worse than before (will put up some pictures on next upload) – so had to wash the whole boat down again. Cartagena ( as with most of the places that we have seen on the way to the Balearics) appears very different from when we first visited earlier in the year. The theme of the next fiestas is Romans & Carthaginians but they don’t start until the end of next week, sadly, we will miss them. I think it is similar to the Moors & Christians and looks good in the brochures (maybe next time…)..

The water supplied to the jetty is good here (not so good in Santa Pola) so we have emptied out the remaining water and topped up with fresh, checked the fuel remaining and started roughing out a plan for the journey back to Gibraltar so that we have an idea of anchoring opportunities and harbours to suit weather conditions. We will be leaving here tomorrow and next harbours will be Almerimar and Caleta de Velez (besides some anchorages).