3rd September 2008

1st September 2008
Well we did leave Cala Grassio on Friday (22nd) and went straight to Moriara the wind and sea were from the port quarter with the wind too light to give a reasonable sail and the swell too big to be comfortable – so we motor-sailed the whole way. Cala Grassio turned out to be a bonus, we had moved there on the Thursday from San Antoni because the wind had changed direction again – Grassio is just a wee bit north of SA (about 2 miles). The anchorage was in good sand (but rolled a little from the wash off the passing ferries), we didn’t like the music being broadcast by one of the local bars during the day but it changed to something more mellow for the evening and was finished by midnight. The blog (last entry) had been prepared earlier and only had to be up-loaded to the internet – so while Carolyn went for her shower to the club nautico I went to a local bar near the boat to have a beer and do the blog. The shame was they were just closing but I finished up-loading the blog and said that I would have a second small beer outside while waiting for my wife and watch our boat. So that started a conversation with ‘Angel’ who was serving, about our route and travels which I could show him on the computer, one of the local ‘worthies’ was also very interested; when Carolyn turned up she had a small glass of wine just as the owner / manager arrived to lock-up. Introductions were made all round but then it was time to go and I asked how much I owed him – ‘no charge, Sir!’ and when I protested he said that he was so impressed with what we were doing on the small boat he could see in the bay – and all the way from Scotland – there was no charge. Well ! – fantastic.. first time ever – free wifi, free beer and free wine.. I suppose it also made a nice change to them from all the serious ‘party’ holiday-makers that are his normal clientele.

In the morning when we left the skies opened up just as we were hauling anchor and gave a spectacular downpour with thunder and lightening (was Ibiza crying or is that a song???). The youngsters sleeping on the beach got a rude awakening at 7am. When we got to Moriara the marina was very full and the bay also but mainly ‘day-boats’ in the bay so we anchored amongst them and moved a couple of times when space and better position allowed. We knew we needed diesel and that the weather was swinging around to come into the bay (the holding was also a bit patchy) so we only stayed the one night and sailed to Calpe (next day) but as it was Sunday the fuel station was shut ( we radioed them); so we continued the sail to Altea and topped up with fuel there. We found a mooring for the Sunday night in a bay nearby (Cala Abrir – rolly with swell) and then moved onto Santa Pola for our treat of 3 days in the marina. The new marina at Santa Pola is Marina Miramar and is fantastic – we stayed there in March on the way to the Balearics and have recommended it to a few friends; the office staff and the marineros are the best we have ever met and although the prices are a little on the high side for our size of boat (because the minimum charge is for an 11 metre boat) the facilities are excellent. We met Charlie and Alison (Breagh) again while in S Pola and enjoyed another great night of their company (although I did have a bit of a laugh at Alison’s expense… she normally goes to her bed relatively early – and when asking the time during the evening I would show her my watch …. – Oh! Only 9 o’clock – that’s OK! However , no-one said that my watch is set to UTC (or GMT) which is 2 hours behind local time…. No wonder she was so tired when she decided it was time-to-go at 23:40 on my watch…). Sorry, Alison !!
We also met another Scottish couple from near Stonehaven ( Colin & Maggie) – so it was a bit of a co-incidence that we had, in the past, both kept our boats at Rhu at the same time; and also that because I stayed in the areas around Stonehaven & Skite we could talk about things and people from that area.

Our 3 nights in harbour were very warm because we did not have the benefit of a sea-breeze and also was busy with promenaders walking up and down the jetty where we were tied up, which was not all bad because we did receive a lot of compliments on the good ship Balchis. Then we had a (cooler) night at anchor in the bay which is good holding and settled if the weather is from the right direction; back into the marina for 1 more night then sail down to Torrevieja. So – now it’s Saturday the 30th and have a good anchor inside the harbour near Bob & Di (Sheer Fantasy) but the local police turn up on Sunday morning and tell everyone that is anchored that they must move on because you can only anchor in the harbour if the weather is very bad outside. At least I think that’s what they said – all in Spanish , of course! So I say – ‘Nae bother, yo voy a Mar Menor, pronto’; and here we are in the Mar Menor. We anchored outside in the bay just to the north of the port of Tomas Maestre last night but the wind turned to the north during the early hours of the morning ( not forecast – and left the anchorage open) so we were up at 6am and moved round the point to come into Mar Menor on the first bridge opening at 8am.
1st of September now – and as they say in Blairgowrie ( and probably a few other places) ‘Aye - the nights are fair drawin’ in !’ We are definitely on our way back now and have time in hand so as not to be rushing along the coast if we don’t need to – we will shelter from the weather and enjoy the places we visit.