Well, here is a new development in the life of the blog. As we are continually out of wifi areas, there is a chance that there will be huge gaps in the posts. So daughter Kate has taken on the office of Chief Blog-Poster, putting the bits I send over the radio onto the blog. These will be short and no pictures, but I will add the additional fun stuff when we get to Malta where there is sure to be wifi.
We have reached Sciacca in southern Sicily, after a very lumpy 2-day crossing from Majorca to Cagliari in Sardinia, and an equally lumpy 3-day one from Cagliari to Sciacca. Sciacca is so tumbledown, old and non-tourist it is wonderful, but the weather is turning, so we will have to leave for Malta today. We will definitely come back in the spring. It is now really autumn, very windy at times, huge thunderstorms, and rain.
Breaking news. The moths escaped when we pulled out our foul weather gear for the first time since leaving the Irish Sea almost 7 months ago. And we can still get into them despite feasting on all the lovely meat, cheese and bread. And the lightweight duvets are out instead of just a sheet as it is now 15ºc overnight.
Friday 29 October 2010
Friday 15 October 2010
IBIZA 2
Having survived all the turmoil and adventure of the storm to end all storms, we decided to have a leisurely day and maybe go to anchor off later in the afternoon. So a stroll to the supermarket for gas and a few essentials from the deli, and back for lunch and a siesta before going across the bay in the water taxi. The side of the bay we are on is all hotels, and the shops and old town are on the other side where the ferries and cruise boats go . It is no hardship to get the water taxi as it comes in right by us. So off we went and had a lovely view of the castle and cathedral. The castle is one of 18 similar dotted around the Mediterranean and dates from mostly the 1500's although it was built on land that haad been occupied by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, Romans and Moors.
So having got this far we had to walk up to the top, which was some distance up winding cobbled streets. But it was worth every minute. The construction is immense, and how they did it without the cranes is amazing. It is full of spiral escape tunnels from the top to the bottom, and there are placards describing the formation of the bastions and defence works. The cathedral is at the very top, and wonderful. The view from the top is across the bay to where we are berthed to the left of the break water in the foreground, in front of the big white hotel.
So having had our excellent exercise it seemed appropriate to explore the shops on the lower levels, and Dave now sports his very own designer t-shirt to go with Alex's, and of course by now it was going to be far to late to go anchor, so a meal was on the cards. Our second meal out since we left Scotland. Not counting the take away fish and chips at Howth for our wedding anniversary. Dear Dave paid for his indulgence with the need for the Rennies later on.
We will be sad to say good by the Ian and Suzi and the kids, Nathan and Sara who we got to know here. The children were great, young Nathan is 4 and can't stop talking, and loves catching fish. Sara is just walking and wants to take off everywhere. Many thanks to them for the farewell brekkie!
Here are Ian, Suzi, Nathan and Sara with 2 eco warriors in the background.
So having got this far we had to walk up to the top, which was some distance up winding cobbled streets. But it was worth every minute. The construction is immense, and how they did it without the cranes is amazing. It is full of spiral escape tunnels from the top to the bottom, and there are placards describing the formation of the bastions and defence works. The cathedral is at the very top, and wonderful. The view from the top is across the bay to where we are berthed to the left of the break water in the foreground, in front of the big white hotel.
So having had our excellent exercise it seemed appropriate to explore the shops on the lower levels, and Dave now sports his very own designer t-shirt to go with Alex's, and of course by now it was going to be far to late to go anchor, so a meal was on the cards. Our second meal out since we left Scotland. Not counting the take away fish and chips at Howth for our wedding anniversary. Dear Dave paid for his indulgence with the need for the Rennies later on.
We will be sad to say good by the Ian and Suzi and the kids, Nathan and Sara who we got to know here. The children were great, young Nathan is 4 and can't stop talking, and loves catching fish. Sara is just walking and wants to take off everywhere. Many thanks to them for the farewell brekkie!
Here are Ian, Suzi, Nathan and Sara with 2 eco warriors in the background.
WE HAVE LEFT GIBRALTAR!
I know it bagan to seem impossible, but we have left Gibraltar, and because it is a long time since we were able to access wifi, we are now in Ibiza, so there will be lots to catch up on. But as usual, time is a bit short, so I will begin backwards as usual.
We came into Ibiza Harbour as an unscheduled stop, and have been here for 6 days now, held up for one reason or another. We had been having a stressfree existence for too many days I suppose, and I was getting to at last write a blog that had no traumas, but that was not to be. We have had a little sailing and a fair bit of motoring, so we decided the other day to make a halt to the proceedings and anchor up until the wind came back again - we were on our way to Mallorca at the time. So we put into this little bay, put the anchor down and then prepared to get the sails sorted before the next offing. But the pretty sail was not going to behave and come down - the halyard had chafed at the very top of the mast and would not run through the roller. Big swear words and a quick think. The anchorage was not suitable for the coming wind, and going up the mast there was not an option either. It was 5 pm, and just enough time to back track to Ibiza before the light went. So a quick coffee and Kit Kat and off we go. Get in just in time and are given a berth as the light went down. Tomorrow was another day, as it took 2 hours to sort the lines out and settle the boat and bed time called.
Next day we find that we are next to a boat load of what dave calls our "eco warriors" a group of Spaniards we met in Cadiz, who are going about doing some survey work in the Med. Very kindly one of the lads went up the mast for us - it takes me all day to winch Dave up, with risk of instant collapse form over work, but with a spritely lad not a problem. He was able to sort the problem out and pretty sail now has are-furbished halyard and is ready to fly again. The problem was a chafe by another halyard that had crossed it - we will be keeping an eagle eye out for this again I can tell you. So we then think we can be off, until I get the weather forecast and can't believe what is coming. By now we have befriended a family 2 boats down, and much discussion of the weather with them and the French next door, we realise we are in for a real pasting so best we stay. The night of the 12th the wind started to blow up, not too bad, and we had doubled the warps and hauled us tighter at the stern , so went to bed to sit it out. Not to be - by 11pm all hell was raging and everyone was up on deck. This placid little bay was a maelstrom, water coming in torrents from the sky like a Hammer horror film and the waves were whipped up and coming over the back of the boat. To make matters worse our front sail decided to go loose in the middle and cracked about like a mad thing. 2 of our friend lurched on board to help us get it sorted, despite hardly being able to see or stand on the deck. And it continued to blow, and not only blow consistently over 50 mph - it actually regularly gusted over 60 mph - but the wind changed direction right round the clock. No sleep for anyone till after 4 am - my birthday! - when it seemed to settle from one direction and steady at about 30 mph. So we all fell into bed fully dressed. Morning, and it was abating and one could hardly believe the madness of the night. We hope to be getting a video clip from our friend which I will post if it comes. So my birthday was spent sorting us out - we had bits of rope everywhere tying things down, and sorting out the sail, which was thankfully undamaged. In the marina around us some had not done so well and there were a number of shredded sails hanging forlornly from their rigging. We were chatting yesterday and the locals have never seen anything as bad in living memory. The reason was an intense low pressure system which was directly above us - chances of that are no very great at all. so all is now calm and we are getting ready to go anchor before we set off again.
Dave is in his usual hurry to be gone, so this is a shortie, but there will be lots more in a couple of days from Mallorca.
We are the white on with the rusty snot marks down the back end! Eco-warriors are on the right and our English friends next to them. French in the catamaran on our left.
We came into Ibiza Harbour as an unscheduled stop, and have been here for 6 days now, held up for one reason or another. We had been having a stressfree existence for too many days I suppose, and I was getting to at last write a blog that had no traumas, but that was not to be. We have had a little sailing and a fair bit of motoring, so we decided the other day to make a halt to the proceedings and anchor up until the wind came back again - we were on our way to Mallorca at the time. So we put into this little bay, put the anchor down and then prepared to get the sails sorted before the next offing. But the pretty sail was not going to behave and come down - the halyard had chafed at the very top of the mast and would not run through the roller. Big swear words and a quick think. The anchorage was not suitable for the coming wind, and going up the mast there was not an option either. It was 5 pm, and just enough time to back track to Ibiza before the light went. So a quick coffee and Kit Kat and off we go. Get in just in time and are given a berth as the light went down. Tomorrow was another day, as it took 2 hours to sort the lines out and settle the boat and bed time called.
Next day we find that we are next to a boat load of what dave calls our "eco warriors" a group of Spaniards we met in Cadiz, who are going about doing some survey work in the Med. Very kindly one of the lads went up the mast for us - it takes me all day to winch Dave up, with risk of instant collapse form over work, but with a spritely lad not a problem. He was able to sort the problem out and pretty sail now has are-furbished halyard and is ready to fly again. The problem was a chafe by another halyard that had crossed it - we will be keeping an eagle eye out for this again I can tell you. So we then think we can be off, until I get the weather forecast and can't believe what is coming. By now we have befriended a family 2 boats down, and much discussion of the weather with them and the French next door, we realise we are in for a real pasting so best we stay. The night of the 12th the wind started to blow up, not too bad, and we had doubled the warps and hauled us tighter at the stern , so went to bed to sit it out. Not to be - by 11pm all hell was raging and everyone was up on deck. This placid little bay was a maelstrom, water coming in torrents from the sky like a Hammer horror film and the waves were whipped up and coming over the back of the boat. To make matters worse our front sail decided to go loose in the middle and cracked about like a mad thing. 2 of our friend lurched on board to help us get it sorted, despite hardly being able to see or stand on the deck. And it continued to blow, and not only blow consistently over 50 mph - it actually regularly gusted over 60 mph - but the wind changed direction right round the clock. No sleep for anyone till after 4 am - my birthday! - when it seemed to settle from one direction and steady at about 30 mph. So we all fell into bed fully dressed. Morning, and it was abating and one could hardly believe the madness of the night. We hope to be getting a video clip from our friend which I will post if it comes. So my birthday was spent sorting us out - we had bits of rope everywhere tying things down, and sorting out the sail, which was thankfully undamaged. In the marina around us some had not done so well and there were a number of shredded sails hanging forlornly from their rigging. We were chatting yesterday and the locals have never seen anything as bad in living memory. The reason was an intense low pressure system which was directly above us - chances of that are no very great at all. so all is now calm and we are getting ready to go anchor before we set off again.
Dave is in his usual hurry to be gone, so this is a shortie, but there will be lots more in a couple of days from Mallorca.
We are the white on with the rusty snot marks down the back end! Eco-warriors are on the right and our English friends next to them. French in the catamaran on our left.
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