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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