Back to Alicante

With a good wind forecast we set off at dawn.  The wind was a bit fitful but eventually settled in and we made good time back to Spain.

Leaving gorgeous Ibiza at dawn

We arrived at Moraira mid afternoon and anchored in about 5m of water.  We like this place as it has water almost as clear and warm as Ibiza.

We did our usual swim to check that the anchor was properly dug in - a guarantee of a good nights sleep!  We spotted a silver glint on the seabed and found a pair of stainless steel boarding ladders that had been lost overboard at some point.

The salvage process was a hoot.  Not sure what we're going to do with them but they were too good to leave on the seabed.

The next day we headed off to Altea, we initially anchored off the beach but decided to head in to the harbour for a night tied to something solid - the quay, with mains electric and hot showers.  Once we got in we also remembered that this place had a swimming pool! Bit of a change from swimming in the Cala of the Balaerics, not as nice but very welcome.  Steve and Tina, from Midnight, were already there so we had a good catch up and introduced them to Carajillos - espresso and cognac  - they went down very well.

Next day, after another swim in the pool, we sailed off towards Alicante.  Neither of us fancied going back into a city marina - nice though that Alicante is - and so we changed plans and sailed to Tabarca - an ex-pirate island, some 12 miles past Alicante.  Our last night at anchor - loved it, the peace, the way the view changed as the boat swings around the anchor.  Diving off the back of the boat to swim - idyllic.

An impromptu group

Tabarca church

Entrance to the village

Reluctantly the following morning we sailed back to Alicante.  Fortunately the wind was perfect and we had a fantastic sail right back into the outer harbour at Alicante. Powered up and going - we, and the boat, loved it.

The largest sailing ship in the world moored in Alicante

Leaving in the dark - it has 42 sails!

Three days to clean and tidy the boat, fill the fuel and water tanks, put the covers on and then head off to the airport.

At least we got back to the UK and the sun the was shining.  All was going well until Northern Rail cancelled the train from the airport.  Got home eventually.

First thing we did when we got home was check out the cheap flights - back on the boat 10th September!

Jen and Becca Visit.

After a day of frantic scrubbing and hoovering - we have a full size cylinder hoover on the boat! we were ready for Jen and Becca.

The weather forecast wasn't that brilliant so we decided to stay another night in the clubing capital of Ibiza. We think the girls enjoyed it - they didn't get back until 5.30am so we're fairly sure they did.  Later that morning we sailed off and had a great fast sail in 15-20knots of wind. We headed further south east to find an anchorage without swell and dropped the anchor in Cala Tarida.  Great location - great beach and just look at the colour of the water.

Tropical waters!

We sailed past this famous rock arch

Fun on the water

The enterprising locals even came along in a dinghy making Majito cocktails for the boats at anchor.

Fresh cocktail anyone?

Mmmm - lovely

We had a wonderful time. And so did Derek - Jen and Becca's inflatable mascot.

Derek, the new crew member

Sadly and all too quickly it was time for the girls to go.  We rowed ashore and  found a taxi to take them to the airport.  Didn't want them to leave but work called. Sad to see them go.

Jayne and Martyn joined us in Tarida and cheered us up with a chilli and wine night on their boat

We stopped for another day or so before heading a little further along the coast with a view to heading back to the mainland.

Another good sunset

We paused at Cala d'Horta - another place with beautiful tourquoise water, waiting for a good forecast.

From Cabrera to Ibiza

We sailed back from Cabrera to the mainland, tried to get into a tiny cala on Mallorca but it had three boats in it already and we didn't fancy trying to squeeze in, it wouldn't have been a peaceful night! So we carried on across the Bay of Palma and returned to the Isla de sa Torre, we stopped a couple of nights here and met up with a lovely Dutch couple, Ben and Nelly, they live full time on their boat, keeping it in Torrevieja - another couple who really rate that harbour. We then scooted along back to Santa Ponsa and stopped for night or two waiting for a good weather forecast to cross back to Ibiza.

Leaving Cabrerra

At last we had a good forecast and set off at dawn, the forecast wind didn't materialise at first and we motorsailed but by midday the wind filled in, and from the right direction! miracles do happen.  We had a lovely sail back to Ibiza and even managed to goosewing down the side of Ibiza - flat seas and a steady wind directly behind us - another miracle.  We carried on past Porinatx - our intended stop as the sailing was so good.eventually anchoring in Cala Churacca.

Nice goosewing sailing for a while

The miracle didn't last though - the anchorage proved very rolly so we didn't get a lot of sleep.


The next day - early! - we set of for Cala Port Sant Miguel as the weather looked like it would turn and blow strongly from the south - Miguel has good holding and good shelter.


We got ourselves nicely snugged down into Port Miguel a couple of days before the weather front was due to hit and decided to go to for a walk.  We ended up walking to Cala Bernirras, in flip flops, and back through the woods - great views but a lot, lot longer than we thought!

A walk inland

Our friend Martyn and Jayne arrived and anchored nearby - great to see them again.

Jayne ad Martyn arrived

A fleet of large catamarans sailed in and moored up together, dropping their anchors and backing up to a cliff with ropes tying them back to the cliffs - well tucked in out of the expected winds.  They stayed for the next few days while the wind blew out - the clients on the yachts were taken off and ferried back to the airport by car as the winds were too strong for them to sail the boats back to their home harbour in time.  The charter boats skippers remained and eventually sailed the boats back alone once the wind eased.

Once the winds eased we stowed the anchor and headed out, initially we had a great sail "racing" the other boats that left the security of the cala at the same time. After half a days sail though the wind dropped and left a sloppy sea behind and we ended up motoring to Port Sant Antoni.

We'd booked a couple of nights on the harbour quay whilst we sorted out the boat ready for the arrival of Jen and Becca.