August 28-September 9 - our last 12 days

Meeting Hugh and friends and beautiful Minorcan horses

We sailed from Cala Son Saura in Minorca in a light north easterly and when the wind increased we hoisted the cruising shute which billowed out beautifully and took us all the way to Cabo Farrutz, the north eastern point of Majorca. As we came into Alucudia we spotted Far Out, our American friends' boat, and bobbing in the water close by were Rick and Barbara enjoying an afternoon swim!
We had kept in touch by e-mail and had planned to meet up before we set sail for the mainland. They like us had plenty of stories to tell which occupied two nights of constant chatting!
Alcudia, backed by dramatic mountain ranges, had, rather surprisingly, a wide range of yacht services and companies that were touting for business, so we decided to research them all to see if we could find an even cheaper place to overwinter Moonshadow. Up to now we had dismissed the Balearics for overwintering since we had been quoted prices around 7,000E, compared to 2,400E on mainland Spain! We only had a few days left to make our choice.
We spent two days in Alcudia comparing prices, but after putting our hopes up we found out that Moonshadow's draught was too great for the shallow harbour where she would be lifted out of the water. So it was back to plan A – overwintering at Sant Carles de la Rapita.
Before we left we sailed into Pollensa and later in the day took Hugh and his girlfriend Amy, together with her sister and mother for a sail, swim and a snorkel in a nearby bay. It was perfect sailing weather and Hugh enjoyed the tacking and the girls had a go at steering.

Our final trip along the north western coast of Majorca was dramatic. Massive cliffs swept down to the sea, making us feel like a small pin floating in the water below. There was very little civilisation along this coast of mean looking cliffs, and the winter winds had done their work, slashing against the rocks, producing unexpected caves and sudden outcrops of grass and firs in the occasional sheltered craggy ledge.

We sailed into Soller harbour and anchored for the night in preparation for our 24 hour trip to Sant Carles. For me night sailing was a new experience and one that went well after I had learnt the different lights that boats display at night to signal their course. In fact it is quite welcoming to see a light appearing in the vastness of the dark ocean. Your only concern then is to check it is not on a collision course with you! Nightime at sea is a great opportunity for reflection when the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull and the starry sky are your only companions.
We made it to Sant Carles by midday the next day after a mixture of motoring and sailing. The marina, only opened last year, is part of a vast harbour area, which at the moment is totally under utilised. It is owned by MDL marinas who have provided first class facilities with showers, swimming pool, leisure room and restaurant and bar area. They appear to be responsive and service minded.

We spent the last four days of our holiday preparing Moonshadow for overwintering. The sails were all packed away in sail bags, the deck was scrubbed and the engine serviced with plenty of oil. We were hoisted up on land so that we could clean the propeller and touch up on some hull work. This winter preparation work was undertaken mostly in heavy rain – the first we had experienced since June! – so we didn't feel so bad about leaving our sunshine holiday behind!

Packing sails and Moonshadow on land at Sant Carles

Our last night was spent spectating a bull run in the streets of Sant Carles. Not quite our thing but the crowds were obviously enjoying it!

August 8 – August 28: Minorca

Beautiful bays in Minorca

The trip to Minorca was pleasant but wearing as the wind was on our nose for most of the time, so we were delighted to glide into a calm and peaceful cala just outside Mahon harbour and dip into the cool water. After close on 13 hours at sea Cala Taulera was a real haven.
It also proved to be a perfect setting off point the next morning to visit the fortress of Isobell 11 on La Mola, near Mahon. This extensive military fortress was built by the Spanish government in 1848 in response to the threat by France and Britain who were both eyeing up Mahon harbour as a strategic harbour for their fleets. It apparently took 25 years to construct but was out-dated before completion!
Mahon harbour
We left the peacefulness of our anchorage for Mahon the next day to seek out a buoy or pontoon nearer to the town. Mahon is nestled in a huge natural harbour and is a hideaway for luxury yachts. Consequently mooring fees were well over 100e – something to keep well away from! We managed to find a buoy in Cala Longa, another small cala in the harbour entrance which still required a 20 minute dingy trip into the town.
Everything about Mahon was expensive and rather showy. To crown it we had an oil spillage in the dingy which took two hours to clean up! Things brightened up considerably when Maria arrived, even though I got her time of arrival incorrect by 12 hours!
We left Mahon the next day early in the morning and headed out in a brisk north easterly of 10-12 knots which proved an exciting welcome for Maria who was immediately at home on the waves. At lunchtime we moored up in the Cala Coves, a narrow inlet with high rocks each side with over 90 caves most of them inhabited in the Bronze Age. It was an amazing place with loads of small cave entrances carved into the rock faces. Most of them had been sectioned off and the bones, tools and remains found inside were now museum pieces, but others we could clamber into and just imagine how life must have been for families living in the coolness and ruggedness of these caves. Below the sapphire waters supplied a welcomed dip after our excursions into the rocks. Maria was of course in her element, itching to climb the craggy cliff faces.
When we returned to Mahon to collect Maria's friend Ali, the harbour was much quieter than during our previous visit and we were able to pick up a buoy closer to town. The next day we made our way up the east coast again looking for a secluded cala. Somehow, once you have tasted the solitude of nothing but cliffs, clear water and a few boats around you, any other anchorage is second best.
Laying up
The forecast was for light easterly and north easterly throughout the following week which was completely the wrong wind for sailing to Sardinia, as planned so we changed our plans and started to look at the remainder of the Spanish coast and beginning of the French coast for laying up over winter. The 'manyana' attitude everywhere meant that we had little response from marinas we had been contacting by email and phone calls were equally fruitless.
After a few more wearing on line sessions we have now put our hopes on Sant Carles de la Rapita along the Spanish coast halfway between Valencia and Barcelona. With the reassuring thought that we may have at last found an over winter home for Moonshadow we were able to get down to enjoying the rest of our holiday with only three weeks left to go.
Minorca is continuing to be peaceful and unspoilt. We spent two days in Port de Fornells, a huge sheltered harbour om the north coast of the island, bordering a small village with little development except for some large executive homes. Great place for watersports of all kinds. One of the prettiest harbours we stayed at was Cala de Addaia hidden in a picturesque corner of a large lagoon and surrounded by gentle hillsides, covered in shrubs and trees with no houses in sight.
Completely unspoilt
It is refreshing to know that you can still find an anchorage where you are completely on your own with just beautiful scenery around you. That was the case when we sailed into Port de Sanitja. On one side a kindly gently sloping headland lined the bay with the Cavalleria lighthouse at its head, on the other side coarse juniper bushes and reedy grass protruded out of the stony ground. The inlet was breathtakingly peaceful and certainly had a historical feel about it especially when we realised we were moored just a few metres away from a Roman military camp from 123BC! The rocks that lined the eastern side of the bay were gnarled and twisted into amazingly grotesque shapes which reminded us that during the winter the east winds constantly battered the island, shops closed down and the bars and restaurants went into hibernation. We were the only yacht in the anchorage!
We moored once again in Fornells with the idea of visiting a fiesta the next day. We nearly didn't make it as our dingy had disappeared the next morning! Fortunately, a Spaniard on a boat closer to the harbour had seen the empty dingy heading for land and had managed to catch it and securely tie it behind his own boat. Life without a dingy would have been very difficult!
Fiesta time
We made a brief visit to a fiesta in the small town of Ferreries where we stood sweating among the crowds that cheered and shouted as the mayor of the town announced the grand opening. Fiestas are held in each town in turn to honour their patron saint and horses play a leading role, rearing on command through the crowds! We had become so used to our peaceful way of life that we found the electric crowd rather daunting so we decided to give the evening celebrations a miss and instead visit the stud farm where these beautiful black Minorcan horses are bred.
We planned to catch the first day of the classic yacht race so we tacked to Mahon in a lovely sailing wind of 10-12 knots staying the night before at a pleasant anchorage on the eastern side of Isla Colon which surprisingly had laid buoys which we did not have to pay for. When we arrived in Mahon we found that the Classic Yacht race had been cancelled undoubtedly due to lack of entries and the impact of the recession.
We visited Son Martorellet, the Minorcan horse stud, and saw about 15 beautiful black stallions, four of which performed some of their high school moves in an airy, immaculate indoor school, the roof of which had been lined with cork for insulation. One of their trainers told us that the horses perform the same routines six days a week and to train them to the level required took three to four years. Amazing dedication on behalf of both horse and rider.
Our last night in Minorca once more characterised the beauty of this unexploited island. Our anchorage was in Cala Son Saura, a wide bay, with two quiet beaches where we dropped the anchor 6m down and could see the sandy bottom clearly through the azure blue water. Our last swim in Minorcan waters was one to remember!

August 1 – August 7: Majorca

Palma's magnificent cathedral and

Palma harbour

First impressions of Majorca were that it is far more commercialised than Ibiza and it really feels like coming back to civilisation. Our first night was spent in Santa Ponsa bay, a large area with good holding over sand, but surrounded by development, which seemed uncomfortably obtrusive after the peaceful calas we had been experiencing.

The day before discovering Palma we anchored between two small islands Las Illetas. We took the dinghy ashore to roam one of the small islands which was deserted and the second led to an exclusive part of the mainland with posh bars and elaborate Spanish homes with their glistening white walls, tall, wrought iron gates, and carpets of flowing brightly coloured flowers.

We had heard that Palma was very expensive to moor, but we needed water and supplies so we headed for one of the nine yacht marinas in a huge bay that provides berthing for several thousand yachts. We had heard from other sailors that the quay known as Pier 46 but now taken over by Viva Yacht charter was an excellent place to berth as it was close to the old town and the magnificent 13^th century Gothic cathedral.

This turned out to be great advice. We motored into the vast harbour, which was home to a large slice of the super yacht market, fearing the worst as far as harbour charges were concerned, headed for Pier 46 and proceeded to moor up to a vacant berth as though we owned the place. We struck a deal of 50E for the first night and 40E for the second with a guy called Henry and there we were, just a short walk from the beautiful old town, the cathedral and the Almudaina Palace. Brilliant. The city turned out to be the most beautiful we have visited so far, wide flagged walkways, a beautifully kept old town which constantly provided the mounting excitement of what is round the next winding corner and even a cycle path through most of the city. So it was bikes out and off to explore.

It was well past midnight when we checked out a large screen that had been erected in front of the cathedral where we found hundreds of people, hanging out watching the ancient American movie - Moon River!

During out time in Palma we saw The royal palace of La Almundaina, walked around the towering Gothic cathedral and took a trip to Soller on a narrow gauge railway through the mountains, where farmers had hacked out towering terraces in the harshest of landscapes to grow their olive and fruit trees.

After two days in Palma we sailed in a lovely breeze to Ensalada de Rapita, a long, sandy bay where we anchored in readiness for our visit to the Isle de Cabrera a beautiful nature reserve that required a permit to visit.

Sadly, the visit did not materialise as just a mile or so away from the island, the engine of the boat overheated and our only option was to sail back in the direction we had come before the wind dropped. With Anders's skill and a lot of luck we sailed into the harbour at La Rapita and asked if there was an engineer available to help us. We had learned never to take no for an answer, so this coupled with Anders charm actually effected a visit from an engineer within the hour! The day turned out far better than expected as the problem was the sea water impeller that had one broken fin, rather than a far more serious and costly problem.

Our last night on Majorca was spent at Porto Colon, after visiting many calas along the east coast that were already well populated with boats. We anchored in the harbour area and had a welcome 38^th anniversary dinner ashore at the local yacht club.

We had planned one more night in Majorca before leaving for Minorca to meet Maria, but on hearing from fellow yatchsmen that bad weather was due in a couple of days, we decided to make the 13 hour crossing to Menorca the next day. The alarm was set for 5.30am!

I meet a headless man outside Palma cathedral

July 21 - July 26: Ibiza and Formentera

Cala Raco des Mares and sunset in Ibiza

The passage to what was going to be Formentera but turned out to be Ibiza took 13 hours and 50 minutes. We motored for half the way and then a lovely close hauled force 4 brought us rather north of our target. However, after a long day it was no disappointment to find a peaceful anchorage at the eastern tip of Ibiza in a small bay called Cala Moli with towering rocks on either side and a beach. The clear turquoise water had never looked more inviting. We were in the water within seconds of anchoring – bliss!

This was to be one of many picturesque calas or bays that we were to find around the Balearics. It was a brilliant area for cruising with so many hidden bays, some popular, others almost empty. The landscape was far greener than the mainland with rich pine forests stretching down to the sea.

As we made for Formentera a couple of days later we passed some spectacular rocky islands, with amazing jagged formations including Isla Vedra that was the location for the Bali Hai photography in the film South Pacific.

Formentera was different with much lower islands where sandy rocks, some firm, some crumbling formed a lunar-type landscape. It was far less developed than Ibiza and its 5,000 inhabitants are supposed to have the longest life expectancy in Spain. Is it something to do with the fact that nudism is commonplace here?

Isla Vedra

The bays around the island were magical and quiet but on our third night everything changed. We had sailed round the whole island in just a gentle breeze and then anchored in the shelter of a high headland on the east coast. We spoke to a neighbouring boat owner who confirmed that from the forecast he had heard this would be a sheltered spot for the night. As we sat in the cockpit eating dinner, most of the day trippers left with their boats and there were just three of us left. We took a trip in the dingy to explore the caves and a quaint little harbour neatly chiselled into the sandstone. There was a beautiful sunset as we watched the sky turn deeper and deeper red. It was the perfect end to another lovely day. We slipped into our warm cabin at about 11pm and the peaceful lapping of the waves against the side of the boat rocked us to sleep.

We both awoke up at 3 o'clock. The waves were no longer lapping they were shouting angrily and the wind was howling in the rigging. We climbed up in the cockpit to see a dark, menacing sea that was getting crosser by the minute. We took down the bimini to reduce windage and Anders checked the anchor every 15 minutes to see that it was holding. Although we were being pummelled constantly by increasing wind and swell we decided to stay put until daylight as this would make navigation through a narrow passage to shelter on the other side of the island much easier. Once dawn arrived Anders lifted the anchor by hand as unfortunately the automatic windlass had gone out of business a few days earlier. We were both safely clipped onto the boat as the rocking was now fierce and it took a lot of concentration to stay upright.

I took the helm, spreading my feet to try and cement them to the cockpit floor as Moonshadow rolled through the angry waves. Anders put up a small amount of sail to give us some stability. It took three hours to sail through the gale to the safety of a bay on the other side of the island. Once safely moored it was time for breakfast and plenty of sleep.

As the pilot book had warned us the Mediterranean is very much an area of calms and gales and the latter are often unpredictable. Being an easterly wind it was probably a levante we had experienced which is caused by a depression between the Balearics and the north African coast.

The next day was spent enjoying a beautiful sandy beach and taking a mud bath in a small inland salt pan together with an English couple on Espalmador, a privately owned island which welcomes visitors to its shore. The sand was a silky cream and the beach totally unspoilt. 60 yachts anchored in the beautiful bay.

Formentera was obviously the refuge for the rich. The harbour charges of 165E per day were to keep rifraf like us well away. It certainly did the trick. However, we did manage to moor in the marina for a total of three hours for 10E during which time we were fortunate to use the services of a local engineer to fix the windlass andto top up our water supplies for 4E!!

Enjoying a mudbath at Espalmador and windlass repairs

July 15 – 20 From Torreveija to Altea

Washday in Altea harbour

After a week's break from the intense sunshine to return to the Uk for Jane's lovely wedding, it took us a day or two to acclimatise to the heat once more.

While in the UK Anders had stocked up on some essential items such as more fans for the cabins, a gas dectector, anchor chain markers, a bilge blower and various screws and brackets that had been hard to find in Spain. We spent a day sweating profusely and fitting some of these new acquisitions. I find it hard just making sandwiches while Anders had the cabin sole of the boat up and grovelled around in the bilge fitting new cables.

As always he completed the tasks with wonderful dexterity just checking with me on the colour of the wires. Anders is colour blind but that does not stop him getting the connections right every time!

There was plenty of action on our last night in Torreveija. A long line of boats packed full of cheering passengers snaked round the harbour at dusk, followed by a very noisy fireworks display. The long breakwater was packed with Spanish families intermingled with a few surprised tourists who like us wondered what was going on. The Spanish celebrate a series of saint's days during the summer turning out in full force to celebrate and without a hint of having too much to drink. Everyone has a smile on their face and they are great family occasions.

Although Torreveija was not our favourite place in terms of the local town and surroundings the harbour was exceptionally good with great showers, plenty of space, pleasant walkways and a very reasonable charge of just 19E per night. If it wasn't so out of our way it would be a great place to overwinter especially as Anders had managed to do a deal with the Swedish commercial manager Robert who promised us 50% off the six monthly fee. Still at least we had his quotation in our back pocket.

We left Torreveija on July 17 in a lovely southwesterly that skimmed us along the coast in the direction of Villajoyosa. It was great to be out on the sea again. The beauty of the clear blueness was ecstatic. I was beginning to learn about and appreciate the vast appeal of the sea that had consumed Anders with a passion from childhood. He knew the meaning of every ripple, every breath of wind had a message and it was the art of interpreting this great union of wind and sea and its effect on our boat that was the everlasting fascination and challenge. I was coping rather clumsily with this concept but nevertheless learning a little more about the wind every day.

Villajoyosa was a small compact very Spanish holiday resort, almost devoid of tourists. In contrast to the modern harbour and yacht club which was shared with the fishing fleet the old part of the town was filled with haphazard, worn buildings that appeared to tower rather perilously above us as we walked through the cool alleyways created by their tight alignment. Families sat chatting, children spun round on bikes and an occasional thin looking cat loitered in doorways.

The narrow streets of Villajoysa

Our final stop before heading for Formentera was Altea recommended to us by a bubbly lady from Holland who had opened a bar in Villajoysa. "Go to the old town of Altea it is full of art and craft shops and you will love it," she said.

Benidorm - to be avoided!

Passing the brash high rise buildings of Benidorm it was great to tack out into the blue and finally head inland again to the towering mountain setting of Altea. Once again a very Spanish resort with an excellent harbour and a very picturesque town. The steep stone winding steps to the church on the hill seemed to go on for ever and one wondered how anyone managed to bring in provisions to such a seemingly hostile location. There was obviously an easier route than the one we took as the quiet alleyways suddenly filtered into a picturesque square around the church which was packed with people, bars and art and craft shops.

As Altea was our last port of call before the 14 hour passage to Formentera in the Baelerics we stocked up on food, drink and cooking gas. We were planning to anchor on as many occasions as possible since we had been told that the harbours were very expensive. This would mean our dingy would be our lifeline to the shore.

The alarm was set for 4.45am in readiness for a 5am start – the pleasures of sailing!

July 2- July 10: Puerto Genoves to Torrevieja

Two dips before breakfast and a walk on the cliffs was a good way to launch into July. Our course was set for Garrucha and after that fairly long hop we could make our way more slowly up the coast towards Alicante where we were flying from to Jane's wedding.

One night in Garrucha harbour was enough as it was a busy industrial port with poor facilities. There was a constant stream of lorries loading sand onto massive ships and the bathing facilities were poor so we were pleased to be at sea again early the next morning.

Our course was set for Cartagena, one of the oldest cities in Spain and it turned out to be a fabulous natural harbour with wonderful Roman remains in the city that had only been discovered in the 1980's. A magnificent amphitheatre had been uncovered and through its discovery the history of the area had been traced back 3,000 years. The town had a great feel of traditional Spain with lots of decorative old and new buildings. Apart from plenty of money being spent on marketing its Roman treasures, spacious palm tree lined promenades had been built all around the harbour, a large section of which was reserved for the Spanish navy.

Cartagena harbour and the Roman amphitheatre in the town centre

Cartagna Royal yacht club facilities were also open to us so we took a refreshing dip in their swimming pool and managed to connect to their wifi facility – a rare experience as half of Spain has never heard of it!

We left Cartagena at lunch time with the aim of making for the inland lake Mar Menor just 25nm away. As we approached it on a very hot afternoon we rounded the Cabo de Palos lighthouse and saw a number of yachts moored in the bay – a perfect place for an afternoon swim. The anchor was down very soon and we took a number of dips before hitting the cold beer and crisps. We then decided to spend the night at anchor in this bay together with an American yacht who we make contact with. It was a Hans Christiansen from 1978. Hull number one – of a very seaworthy sort. The couple had sailed it for 6 years and it was their home and they were on their way to the Canaries.

This is very much what sailing is all about. It is very much a voyage of discovery as quite literally you never know what is round the next corner. The anticipation of all these new experiences is what drives us on. There are those magic moments in quiet anchorages when you sit in the cockpit after a long day's sail sipping wine after a dip in the azure sea Your body tingles with the coldness of the dip and you feel you are in heaven. Then there are those hot, dusty moments when sweat pours off you and you would do anything to be cool!

It was very much back to civilization when we arrived at Torrevieja – a typical overpowering Spanish holiday resort but with an excellent marina called Marina Salina with good facilities. The young girl at the reception was the first person we had met who spoke good English. We were also starting to look for a harbour where we could leave Moonshadow for a week so we were keen to negotiate reasonable fees. Fortunately, Robert the commercial manager was Swedish which also helped!

We did a long sail the next day to Puerto de Campello which would have been a perfect place for commuting to Alicante. We were squeezed into a very narrow mooring rather late at night and although it was a quiet and peaceful harbour they did not have space for us to stay more than a few nights.

The next day we returned to Torrevieja. It was in the wrong direction but the bonus was that the wind was aft of the beam and for the first time we could use our colourful cruising shute which helped us to skim through the water at 7 knots in a lovely keen wind of about Force 5. On arrival at Torrevieja we anchored within the large and sheltered harbour as we had seen many other yachts there on our previous visit and knew it was safe. We spent the next day on boaty work and washing – two things that are always with you even if you are on holiday!

Our colourful cruising shute

June 21 - July 1: Costa del Sol

After five days in Gibraltar – the cheapest mooring charges yet – at £22 per night we made our way into the Costa del Sol on June 21. The day dawned with a heavy mist that lifted gradually but was still shrouding the Rock when we left at 11.30am. There were lots of large container ships in the harbour and it was nice to say goodbye to Gibraltar's heavy land and sea traffic and head out into the Med.

Sadly there was little wind so we motored nearly all the way to Estepona, stopping briefly for a refreshing dip. This was an impressive and neat harbour brightly painted in blue and white with lots of restaurants and shops along the quayside already giving a flavour of the costas to come. However, as before there were masses of empty tables in the cafes with only the popular ones doing any business. To compensate for 42E per night we were given a free bottle of Spanish wine!

Estepona harbour

The next stop Fuengirola was a typical Spanish tourist town with loads of tacky bars along the seafront and beyond – great for youngsters. We visited an interesting market with around 800 stalls selling everything from lovely Spanish fruit and veg to the usual jewellery and clothing. Good deals on local oranges, tomatoes and cherries – much cheaper than anywhere else.

Our next harbour was Caleta de Valez where we arrived after another misty day quite late in the evening. The harbour was quiet but there was plenty of activity on the beaches which were packed full with families, tents and bbques! We discovered it was the festival of San Juan (St John) which was celebrated with a dip in the sea at midnight and making three wishes. This cleansing of body and mind was celebrated with much laughter, music and excitement so we had an interesting walk along the promenade witnessing the celebrations and eating the best ice cream I have ever tasted.
For the past couple of days we had noticed that the sea at times was streaked with strands of yellow so we were pleased to find out that this was not as sinister as we expected but was in fact millions of fish eggs about to be hatched!

Puerto del Este where the Thomsons joined us

Nina, David, Luca and Anya were due to visit us from the 25^th to the 29^th so we were keen to find a small, attractive harbour with few tourists and a real flavour of Spain. Fortunately, thanks to the excellent pilot book that we study daily to make our passages we found just that at Puerto de Este. Up to now we had avoided harbours that charged high mooring fees, but on this occasion it was worth the 54E per night.

The harbour was neatly tucked behind a towering rock draped in flowers and palm trees with just a couple of cafes and a shop and pleasant walks around the harbour. The beach was close by and it turned out to be the perfect place for the Thomson family. At night David and Nina slept in the fore cabin, Luca was securely tucked into the pilot berth and Anya slept on a cushion underneath the saloon table! It worked a treat and we had some lovely warm atmospheric evenings eating and drinking in the cockpit surrounded by the towering mountains and white balconies and tiled roofs of the Spanish homes that dotted the hillsides.

It was sad to wave them goodbye on the Monday morning but we were soon off on our travels again – this time to Almerimar, one of the largest harbours in the Costa del Sol. There was little wind so we motored all the way much to Anders's distress! The harbour was huge with space for up to 1,000 boats, but as it was very much an artificial rather than a natural harbour it lacked authenticity and once again had a haunted feel. Massive apartment blocks were deserted as were most of the restaurants. There were also more abandoned looking boats in the harbour than we had seen before. There were many character yachts for sale and it would certainly be a place to check out if you were looking to buy a boat. The recession is very real here and with 17.5% unemployment at the moment the building and tourism industry has been hit the hardest.

Before we left this harbour I had the pleasure of hoisting Anders up in the missen mast to fit a halyard to hoist the wind scoop that we had bought to bring more air into the aft cabin. The sheet jammed on the winch and for a few tense moments Anders thought he may have to spend the rest of the holiday up there – fortunately wise words from Anders soon sorted out the tangle and he was gently brought down to earth!

Anders at work on the missen and relaxing the next day at Roquetas del Mar

Next day we took a short hop to Roquetas del Mar. It was a quiet fishing harbour with few visiting yatchs but they had not heard of Wifi which we were frustratingly searching for on a number of occasions. The castle near the harbour was however, well worth a visit.

To date we have only anchored on two occasions as safe, sheltered bays are difficult to find. However, the next stop was the most picturesque of the holiday so far. We had planned to go into St. Jose but a peaceful, panoramic bay just before the harbour caught our eye. One or two small boats were anchored there and everyone was taking a dip. The water was crystal clear with just fish and a sandy bottom visible to the eye. We anchored and literally dived in. The azure water enveloped us in its refreshing coolness. It was a great end to a very hot day.

One of our most peaceful anchorages at Genove's, near Cabo de Gata

May 18 - June 4: Lagos marina, Portugal

Lagos marina and part of the old town

It looks like Lagos is going to be our home for a few weeks.

This unplanned halt to the cruising plans is due to a bent prop shaft. There have been signs of a problem for a while and during the trip down here Anders was reluctant for the engine to run above 1400 revs, as this produced uncomfortable vibration. Anders is suffering some anguish about lining up the engine with the new prop shaft, apparently it is about 10mm out of alignment. All will be revealed next week when the engineer at Sopromar, the local boatyard start the job.
We feel it is better to get it sorted now so we can hopefully have a summer of carefree cruising. The boatyard, run by Hugo and his brother in law Pedro, appears well run but very expensive. Lifting out Moonshadow cost 450E and with the repairs to engine mountings and with the new prop shaft we will be spending close on 3,300E. This means we will be dipping into the money we had put aside to overwinter Moonshadow in the Med.
In the meantime we are sitting on the yacht on the hard, alongside some rather smart yachts with acres of beach just a short walk away. Lagos old town is quaint with street bars and cafes, shady squares and street sellers. The narrow, winding streets sneak away at every corner cosily protected by the 15^th century city wall. Mid May is still early season here so there is only a trickle of tourists.




Cooking in the galley and a nesting storks - a common sight in Lagos

Even though the tourist brochures boast just one day of rain throughout the summer season we have just had a thunderstorm. We were cycling in the old town at the time and a very thoughtful shop owner came out and rolled out his sun blind so that we could shelter under it with our bicycles! This we were thankful for, though we did retreat to a cafe for a coffee to warm us up.
It wasn't long before the sun came out again and we were back in the boat, refitting the main sail after a fourth reefing point to the main was added and the leech was restitched by Antonio of Forforvelas Sail repairs.
Most days are spent doing a million and one jobs on the boat while we await the major repair. We have sanded down part of the brightwork in the cockpit which was looking rather sad and in great need of attention. We tackle one side at a time so we have somewhere to sit in the meantime.
We took a break on Sunday, May 24 and cycled to Praia de Luz which took about three quarters of an hour each way. A small, sheltered beach with cascading white apartments, many of them empty, but all of good quality. The disappearance of Madeleine McCann together with the recession and high exchange rate has had a devastating effect on the tourist trade here. "At least that family have got jobs, thousands of people are out of work because of it," lamented one ex-pat who now sells grotto trips in Lagos marina.
It is exactly a week later and we are still sitting on the hard in Lagos. Our prop shaft finally arrived two weeks after it was supposed to have been ordered! The next hurdle is having it fitted and everything lining up correctly. There is constant activity in the boat yard, but suspect the Portuguese are jumping the queue!
We have had a couple of days of southerlies which bring the frothy waves rolling into the beach which brings out the surfers. It is also great fun in the water, leaping over the breaking waves just at the right moment. More families on the beach this week, probably because it is Whit week at home.
Time scales and tight schedules that we always seem to be following at home seem to have followed us here. Even though we are in the hands of others as far as the boatyard is concerned it is hard to let go of that constant urge to do things within a certain time. I am trying hard to slow down my personal clock so that I undertake things with a little more thought and patience instead of characteristically rushing into action and then worrying about the consequences afterwards. Be in the moment –echoes of my yoga teacher.
Late on Friday afternoon the shaft arrived but we had to wait until the following Monday for some action. The stainless steel shaft an inch in diameter and 11/2metres long cost 650E, the flexible coupling cost 295E then there was 600E of machining costs on top of that! The shaft was machined on Monday afternoon and finally fitted on Tuesday morning, by which time Anders , who had been constantly measuring up the alignment with the engine with his spirit level , was about to explode with concern. However, the engineers appeared cool and told us in broken English that they were happy with the job. Anders started to breathe more easily.
The next job was to repair the skeg which had a groove ground away to allow for the extraction of the prop shaft. This was done on Tuesday afternoon and we were promised the highlight of going back in the water on Thursday morning.
We also took the opportunity of asking Antonio to rivet two blocks to either side of the mast so we could install a lazy jack system and remove the old Dutchman furling system which had caused us some sail damage in the past. The yard has a huge crane, that would have delighted Luca , and Antonio was hoisted up in a steel crate to do the job.

Bikes are great for transporting sails and shopping and above Antonio fits blocks ready for Anders' Lazy Jacks

Thursday morning dawned and for the first time since we arrived in Portugal things started to happen when we expected. We rose early to anti-foul the skeg and touch up before going in the water. In we went with the help of the Sopromar travel hoist and the engineer was promptly on board to check the running of the shaft.
We then cast off and took Moonshadow for a short trip with the engine on at full revs. Anders' ear was glued to sound, which apart from some small vibration from somewhere else in the boat, seemed far less distinct than before. Fingers crossed we will be on our way tomorrow.

May 1 - May 17: Goodbye UK

Friday evening, May 1 and Anders, Colin and Ian left Cardiff Bay in the 7.30pm lock as planned. A drizzly start to their journey to Lagos and very little wind so it was on with the engine.

Passed Ilfracombe at 0420 Saturday morning and Long Ships lighthouse at Lands End at 22.30 the same evening with a course of 205 degrees for Cabo Finisterre. There was drizzly rain during the night and lots of trawlers and cargo ships nearby.

Sailing in the sun all the next day, moderate swell Force 5 and running with the wind - it was Biscay at its best said Anders. His 3 hr watch was accompanied by a small bird sitting on the guard rail for a good half an hour - I wonder where he was en route to? Moonshine and a clear sky on Sunday evening listening to Leona Lewis and Bread on the ipod rolling gently along at 5 knots.

On Monday morning the sea was a little confused over the continental shelf. A shoal of dolphins were following the boat in the afternoon. Started to motor sail to make up time. We made contact with a large container ship which warned of a gale in north Finistere. We are now halfway between Lands End and N. Spain with 3500 metres of ocean beneath us.

On Tuesday the wind turned to the east and we took in a reef on the main sail as the sea started to build. We decided to set the storm gib and I have been continually drenched on fore-deck for the last hour battling with the fore sails. We are surfing at 7 knots in brilliant sun and a white crested sea.

The wind increased to Gale Force 8 with a heavy swell. The mountaineous waves following the stern are racing after us but Moonshadow's long aft ship lifts us just in time to prevent the crest tipping into the cockpit.

Arrived at La Bayona lunchtime Wednesday for a good rest and a meal out. Cast off at 0920 the next morning after re-fueling in a southerly that kept us motoring along the Spanish coast. At 1340 we passed the last Spanish town before Portugal and the Spanish courtesy flag came down to be replaced by the Portuguese flag.

Little wind kept us motoring along the coastline. There were lobster pots everywhere. We can avoid them during the daytime but can do little to avoid them at night. A rope cutter on the propeller may help to save the day if we get too close.

We calculated we would reach Lagos by mid afternoon on Saturday - it turned out to be later than that as we hit another Gale Force 8 just west of Cabo de Sao Vincente, the most westerly point of Europe. We double reefed the Main and reduced the Genoa by 75%. The engine failed to start and Colin diagnosed a loose starter motor connection. I took on the repair work and battled in a hot engine room where it was difficult to tell up from down in the heavy swell. Following that I managed to serve up a cooked dinner which surprised Colin and Ian, but not least myself!! Gradually the wind started to slacken as we headed for Lagos finally arriving at the guest pontoon just after 2330, mooring alongside a 54ft ketch of Germans on a delivery trip to Majorca.

After 987 nautical miles, 8 days and 4 hours, it's time for that well earned bottle of champagne!!

January 9 - May 1: Preparing to sail

We are nearing the end of four months of intensive preparation to equip Moonshadow for our trip to the Med.
We hurtled into action just a few days after Christmas following the successful letting of our lovely home in the deer park for a six month tenancy to Chris Rollason. It is quite devastating to leave your home especially when we had only just completed our renovations and extension to the house just a few months before.
However, we thrive on the unpredictable and had planned this sabbatical sailing in the Med to celebrate acquiring our over 60s B&Q cards (10% off on a Wednesday). We were one year behind schedule so this opportunity really had to be taken.
We reluctantly packed our bags and vacated for January 9. Fortunately, our good friend Jane Jones was happy to rent her house to us so rather ironically we moved back into Llanbethery. two houses away from the Farm where we lived nine years ago.
Moonshadow came into our life nearly two years ago in answer to a yearning that Anders has always had to sail for a summer in the Meditteranean.
He has trawled through sailing magazines for many years and it was the sleek, traditional lines of Moonshadow that caught his eye.
Moonshadow is a 42ft Slipper designed by Holman and Pye and built in 1979 in Tonbridge Wells by Tyler Mouldings. Her first owner was an Irishman from County Down who aptly named her Moonshadow of Down.
She was sitting in a Bangor boatyard in the ownership of a telephone engineer who had worked diligently on her himself to prepare her for Meditteranean sailing. Sadly for him but fortunately for us his wife decided she preferred to stay at home with the dog!
We took over the refurbishment and it has taken a further two years to bring her up to scratch though Anders will say there is still plenty of work to do. The aft cabin has a great make-over
Our main task has been refitting the aft cabin which involved lowering the steering cables and building some new lockers for storage. While Anders was perfecting his lockers with a mahogony trim I have been making new cushion covers for the saloon and cabin areas. Endless other tasks continued to intervene like re-siting the anchor winch, sorting out the electricals and ensuring the heads worked successfully.
A week before departure we said goodbye to friends with a glass of champagne outside the Pierhead building in Cardiff Bay.
By some miracle we managed to have everything ready for cast off on May 1 when Anders was due to leave with his friends Colin Lyons and Ian Gorton.

Farewell to our friends