Minorca August 8- 19

Mahon, Cala Grao and Cala Galdana

Left the peaceful anchorage of Cala Molto and sailed for five and a half hours to Cala Galdana, Menorca. It was very busy with visiting yachts. I was invited to dance on a neighbouring Spanish boat that was blaring music!

We stayed the night as wifi was at hand and we managed to skype Maria who assured us that our entangled stag was now clear of his adopted headdress and was back with his mates!

Next morning took a picturesque walk along the cliffs en route to another beach. Spanish families everywhere climbing up rocky paths carrying children, lunch boxes and deck chairs – must have been a good two mile walk! We admired their determination. We were just carrying a camera!

Left the bustle of the harbour and sailed west to a narrow cala outside Ciutadella called Cala Blanca. Very comfortable for 2-3 yachts but no more. Crystal clear water and small beach with a diving centre. It was cute and unspoilt with cafes climbing up the rock faces.

Next morning we took a bus to the ancient city of Ciutadella. Fabulously unspoilt with towering austere buildings overlooking cool, clean narrow alleyways. Some of its medieval city walls are still there and we visited the cathedral and museum with artefacts dating back to 4.000BC – the Neolithic era. A city to be remembered.

With the forecast of a real blow coming our way in the next couple of days we set sail for Mahon, where we hoped to seek shelter and stock up on food. Took a lunch stop at San Bou beach where we had a great walk and swim in its clear water. We walked along the water's edge for three miles to view the ancient church remains at the end of the beach tucked into a headland and dating from 300AD.

Had a great sail in 15 knots of wind tacking to Mahon.

We had been told at Porto Cristo that once signed in with the Balearic Port Authority we would no longer need to check in with an army of paperwork if we moored at a government harbour. We were also assured that the price of 35.33E including power and water that we paid at Porto Cristo would be the same at any other government run harbour in the Balearics. Sounds good – but in reality it's rubbish – at least as far as Mahon is concerned. We were quoted 75E for a floating pontoon without facilities or access to land or 150E for a floating pontoon with facilities! Fortunately, we had never planned to moor up anyway!

We anchored instead in our favourite Cala Taulera , a peaceful, unspoilt bay in the shadow of the La Mola fortress. Already about 45 yachts had anchored so it took us some time to find a safe spot. After a rocky night, the wind picked up to 35k by 9am and we started to drag on our anchor. We put out more chain and decided we had to stay on board to keep watch until conditions calmed. Around midday a Swan left its mooring on the far side of the anchorage we made for his place and found it a lot calmer, since we were out of the northerly that was whipping across the low promontory in the middle of the bay. Did a brief tour of Mahon later in the day which involved a very wet 40minute dingy ride there and back!

We decided to make it out to sea the next day to enjoy five hours in 15 knots of northerly. It was a challenging sail but we made little headway and our planned harbour would have been turbulent so we turned back for a more peaceful night at Cala Taulera.

The wind reduced next day and the sea took on a blanket appearance as we motored to Cala Grao. This totally unspoilt cala next to Isla Colom had a long sandy beach with a small community of upmarket houses tucked into the hillside all painted to postcard perfection.

The northern coast of Minorca is definitely the prettiest and most unspoilt. Fornells is great for supplies and wifi and then you can make for the peace of the calas dramatically edged with meanest looking rocks you will ever see. This is due to the work of the tramontana.

In Fornells we met a friend from last year David who was still wearing his leopard skin thong! (He is in his late 70's). He bemoaned the callous ways of Mahon harbour and their high prices which encouraged endless gin palaces but excluded sensible sailors like us. We agreed wholeheartedly.