Almerimar

 After an overnight sail from Cartagena along the busy southern Spanish coast, JT is now at Almerimar.  This is a rather strange marina, being what seems like a developer`s dream built in the middle of nowhere amongst coastal marshes backed by the Sierra Nevada mountains.  Golf courses and blocks of apartments surround the marina basins. The coastal plain is almost totally covered by hothouses where much of Europe`s winter crops are grown.  Most of the apartments and associated retail premises are vacant and about thirty percent of the vessels here are abandoned.  Nevertheless, it is not a bad place to leave the boat for the winter.  All the technical services you could hope for are available in the boatyard and there are about fifty bars and restaurants in the immediate surrounds.  With JT out of the water, we are about to hit the road to Valencia and the flight back home. If all goes well we will return in May to gear up for a crossing to the Caribbean later next year.

                                             View from the masthead, Almerimar

                                                          Once again on dry land

Season 2011 draws to a close

Jack Tar is at present at lovely Cartagena on the south coast of Spain, sheltering from the wind, having spent about seven weeks in the Balearics.  In Majorca Jim, Sue and Jools joined us as we continued to slowly make our way west, crossing to Ibeza before they departed.  Ibeza, the so-called hedonist playground, as well as being a beautiful island, lived up to its reputation, particularly on the nearby islands of Espalmedor and Formentera.  In places nudity was de rigeur as was some behaviour not normally seen in public.  We had a good though lumpy downwind sail across from Ibeza and will soon sail on again to Almerimar, our base for the yacht for the winter.

On the rugged north coast of Majorca we found a lovely anchorage off a narrow stone beach situated at the end of a gorge.

It was acessed through a tunnel in the cliff.......

from this stoney beach village

The Victorian era tram from the port at Soller to the town inland

The locals loved these beaut little boats and everyone seemed to have one

Market day at Soller town

Just having touched the display

We went by Victorian era train across the island to the capital Palma

Palma

Palma cathedral

We walked to a hillside village near Soller

Soller town in the valley. The train wound its way up and over the pass in the distance

Waterfront at Andratx where Chris Skase used to live

Package tour HQ at Santa Ponza

Palma

Inside the castle atop Palma

Santa Eulalia on Ibeza

Early morning ride to the beaches on Formentera

Beach bar

What happens when you build in a slip area

Our berth downtown Ibeza next to the customs boat

and across the road from the old town

Up in Ibeza old town

Ibeza harbour

Bali Hai, actually Isla Vedra off Ibeza

Cartagena waterfront

Replica of a prototype submarine built here in 1884

Roman theartre Cartagena

Cartagena harbour one of the few natural harbours on this part of the Spanish coast

We found "A" last seen at Cape Ferrat near Monaco

Cartagena

Hola from the Balearics

After sheltering from the mistral for three days in the old port at Marseille we had an uneventful but uncomfortable downwind sail, swell on the beam, to Mahon on the island of Menorca. The harbour there – real Patrick O`Brien territory – is just wonderful. It is no wonder the old powers fought so often to control it. After a week there we sailed to explore the island before crossing to Majorca where we are now anchored at Porto Soller on the north coast.

 

Marseille old port

A sad reminder of times past

The cathedral high on the hill dominates the city

Street scene - Mahon  on Menorca

Marseille old port from up at the Cathedral

Hordes of tourists at Mahon

Our anchorage in Mahon harbour

Yacht leaving the anchorage at Mahon

The inner harbour at Ciutadella - Menorca

Cuitadella old town

Princess in the garden at Ciutadella

The anchorage at Ciutadella

                                                   More of the harbour at Mahon

                                                                    Mahon inner harbour

       

                                                          Waterfront at Fornells - Menorca

                                                                Tric & Phil have a new cat  

                                                               Marina at Alcudia - Majorca

                                                             Alcudia restaurant                              

                                                           Alcudia old town market                  

     

                                                    Sheltering from the heat at Alcudia