North Africa, Kismet & a Moroccan Fishing Boat

                        We checked out the new storm sail and after waiting some weeks for the arrival of                                   new batteries, were finally able to set sail from Almerimar.

                      Across the strait to Africa and the Spanish enclave  of Melilla [pron Meliya].  An
                      attractive small town with a beautifully preserved and restored old walled "city".                         It has a large muslim population and it was ramadan.
   

                                          And from here Franco launched the Civil War.

                                                                       Town scene.

                                        A band set up on the battlerments for a private party.

Eclectic architecture

Interesting sculptures

Beatiful parks and gardens

The First Mate showed the locals how it was done.

Then overnight to marina Smir in Morocco just 25 nm south of Gibraltar.

The next morning, in thick fog, we were run down by a large steel Moroccan fishing boat travelling at full speed in 30 mtrs visibility.  Despite our best efforts to avoid him, we collided and suffered  damage to the bow and the genoa and furler.  He continued and disappeared into the fog.  We managed to carry on to Smir where the authorities were entirely disinterested.  It was ramadan.

Assessing the damage.

Captainerie at marina Smir.

So we carried on to Gibraltar where we are trying to organise repairs. But things do not happen swiftly here and it seems it may be a few weeks before we can resume our travels.