Has it really been a year ?
So with barely a backward glance we roared out of the Atlantic
and into the Med - I choose my words carefully. After being stuck in Barbate for
four days, just shy of Gibraltar, (waiting for weather good enough to let us
pass through the notorious Gibraltar Strait) we finally were allowed to
Gibraltar with a stiff wind behind us. Speeds of 10kts were a regular occurrence
on this short 40 mile hop - of course this is easy when you have 3 or 4 knots of
tide and current under you (woe betide anybody who does not consult their tide
tables)!!
We arrived in Gibraltar to a very British welcome at the
customs and immigration dock before proceeding to a very nice (and cheap) marina
under the rock - a very nice spot. Which is pretty much what Gibraltar is ... a
pretty nice spot ruined by the Brits with pubs, Top Man, Dorothy Perkins, BHS,
M&S and Safeway. So in this environment we did what any self respecting Brit
would do ... we went for a curry, not the best, but it felt like home. So after
some novelty shopping in Safeway ... ooh marmite, ooh curry paste, ooh spinach
(well Lucy said that anyway) we decided Gibraltar was not what we had travelled
so far to find and set off on our way.
The Costa's (Del Sol, Blanca, Brava) are not the most
appealing places for the travelling Yacht, with large VERY expensive marinas and
barren coastline that is rarely suitable for anchoring - and we look kind of
shabby next to 60 foot gin palaces. So we decided to take some long hops along,
trying to reach the one spot we wanted to see (Cartagena) 260 ish miles before a
140 mile hop to the island of Ibiza. So with a fair forecast (15 to 20 knots from
astern) we left Gibraltar.
It looked nice, 12 knots sunny, I insisted on full sail. We
came out of Gibraltar and the water ahead looked white and foamy .. look at the
mess the tidal race makes of the water I said ... 'mmmm' said Lucy. The wind
then blew a solid 30 knots while we careered off downwind whilst readying to
reef, number 2 was quickly followed by 3 and a scrap of headsail as the wind
went wild. We literally felt as if we were spat out of the Atlantic and into the
Med. With the wind instrument going mad showing big 40 + knot gusts we grimly
clung on reassuring ourselves that it would calm down as we came out of the
Straits and into the widening Med. Sure enough as night began to fall the wind
decreased a little, 'come on I said the winds going to drop away, lets get more
sail up' ... 'mmmm' said Lucy. After some persuasion we put up more sail and
headed on, only for the wind to then change its mind and build again ... Another
reefing exercise followed by a wild, tiring (no Autopilot) night sail in 25 to
40 knots of wind in vicious short sea. This was spiced up by lots of large
shipping with us nervously tracking tankers wondering do they or don't they see
us .... All in all it was a tough night with us taking it in turns to steer or
sleep in the cockpit.
As from now I have resigned all sail selection duties to Lucy
and will do as I am told!
Still
we made great mileage and it looked as if Cartagena was in sight before
nightfall the next day. So of course the wind dropped and we ended up motoring,
we didn't quite make it but stopped in a lovely anchorage where we could swim
and sleep! We reached Cartagena the next day which is where we are now, doing a
few jobs (Lucy now does the oil changes, unfortunately this means I may have to
take on the washing) and trying to get the Autopilot fixed (so far 60 Euros to
be told they don't know how to fix it), before heading to Ibiza ( I think we
will leave tomorrow).
Anyway enough of the mundane day to day stuff, we have been
travelling for a year now. I celebrated this by stepping off the back of the
boat, onto the jetty... but missing. Very embarrassing as I sploshed and
sputtered in the marina, no harm done except for the loss of a pair of Oakley
sunglasses... hmmm .. still as I said to Lucy that's about the first thing we've
lost overboard in a year. Not completely true, as I was reminded of our 'Gifts
to Neptune' by Lucy.
And so I dedicate the rest of this article to our losses.
 | Cutlery, various - sacrificed by our dedicated ARC
crew.
|
| Favourite blue flowery shirt - lost under
suspicious circumstances, after falling into the marina in St Lucia (another
story, another time) and leaving it out to dry in the cockpit - okay so it was
kind of windy!
|
| Paul's shorts - not exactly accidental, as a final
request these ageing shorts were given a burial at sea.
|
| Volvo Ocean Race Baseball Cap - this was my
favourite favourite hat, I've had it for years, its been everywhere with me.
But it is no more, last seen mid Atlantic.
|
| Antigua Sun Hat - Becoming my new favourite hat
before an unfortunate and premature end, last seen in the Strait of Gibraltar.
|
| Blue Flip Flops (Lucy's) - Last seen on the
marina pontoon in Barbate on a particularly windy day.
|
| Several fish - which have nearly been aboard and
made a last second bid for freedom.
|
| Gallons and gallons of suncream - this is by
far our most frequent gift to Neptune.
|
| Oakley Sunglasses - as detailed above.
|
| My lunch - just occasionally.
|
