Passage Report: No. 107

Palau, Corsica, Majorca, Ibiza, Spanish Coast to Gibraltar
Crew, Matt, arrives, food, fuel, water aboard, Sahula departs Palau.

Tanya (motor) drives through the Bonifacio Straits (between Corsica, Sardenia) Sahula to anchor under Punta (cape) Marmorata.

Crew, young, of the computer generation, works on software required to navigate (worldwide charts (CM93), GPS), receive internet and SSB weather reports, tidal information and assist passage planning. Buttons pushed, nonchalance, concentration, patience - a challenge.

"...you can do it...just work through..." (to Skipper).

"...what is a directory... a folder...?" (Skipper)

Sahula has three laptops. C3, the oldest bathed (during the German rescue) in salt water, soldiers on but is failing, "New" 14 inch laptops, C2 and C1 contain Open CPN - free digital chart software to ensure Sahula has digital charts.

Computer digital charts replace very expensive (30 e) paper charts but risk boat power failure.
Salt air environment is minimised by locating navigation computers below but visible from the cockpit.

Skipper reattached wiring after raising the mast in France. The tricolour (port, starboard, aft lights in one top mast light) did not work. Crew determines incorrect wiring. Skipper is relieved and grateful.

Crew treks to Cape obelisk and mystical rock formations.

Autumn thunderstorms, lightning, threaten Sahula moving east to walled, hill top, Castelsardo village and marina (24e all inclusive (5/10))

Through narrow alleyways, Crew ascend to the castle.

Originally, "Castegenovese" it was the "...principal Genovese defence along northern Sardenia. An 11th century cathedral dominates.

Crowds of men line the street

"What is it?"

"We don't know, maybe a festival..."

From a side street, a man in white clothes and  long cap.

Women carrying religous icons solmenly wait.

"It's a funeral..."  The icon carriers, pallbearers next, priest, hearse and crowds flood into the street. A good man/woman is wished well in eternity.

Resorts, houses splatter the coast. The red, yellow ochre at least blending with the rocky headlands.
It seems town planning is non-existant.

Sahula crosses the bay to Stintino fishing village and marina (32e all inclusive).

"This (bottle of local wine) is for you, welcome to our town..." Stintino is the gateway to the Asinara National Park and Marine Reserve.

Sahula crosses to Passaggio di Fornelli to anchor overnight. She will cruise to the Spanish, Balaeric Islands (Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza) some 190 nm west.

The Passage is shallow "...it should not be used in strong westerfly or easterly winds..." due to swell reducing depth.

Sahula moors to a bouy off Asinara Island.

Anchoring is forbidden; Sahula takes a bouy. Sea grass darkens the depths.

The island has had a fishing village (moved to Stintino) "...a quarantine...then a WWI POW camp...later a "super-prison for Mafia criminals...closed in 1997..."

Other than the all pervading walls of forebidding, prison facilities, it is a large, bleak, barren, rocky, mountainous, place.

"...you cannot stay here...you can go north..." Parks official.

Sahula moors to bouys in northern Cala d'Oliva. Ashore a near deserted, ghost, white village, previously served a prison, now tourists. Wild boars, donkeys and goat eek existance from the bone dry landscape.

Rounding Punta della Scorno, Sahula sets course for Mahon on Menorca island. LaMMA weather site (Italian) gives the all clear. A Mistral has passed, ensuring (?) a fine passage.

"This is my first night at sea..." Stars illuminate the clear, dark night. Thunderstorms, lightening to the east.

Tanya takes Sahula through the night. A morning breeze fills Mollie (MPS - spinnaker), Valerie (wind vane self steering) relieves crew. Wind, increases from astern, yankee  pole winged; Sahula quickens to Menorca.

Mahon harbour lights loom in the morning darkness (0400) High fort walls guard the entrance to a long harbour, lined with marinas, wharves, crowded with boats. Sahula takes any berth.

"...sort it out in morning..." Sahula moves to Marina Mahon (44e).

Large seas, whipped by a 20 knot NE'ly, swirl across the deck departing Mahon. Sahula sails to Menorca. Thunderstorms light the horizon overnight.

Superyachts pack Palma - it is Oyster Yacht Week.

Skipper queries a marina cost - 83e. Sahula joins Kristiane (Australian yacht) at Cala Nova Marina (64e) in a nearby bay, south.

Crew leaves for Morocco (visa issue). A doctor, he has enlisted to join medical teams in Sierra Leone combating an ebola epidemic.

Crew provides information on Schengen visa procedure:

When entering EU, two periods commence:
1. three month visa period;
2. Six months period before grant of another three months.
If three months is used intermittently, it fits into the six months. From when the last visa use period expires to the end of the six month period is the time to await another three month visa. Conceivably, the visa expiring and the six months ending could coincide. If so an applicant would have to leave the EU and re-enter.
If the three month visa period is not all used within six months then the visa period regenerates to another three months at the end of the six months.

All comments gratefully received!

Skipper buys cruising guide to Spanish coast and charts (Drake Marine).

Palma Cathedral towers over city. Skipper visits the Royal Palace, used by the current monarch.

Sahula anchors in a bay preparatory to passaging to Ibiza.

Harry, Belgian yachtsman, relates how he sailed the world to NZ but not to Australia.
"...I heard they don't treat visiting foreign yachts well...too short a visa and bureaucratic...in NZ, a letter gives 6 month visa ..."

Dolphins play in the bow wave - the first in the Mediterranean -

"Eurocargo Salerno this is yacht Sahula" - travelling at 17knots on likely collison course - AIS information.

"This is...Sir, it is difficult for me to alter course, I am running with the wind..."

"Yes, Sir, I will alter course to port..."

Skipper completes reading a history of Morocco. Commences reading a History of Spain - Payne (Kindle) - two nations closely entwined in Arab (Moor) past.

White houses, high rise hotels, resorts, incongruously, wall the Ibiza coast.

Ibiza is the "party island."

Sahula anchors in Talamarca Bay, nearby Ibiza harbour.

"...very expensive marinas here...better on Spain coast..."

Superyachts, floating palaces, crowd the town marina.The black superyacht belongs to James Packer, Australian casino owner.

Some suffer!

They bring to mind the erudition of Thomas Piketty, "Capital in the Twenty-First Century":

"...when the rate of return of capital exceeds the rate of growth or output and income as it did in the Nineteenth Century and seems quite likely in the Twenty-First Century, Capitalism automatically generates arbitary and unsustainable inequalities that radically undermine the meritocratic values on which democratic societies are based..."
"...bankers cut off from society, paid huge sums, well outside their needs...are the seeds of revolution...wealth in touch, related to society, sharing contributions to social/ political solutions, may set off anger but if separate, will cause revolution..."

Owners, high on the top deck, secluded, waited on by uniformed crew, entertain. Tourists camera click.

 Skipper walks to the old Ibiza town past wall to wall hotels - ugly, formidable - the natural world aching, unseen.

Old town Ibiza clusters, anciently, around and a hilltop citadel. Below tourisms white blocks, bland, endless, dumb the cityscape.

"You may like to meet my Aunt, she lives out of Ibiza..." Friends in England.

"I will collect you..." Skipper is met by Angie -  an elder "young", artist, sculptress.

"...I moved to Ibiza many years ago to live in the family home...I want you to see the garden..."

Skipper walks it many paths, alongside wonderous nature, set beautifully, (Monet like)...nook, cranies, a pool, "secret" places... behind loose stone unforbidding sculptured, walls - a privilege to see, marvellous to enjoy, around a ochre, beamed, hacienda. An artists creative retreat.

It was created by English friend's parents who migrated from cold UK for warm Ibiza.

"Go out, left to the doors...I will open them..." - Skipper is in Angie's art studio amongst superb paintings.

A remarkable, talented, lady; a privilege to meet.

"...we had a terrible storm a few days ago, water flooded harbour promenade shops..."

It is October, the SE'lies have set in, NE'ly are rare. Sahula faces a long windward sail or motor, south, to Gibralter.

Sahula moves to Formentara Island anchoring in Cala Boix - departs at dusk for the Spanish coast on a clear, moonlight night (some 60 nm).

Sahula is sailing, a calm sea, on landfall, a course is set south to Tabarca Island.

Ashore, wall to wall, white, high rise. Ugly sentinels to tourisms gods.

Arrival off Tabarca in a rising SE'ly. Evening is closing. Thick weed makes anchoring impossible, the only option is the wall wharf in the small, shallow, fishing harbour.

A sign: "...no mooring, only for Tourist boats..." Sahule ties alongside a rough stone wharf. The sun sets red over a darkening sea and rising wind, pinning Sahula.

"...resolve it in the morning..."

Skipper rises at 0500 woken by waves slapping against the stern. Fenders ready, Sahula backs out, changed wind assists moving the stern off.

Sahula motors to Cartegna; a rare natural harbour. Forts mount every hill. A long day.

"...Sahula this is Kristiane, Channel 72..." Helpful marina staff assist at the berth.

Established some 1000 years past (around 243 BC), used by  Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Barbarians (Visigoths), Moors (Islam) to modernity. Hannibal used it as a base for his crossing (on an elephant) of the Alps (Pyrannees), the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio, destroyed it (209 BC). St James the Great landed here in AD 36 to spread Christianity. Philip II (16th C) fortified the hills, Drake stole its guns (to fortify Jamaica), Charles III established the naval base and the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) the Republicans held out (in under city tunnels) against heavy air bombing against forces of General Franco, ("...the most  extravagantly praised and most scathingly condemned figure in all Spanish history..." - "...none of the kings of early centuries weilded proportionally as much power or so drastically change the course of  the country...he was the most successful counter revolutionary of the 20th century... the most successful dictator..."), Germany (Hitler) and Italy (Mussolini) (Guide p108).

Spains largest urban archaelogical site, a roman theatre, bull ring, museum provide a superb city history.

A Civil War Museum documents, poignantly, Cartegna stand against Franco's, ultra right, fascist, forces.

A land riven by invasions, wars and plague. "...like all European States ... the borders did not encompass a single nation till relatively recently... when Spain was contiguous, its parts retained their historical character and independence (Catalan, Castile, Basque)...the diversity in regions and their character affected national economic development... progress was marred by internal conflict... none worse than... the Civil War..."

Spain is unique in being the only land invaded by Islam that has completely eradicated (cleansed) its religious, social and political, influence. Millions (including Christianity converts) were driven to Morocco. Only architecture remains.

The dry, rocky mountains of Cale de la Salitrona, an hour from Cartegna, provides an anchorage, a swim, a walk ashore to coastal forts - O300, Sahula rolls and pitches; in the morning darkness, anchor away, escape to sea.

Ashore, purple, pink, blue mountains. Red sun rising.

A sheen sheets the land, "Is it an early morning fog?" - a bizarre, massive, modern art installation over a ruined, hidden land?

Plastic sheeting, plastic hothouses, over thousands of hectares, covers the plain to the high mountains, peaking through the brown fog of pollution.

"...the farmers are wealthy, they provide the city with  vegetables and fruit..."

"... caution... when anchoring plastic sheeting lifted by storms may cover the sea bottom..." - Guide.

A catamaran, heading to the coast, sails up, motor on, converges on Sahula with no sign of crew. It passes close astern.

"...white catamaran this is ...."

"...this is white catamaran..."

"Sir, I am checking all is ok...your boat was on collison course with no one on deck..."

"Thank you, Sir, I was below...oh, yes I see you now..."

"Sir, you need to keep a more frequent watch..."

"Thank you, Sir..."

Sailing, motoring, Sahula enters Garrucha fishing harbour and almost deserted, 300 berth, modern, marina (20e).

Tourism's hotels, restaurants lift the economy. Gypsum, mined locally, is piled high from continually visiting trucks to the ship loading wharf. A fine dusk pervades the harbour.

Open to the prevailing SE'lies, a night gale rises; Sahula pitches. In the early morning, Skipper runs more lines. An hour and it is gone.

Mediterranean coastal weather is continually changing and difficult to forecast. Weather systems (high, lows) are small and fast moving. Digital weather sites use grib files (weather satellite created maps showing "arrowed" wind, colour and "tailed feathers" show strength), adjusted locally. Sahula's weather forecasts are LaMMA (Italian) and Passage Weather and NAVTEX (on shipboard receiver). There are many others. Generally, they are accurate though, they lack local detail.

"...hello...met five Australian boats here...going south to Gibraltar...." Australian cruiser. The ARC (trans Atlantic rally) from Canaries to Caribbean starts in November.

"I am selling it...local buying...too much goes wrong...I've made a profit...no more cruising yachts...had enough...too much trouble (davits collapsed in a gale, engine, problems etc)...a charter boat not a sea boat..." 40 foot Lagoon catamaran.

0100, all is calm under a full moon. Sahula heads to sea, rounds Cabo de Gata and pitches into a rising SE'ly. Sahula sheds short, steep, shallow water, seas. Deck awash,

Tanya drives on to Almerimar to meet with Australian friends on "Kristiane."

Welcoming marina staff guide Sahula to a calm berth (7e/night).

Sahula is to be lifted (222e), bottom wash (79e) set on the hard stand (7e/night - live on boat), antifouled and a long "to do" list shortened.

Soft antifoul paint applied in Ipswich, UK, was, mostly, wiped off by French canal weed.

The solid, standard propellor attached in Ipswich (for the canals)  is also to be replaced by the original, Australian "Seahawk" feathering propellor (reducing drag, by some half a knot).

Raymarine "Tiller pilot" was also repaired (Mario, 650 337714).

"Hydrovane" self steering pins (6) are machined by local. One sheered at sea.

"...pins need to be replaced regularly, vane cover is replaced each year..." Vane cover split with sun deterioration after one year.

A superb supermarket - "...cheapest so far..." ensures Sahula is well stocked.

"...it is ok..." local advice on aged ATM. Skipper is skeptical. Card in, no cash, no card! Panic! Local pushes rusted buttons, minutes pass - relief - card appears.

Almerimar, is a new resort town, centred on a lush, garden, golf course and marina, all built on reclaimed land seaward of the high, coastal cliffs.

Skipper decides to invite German student, Tobias as Atlantic crew. A difficult decision as all applicants, from CA crew website, are pleasant.

Food, fresh water, fuel, bill paid - time to go. Sahula needs to leave the Mediterranean before the onset of winter storms.

First winter snow coats the coastal ranges. Sahula heads south, in company with Kristiane, to anchor in Ensendada de la Herradura - (5m sand) bay.

"...we wish to board..." black customs boat - black uniform crew check Sahula's papers. "...I have a relation in Sydney..." Passport is returned - relief - Skippers EU visa is long expired (three months).

"...Sahula calling "Arctic Sunrise"..." - to thank them (Greenpeace) for protecting the world's oceans - no answer. Ship is being closely shadowed by the Spanish coast guard.

Ashore wall to wall, ugly, highrise across a polluted brown sea.

Marina de Bajadilla, Marbella, welcomes Sahula. Marbella Marina is full.

"...yes, I will fill your gas bottles..." Sahula's Australian gas bottles last some 12 months with careful use. (Gas Service International www.gasbottleirefill.com Phone: 616969496)

Old Marbella, set amid tourism's highrise, with winding alleys and lush green tree-ed squares and islamic tiled seats, reflects its muslim past.

The "Gates of Hercules," Gibraltar's hump, iconic rock, gateway to Mediterranean looms, horizon blue.

Sahula is nearing the Atlantic - returning to the ocean from a calmer, smaller, sea.

Skipper feels some trepidation in the unknown, half a world from home.

Across, clearly visible sets Africa.

Sahula rounds Europa Point with its large (newly built) Islamic mosque representing the Islamic past (11th century) and African Mahgreb (Islamic north Africa). The minaret and lighthouse welcoming sailors to Gibraltar. Ships, in mass, ply past or anchor in Gibraltar Bay.

A British self-ruled, "more British than England," colony (since 17th century), it offers  a muted response to Spain's claim; no Union Jack flies conspicuously over the "Rock."

Sahula calls (VHF) Queensway Quay Marina. "...yes we have a berth..." Skipper had heard it was full. Many yachts are leaving the Mediterranean for the ARC Rally from the Canary Islands, south of Morocco.

An 18th century, Spain - Britain treaty, ensures the Rock remains British as long as it favours British citizenship. A referendum leaves no doubt.

Locals man a booth, asking for signatures to a petition asking Queen Elizabeth II to visit the Rock.

Fish and Chips, bacon and eggs, pubs, main street... Gibraltar's  Britishness oozes into its sinews.

"...I moved here for the sunshine...it's like being home..."

Barbary Apes (tail-less monkeys) hold vigil from the summit.

  
The high cliffs, facing Spain, are hewn with tunnels for cannons used to rebut the the Great Siege (1779-83 - last Spanish invasion). 

Dinner aboard Kristiane before departure through the Gibraltar Strait to Morocco.

Skipper notices the Yankee (sail) furler requires repair. Australian sailors, Eric and Diane generously assist.

Sahula, too late to depart, anchors in the bay and leaves early morning.

Strong easterly currents, particularly in mid channel, set W to E due to sea level being less in Mediterranean (caused by evaporation) than Atlantic. Tides flow along the coast. Shipping Traffic Zones complete a complex, challenging waterway.

Skipper plans to sail close to Europe coast with an exit tide, cross the Traffic Zones from Tarifa to Tangier (and the W-E current) and down the Morocco coast to Rabat.

Sahula sails across calm seas, before an easterly wind and favourable current and tides to Morocco's Cap Spartel before turning south.

Gibraltar's Gates close, Spanish Andalucia, Cape Tarifa, the last land of Europe, fades into the blue.
Sahula sails into the Atlantic. Australia is half a world away.

Swirling seagulls sweep the sea fishing in current turbulence. Coastal rocks are dotted white and noisey. Sahula is back amongst natures abundance.

Subsequently, other yachts experienced steep seas, gale force winds and strong currents.

"...we took 10 hours from Gibraltar to Morocco...very rough...my crew (wife) was not happy..."

 Leaving the Mediterranean Sea for the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean ensures challenges ahead.

Next Report No. 108 - Morocco.

Best
David
sv Sahula
November, 2014