1 September 1993 Islas Espalmador to Mar Menor, Spain (Day 2)
The wind veered so that it was more behind us and we bashed, crashed and rolled our way along until three o’clock in the morning, when we dropped the sails and motored to get back on track. The swell is very irritating. We managed to start sailing again just after dawn.
Glenys passed close to a mystery buoy flashing white every 4 seconds in the middle of nowhere - we assume it was a fishing buoy. I pulled in our trolling line to find that my new £10 lure had disappeared probably due to the split ring that I used being too small. I assume that we actually caught a big fish, didn’t notice and the ring broke. We must get a couple of bells!
There was great excitement when we found a flying fish on the deck – our first! At one o’clock in the afternoon, we could see the breakwater for the entrance to the Mar Menor, so we decided to rush to get to the bridge which is only open for the first 15 minutes of each hour. We just made it and passed through at exactly quarter past one! We anchored just off La Manga beach in the same place as in April. The water has lots of 1ft diameter jellyfish, so unfortunately we can’t swim.
2 September 1993 Mar Menor
I did a few errands in the morning. I rang Feedback and confirmed that £36K has gone into our bank. I rang the Estate Agents and found that the Princes left the house in good order and that our next door neighbour, Duncan, has suggested some people he knows. They have looked around and it looks like they may rent the house – I hope so!
Glenys and the boys went to the beach in the afternoon and I did some jobs on the boat. My Dad found out that the cheapest flight to Almeria from UK is about £150 because everyone is buying cheap holidays now that the peseta is cheap. Glenys thinks that she can get it cheaper here.
3 September 1993 Mar Menor to Mazzaron
A damp, muggy morning with the wind now coming from the south, which is (of course) where we are going! We filled up with fuel and headed for the bridge. Once out to sea, we saw quite a few flying fish as we motored from the Man Menor entrance towards Caba De Pagos. Perhaps they have always been there, but we just haven’t noticed.
The wind followed us around all of the headlands, but we managed to get a couple of hours sailing. We looked at an anchorage to the NE of Cabo Tinoso, but the SW swell was coming around the corner and it wasn’t very pretty – a bit too rugged. The marina at Mazarron is OK. We have decided that Craig’s official birthday will be on the 6th September because he will probably be in the UK on the 17th and I will miss it. Only 3 sleeps to go – he’s quite excited.
4 September 1993 Mazzaron to Almeria (Day 1)
We did lots of chores, washing, etc. because we had water available. Living on a boat has given us a great appreciation of fresh water – we never take it for granted and we go raving mad when we have a hose pipe available! I rang Almerimar Marina and confirmed that they can haul the boat out around the 13th September. Glenys will book the air tickets in Almeria on Monday.
We left Mazarron with a light SE wind enabling us to motor sail. By half past seven, the wind had gone completely and we ended up motoring straight into 2 metre swell. We were pitching ± 30° and the boys decided to go below and play marbles! They had a good time. The wind picked up as it went dark and we kept motoring into it.
5 September 1993 Mazzaron to Almeria (Day 2)
We motored all night straight into the wind and swell. It is definitely getting colder at night now. As we entered the Port of Almeria, we saw James Wharram and his wife on their 55ft catamaran. They wintered their boat in Nazare at the same time as us last year. We stopped and had a quick chat with them at the entrance to the port.
We anchored just off the yacht club in 6 metres. Only 1 more sleep to go to Craig’s official birthday. Glenys and the boys made his cake today – he’s very excited. Hans and Siegfried from “Mini Titanic”, a German couple on a British registered yacht, came for a drink. They are also going to the Caribbean.
6 September 1993 Almeria
Craig’s official birthday – he had a wonderful time. I went into Almeria to the chandlers. I decided to get antifoul paint in Almerimar. We swapped books with George Whiting from “Swing Along” – an English guy who sails his trimaran single handed. I went and raided his computer for new games and I got a copy of a weatherfax program. Glenys went into town to mooch about.
7 September 1993 Almeria
Glenys went into town to get air tickets for her and the boys. I played with the computer after school. I walked up to the castle – it took me an hour to find the entrance. Almeria is a very odd city with very small streets which wind everywhere. There is absolute poverty from people living in caves with doors to the affluence of the town centre. About 50 metres from the beautiful Town Hall are horrible slums.
I chatted to Eddy and Fay (Aussies) on “Chintoo” and Mike and Marina (Brits) on “Columbine” – both boats are going to the Caribbean.
8 September 1993 Almeria to Almerimar
I got up this morning and decided we should go to Almerimar. Glenys’s plane isn’t until the 16th but I thought we might as well go to Almerimar and try to negotiate winter rates for a 3 week stay.
It was a bit of a bash to get to Almerimar. There was a 2 metre swell and wind dead against us – we just motored. I couldn’t get the marina berth price down at all, so I am resigned to paying £8 per day while in the water. I ordered 8 litres of blue antifoul.
9 September 1993 Almerimar
A planning day and looking around. I went windsurfing, but when I got out of the port, the wind dropped and I had a real struggle with a 2 metre swell and little wind. I gave up after ½ hour with 10 dunkings.
10 September 1993 Almerimar
I went and watched “Columbine” being hauled out. It’s a good job that I did because I’d forgotten that I will have to remove the back stay when we get hauled out. I spent the rest of the day sorting through tools and spares to decide what I need to buy.
11 September 1993 Almerimar
I tidied up all the spares and sat up until half past one trying to sort out the computer and consolidate my floppy disks.
12 September 1993 Almerimar
I spent until five o’clock sorting out backups, etc for computer. I’ve got 93 floppy disks cataloguednow! Craig got his first wasp sting today - lots of wailing. Glenys talked to Julia and Greg from “Missie Molly” about sharing a taxi to the airport.
13 September 1993 Almerimar
Glenys talked to a Dutch couple on “Eva”. Mike and Marina (and Micky) from “Columbine” came for a drink. I had a wonderful day; I finally finished off the wiring for the starter batteries that I bought in Ipswich. It’s only taken me a year to finish the job. It was easy enough – it just took a lot of guts to cut the existing wires!
14 September 1993 Almerimar
I changed my mind at least 5 times about which part of the hull I should use when we are lifted out. Eventually decided to move the forestay and go in forwards. It will be too dodgy to do it like Fox’s and put the rear strap over the propeller.
15 September 1993 Almerimar
I got into the dock OK, swung the forestay out of the way, but then discovered that we would have to remove the baby forestay. We put the jib halyard over the top of the travel lift to hold the mast in place while I took off the baby forestay. We were lifted out safely and put in a nice, quiet corner.
I started scraping off all the barnacles and scrubbed ¼ of the hull by hand before I gave up and hired the yard’s jet wash – best £12 I’ve ever spent! I jet washed down to the undercoat in most places.
The antifoul paint hasn’t arrived – “maňana”. It looks like I’ve adopted a dog.
16 September 1993 Almerimar
Glenys and the boys caught a taxi to the airport - this will be first time we’ve been apart for over a year. I reset the Max Prop from 18° to 20°. I epoxied the holes and scrapes on the bottom of the keel. I then sanded the paint on the waterline and any areas showing the green epoxy. I finished off by putting masking tape on the waterline. The paint arrived today, so we are ready to go! The dog has disappeared and I’m left with a big packet of dog biscuits.
17 September 1993 Almerimar
I started off by putting undercoat on the hull where the epoxy and GRP were showing through. I greased all the sea cocks. I rubbed down and painted the binnacle. The dog has turned up again with his mum! I had a mad rush of blood to the head and went for a run, gasp!
18 September 1993 Almerimar
I put on the first coat of antifoul after epoxying a few more bits on the bottom of the keel. I did the second and final coats of paint on the binnacle and started to make a cupboard for electrics. I’ve decided that I hate being on the hard and alone. It’s great being alone for 2 days, but a week!
19 September 1993 Almerimar
A bit of a lazy day today because it’s Sunday. I painted the anchor chain and put things back onto the binnacle. I then spent the rest of the day reading about self steering and sail boat dynamics. I think that the problem I am having with the Hydrovane is due to the balance of the rig giving too much weather helm. The mizzen is raked back but should be vertical. I am going to retune the rigging when we are back in the water. The dog’s mum has gone.
20 September 1993 Almerimar
I moved the supports on the hull and sanded the bits that had been covered. I put 2 coats of antifoul on the waterline and the leading edges of the hull and keel. It’s been absolutely red hot today – I’m starting to have problems motivating myself. I just pottered about for 3 hours in the afternoon. I tried to ring Glenys, but I got the bloody answering machine – at least the dog loves me (while I keep feeding it!)
21 September 1993 Almerimar
I put on the final coat of antifoul today. I decided not to put any Micron antifoul on so that I can see if hard antifoul is OK. I tidied up and told the yard that I want to go back into the water on the 23rd.
I rang Glenys and she should be back by midday on the 23rd, so hopefully I will have everything straight. I’m feeling lonely now – I don’t think that I would make a good single handed sailor. I talked to an American single hander on “Mistral” who race-trims gliders for a living! He is presently setting up a factory to make kits for home built aircraft in Texas. The computer screen has gone funny again – I’m going to have to send it back.
22 September 1993 Almerimar
I did nothing today except tidy up. I’m going soft in my old age – I’ve run out of dog biscuits and I made a special trip to buy the dog a tin of dog food. If we lived in a house I’d adopt him!
23 September 1993 Almerimar
It was too windy to launch the boat this morning. In fact it was 30-35 knots during the night and I got up at four o’clock after I was rudely woken by the aft heads hatch crashing shut – I had to get up to check the shoring wedges!
I sat around waiting for Glenys and the boys to turn up. They should have arrived at about eleven o’clock this morning, but were delayed by 3 hours. They were shattered, so we went out for a meal and then lounged about.
24 September 1993 Almerimar
The wind died down during the night, so we launched the boat this morning. We went and filled up with fuel and then we spent most of the day tidying up, washing the decks and reassembling the rigging. I put two new inner tubes on Brett’s bike. It’s great to be back in the water.
25 September 1993 Almerimar
I put tell-tales on the genoa and put it back onto the forestay. I then did admin, sorted out the mail from UK, paid the marina bill, packed my computer ready for sending to UK and generally tidied up for sea. We’ve been here for 18 days, met a lot of people, carried out the main jobs but will be glad to be on our way. I’ve started to sort out the new charts for the Caribbean and I’m looking forward to getting to Gibraltar, so that we can escape from the Mediterranean and start our real journey.
26 September 1993 Almerimar to Motril
It was very foggy when we woke up, so we went back to bed for an hour. We left at about nine o’clock with two other British boats. One of them is Jill and Dave “The Don” on “ETU”.
We ran into very dense fog for a few hours. I had great fun using the radar to sneak up on Dave who hasn’t got a radar. We loomed out of the gloom about 50 metres from him and offered to sell him a radar. We then slipped quietly back into the fog leaving him alone.
We anchored off the Club Nautico in Motril. I checked out the engine on the passage and could only get 2000 rpm max – before I adjusted the pitch of the propeller I could get 2500 rpm – I wonder if this is a problem? I’ve also released the bearings on the log impellor and it’s over-reading now, so I’m trailing the other log to calibrate it. I reset the calibration – I think it’s OK. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Brett and I wandered around the village next to the Port of Motril – very squalid and not many shops. I think that we will go early tomorrow.
27 September 1993 Motril to Marina del Esta, Mona
It was really foggy again when we woke up. We waited a while until it looked as though it was clearing and then decided to go. By the time we had hauled up the anchor, the visibility was back down to 200 metres, but we decided to give it a whirl to go to Marina Del Este. We motored in visibility as bad as 50 metres with Glenys on visual watch (the cold one) and me down below watching the radar, GPS and the chart. I found it to be a bit like a video game (a bit exciting) whereas Glenys had the reality of staring into a fog bank.
We passed about 5 other boats, thank God for radar! The fog dramatically cleared when we were about 400 metres from the harbour entrance – smack on the nose, of course!
28 September 1993 Marina del Esta to Benalmadena
What a horrible trip. As soon as we left the marina, we encountered a 2 metre swell from the SW. There was no wind and the sea was very short and confused. We just motored into it, pitching madly - Chunder Factor 7. We arrived in company with “Roanne” who left Almerimar with us. Dave and Jill from “ETU” had arrived earlier in the day and came for a drink in the evening. Dave says that the Viceroy of India in Cornwallis Walk, Gibraltar does a good curry.
29 September 1993 Benamaldena
A shopping, washing and tidying-up sort of day. Benalmadena Marina is a very pleasant place with good facilities. I rode the bike to Torremolinos and found that the sea front is very nice with a narrow street full of shops and restaurants running parallel to the beach. After listening to Monty Python, I expected it to be a very rough place. There is an Oyster 39 for sale for £85K which is rougher than ours with a lot less gear (he’s got no chance!)
30 September 1993 Benamaldena to Duquesa
We motored out into a flat, oily sea. By half past ten, the wind had picked up enough for us to sail. We managed to hold a pretty good course until midday, when the wind veered and headed us. It took us 3½ hours to go the last 10 miles with 30 knot gusts on the nose. I really enjoyed it, but it was very tiring.
When I went to check in to the marina, the guy carefully typed all our details into his computer, which then lost the lot! I’ve noticed that it takes twice as long to check in at marinas which have computers (even if they don’t lose the data). The marina is exactly like the rest on the Costa Del Sol – boring.