Category Archives: Spain

I sailed to Barbate

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Church in main square, Barbate

My Atlantic Spain and Portugal pilot refers to Barbate as a practical stopover in a somewhat soulless town. The marina certainly isn’t packed with nightclubs and restaurants. It has two of the later and none of the former. More distressing, for any slothful sailor like myself, is the 2km hike into town to buy provisions. Despite this, I wouldn’t go as far as calling Barbate soulless. I’d settle for a tad dull.

I wandered aimlessly about the town for days, took the obligatory snapshot of the white sandy beach, church and town hall (all very nice if you frame the photo well), and loitered suspiciously for hours at venues offering Internet access (both restaurants at the marina have WiFi, and in town there are two “cyber-cafes”. The coin operated one near the beach is probably your best bet).

Despite enthusiastically delving into the myriad of touristic offerings (attempt at dry humor here), I couldn’t quite get accustomed to Barbate and eagerly awaited an opportunity to depart.

The regular jogger set, dog and power walkers, passed by frequently as they made their daily pilgrimages between downtown and the marina. I lived in fear that they’d move beyond our now customary brief nod of recognition, and stop to converse.

For someone as poorly versed in Spanish as myself, (my conversational repertoire is currently limited to boat talk and the weather), the mere thought of engaging in serious small talk is traumatic! Mind you, I did plan to take it in small steps… starting perhaps with a few words to the dogs and slowly working up from that. 😉

Barbate beach in March

I needn’t have worried. No one ventured to go beyond the briefest “Ola”. Perhaps I’d already outstayed my welcome. This paranoiac notion grew as staff at El Espigon, (where I visited daily for a morning espresso and tostada), suddenly appeared reluctant to provide me with Wi-Fi access (it’s mysteriously switched off when customers linger for more than the briefest of sessions).

Even the restaurant at the other end of the marina has started using the “silently switch it off” strategy to ration Internet usage. It’s a Barbate conspiracy. True, I’m no big spender, (I can only drink so much coffee), but I’m also very unlikely to seriously impact their bandwidth quotas by writing my blog.

To add insult to injury, they’ve only given me one packet of jam with my toast today! Simply outrageous! It’s clearly time for me to move on, but where is that weather window when you need it?

What a difference a day makes.

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Ships bridge doublethink

It’s a fine day for motor-sailing, the sea is tranquil and my new sail is performing beautifully. I slip by the bizarre collection of ships anchored outside Gibraltar’s breakwater and wonder at their form and function.

Some are obviously oil carriers but others defy explanation. I’m not the only curious one. The radio (VHF channel 16) is alive with requests from Tarifa traffic control for ships to identify themselves and declare their cargo and intentions. One small mystery is resolved as I overhear a ship (bound for Hamburg) state they are carrying “non hazardous” palm oil (how curious).

On closer inspection I see that many shipping companies have taken to having slogans painted under the bridge. Alongside the traditional “No Smoking”, which kind of makes sense for an oil carrier, are contemporary phrases such as “Protect the environment”, “Avoid pollution” and my favourite; “Dedicated to improve our environment”. Is this a new medium for propagating George Orwellian doublethink? I’d never noticed it before…

Overtaken by a larger yacht

I make for Punta Carnero at a brisk 5 kts determined to make the most of the calm conditions. Hugging the coast (as suggested in the guides), I attempt to extract the most from the westward tidal stream. Moments later I find myself overtaken by a larger yacht. It’s crew choses a course a mile or two from the coast but I stubbornly maintain my puny 2 to 3 cable offing. Within minutes the tables are turned as my impromptu racing opponents encounter the east flowing surface current while I accelerate to over 6.5kts SOG in the shallows. I make the most of our little victory and dance a brief jig in Eileen’s pushpit (Ah, the things you can get away with when sailing alone..). Besides, it’s not every day that a Yarmouth23 gets the better of a larger yacht.

Our speed is so impressive, we reach Tarifa well before my original estimated time of arrival. With plenty of daylight hours remaining there’s no point in stopping so we round the lighthouse, wave to an assemblage of tourists and push on to Barbate.

Through the straits… NOT

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Sailing in rough seas

I took care that evening to check up on the weather forecast using my personal SMS weather service and double checked this against NAVTEXT transmissions (via my laptop and HF radio receiver).

I find I can only trust the forecasts on Internet web sites for two days, and sure enough, the situation had changed considerably from my three day old predictions. The heavy rain in what should have been fine weather was what tipped me off ;-), though F5 to 6 instead of 3 should also have given me a substantial indicator.

Near gales despite the weather predictions? Not as unusual as one might expect.

Another forecast check, first thing in the morning, assured me that the conditions would rapidly improve and smooth seas with F3 winds in just the right direction would prevail. I should have paid more attention to what my eyes were telling me and not just what was in the idyllic forecast. It took a full 24 hours before conditions approached what was forecast, and there I was merrily making my way to Tarifa in what turned out to be increasingly turbulent seas.

Here is a copy of the full transmission:

ZCZC GE41
21 0710 UTC MAR 10
WEATHER BULLETIN

NR/ESTF8707/10
ROUTINE

SPANISH METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY
WEATHER AND SEA BULLETIN FOR HIGH SEAS ON 21MAR10
1.- NO GALE WARNINGS FOR OUR ZONES
2.-GENERAL SYNOPSIS AT 00 UTC AND EVOLUTION.
LOW OF 982 SOUTH OF ICELAND ALMOST STATIONARY LITTLE CHANGES.LOW OF 1014 AT 35N 45W MOVING EASTWARDS AS FAR AS  SW OF AZORES.NO CHANGES.HIGH OF 1026 CENTERED BETWEEN AZORES AND MADEIRA, MOVING NORTHEASTWARDS AND DECLINING.HIGH OF 1028 CENTERED IN N OF LIBIA MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARDS AND DECLINING , SPREADING AS FAR AS WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN, AT FIRST WITH 1022 BUT 1018 AT THE END.
3.-FORECAST VALID UNTIL 21MAR10 AT 2400 UTC.
SAO VICENTE:IN NW , N 4 TO 5 ELSEWHERE VARIABLE 2 TO 3 INCREASING TO NNW 4 LOCALLT N 5 BY AFTERNOON.SMOOTH INCREASING TO SLIGHT .SHOWERS.
CADIZ:VARIABLE 2 TO 3 BUT IN EASTERN SE 3 TO 5 AT FIRST, DECREASING TO VARIABLE 2 TO 3.SLIGHT TO MODERATE IN EASTERN AT FIRST DECREASING TO SMOOTH IN ALL THE AREA.SHOWERS AT FIRST.
ESTRECHO:E 3 TO 5 DECREASING TO E 3.SLIGHT DECREASING TO SMOOTH.SHOWERS AT FIRST.
CASABLANCA:N AND NW 4 TO 5 BECOMING NE, WITH VARIABLE 2 TO 4 IN NE UNTIL NOON.SMOOTH TO SLIGHT.SOME SHOWERS.
AGADIR:N AND NW 4 TO 5 BECOMING NE INCREASING TO N 5.SMOOTH TO SLIGHT INCREASING TO MODERATE.
ALBORAN:NW 3 TO .&&)0/+**.8*(*SHOWERS.
PALOS: VARIABLE 2 TO 4 BECOMING WBY AFTERNOON  AND INCREASING TO W AND SW 4 TO 5 AT THE END.SMOOTH LOCALLY SLIGHT.MODERATE IN SHOWERS.
ARGELIA:VARIABLE 2 TO 4 BECOMING  ELY BY AFTERNOON AND SLY AT THE END.SMOOTH LOCALLY MODERATE.

Things went slightly amiss just past Punta Carnero. There is a cardinal marker approximately two miles offshore from the aforesaid headland, and rounding this, under stay-sail and double reefed, my mainsail gave way, unexpectedly tearing itself to shreds.

There is a hole in my mainsail...

Well not quite shreds… two big shreds is perhaps a more accurate description, but not to belabor the point, I can assure you that the sail (in two large shreds or several) was as effectively out of commission. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that bothered by the loss of the sail, (I’d normally be in tears…), after all, it was almost ten years old, and besides, I had a spare… but I really would have appreciated a more opportune time for its demise.

Auxiliary on, new trysail hoisted (it sounds so easy when I write it…), I bounced my way back to Gibraltar.

Below decks, everything that could, had dislodged itself, littering the cabin sole. Outside was no better, as Eileen of Avoca was ‘slipping it green’ and I in turn was slipping all over the place and turning blue from the cold… make that blue-green as I was also feeling decidedly queasy.

Still, matters could have been far worse, I reasoned that all the mess would be sorted out in Gibraltar and since I didn’t have far to go (10 miles at most), I’d soon be ashore finding someone to mend the sail and sourcing parts to repair the now defunct reefing system… Four unpleasant and thoroughly sopping hours later I found that this was an erroneous assumption.

Queensway Quay Marina sent me away, stating they had no room for boats of my dimensions (all taken by permanent residents) and Marina Bay wouldn’t or couldn’t acknowledge my frequent calls over VHF.

So be it… Back to the anchorage at La Linea, where I set about lacing my reserve mainsail and putting matters on board in some semblance of order.

I’ll just give it all another go tomorrow…

Sailing to Gibraltar?

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Gibraltar from La Linea anchorage

An 8am start on yet another misty day. Apart from checking the almanac for high tide (in order to catch a complimentary tidal stream), there was not much preparation required (from a navigational standpoint ), to reach Gibraltar. I aimed for the big rock to the south and tried not to get hit by, or run into (as vessels are mostly anchored), any shipping.

Taking the compulsory snapshot of ‘the captain’ with Gibraltar in the background, I then headed for the anchorage at La Linea, bypassing Gibraltar to forgo clearing customs.

I don’t like the smell here… What with the Spanish refinery to the west, the airport jet-fuel vapors to the east and an armada of tankers surrounding Gibraltar, it’s no wonder the air and water is thick with the scent of odoriferous chemicals.

The view of “the rock”, is, by contrast, superb.

On to Estepona

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Life vest found at sea

On a smooth gray sea I motored to Estepona. Visibility was poor, but I did manage to see enough to catch a discarded life vest as it drifted by. No markings anywhere and thankfully no shipwrecked individual still clinging to it.

Eileen motored on through the mist, at one point emerging amongst a ‘flotilla’ of resting sea gulls. Taking flight, they squawked angrily, and circled with what appeared to be the express intention of bombarding me with excreta. I managed to dodge most of it, but Eileen was less fortunate!

Arriving at Estepona’s visitors quay, I was courteously met and assisted with securing Eileen. The staff then accompanied me to the marina office where I completed the usual formalities (passport, insurance, boat registration papers), and paid what amounted to twice the daily rate of Fuengirola. Their saving grace however, was the welcoming gift of a bottle of local table wine. Aha!, an obvious ploy to win me over and trivialize the price hike. 🙂

Estepona is well serviced with chandlers, sail makers, night clubs and restaurants. Supermarkets are also just a short walk away, but I did not need or care to venture into town. Having made the most of my complementary gift, I opted instead for an early night.

Something to write home about

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Smartly dressed dog

While many of my emails to marinas on my route (requesting the availability of a berth), are either ignored or given short thrift (i.e. “go away.. you are too small a boat to bother with”…take note Italy and Gibraltar!), it was an unexpected pleasure to deal with the small boat  friendly and professional staff at Fuengirola.

For what it’s worth, the marina gets my enthusiastic recommendation. It’s inexpensive (7.45 a night with electricity and WiFi), secure, well managed, and situated in a real town!

And while I’m unashamedly giving plugs for the city:

If you see this smartly dressed dog, be sure to say hello to her very simpatico owners for me!

If you fancy dining on authentic Italian pizza (not the popular Spanish equivalent that’s made of cement and seemingly flattened by a steam roller), then seek out this establishment.

Best Pizza in Fuengirola

I admit to having cravings for pizza while cruising. If I could fit a pizza oven on Eileen, I’d be in gastronomic heaven, but alas I have to make do with a plastic box for germinating alfalfa sprouts… Not quite the same, but I’m trying to convince myself that it’s a far healthier substitute.

Oh, and if you’d rather frequent a locals establishment (for drinks and tapas), go no further than ‘La Fonda’ (opposite the bus station). You will undoubtedly be well looked after.

All of which made my stay in Fuengirola grand. I liked it so much, I went to fetch my mother and inflicted a weeks holiday (with me) on her. I even bullied her aboard Eileen to endure a day-sail / fishing trip and have the photographic evidence to prove it!

Where are the fish?

Our amateurish attempts to harvest the seas bounty here were however, frustrated by one small issue. The complete lack of fish to be caught anywhere near La Costa del Sol.

I’m told by a reliable source that the local ‘sports fishermen’ now often resort to accidentally having their lines stray into fish farm enclosures to guarantee that catch. Is this so that they can return home with enough bounty to justify the cost of taking out the diesel dollar guzzler… I mean… the leisure cruiser?

No surprise given that trawlers by the dozen sieve the sea of everything edible, leaving nothing but plastic bags, bottles and assorted junk in their wake.

I might have to wait until I reach the Atlantic before I can catch another meal, but the lure goes into the water despite the dismal prospects.

Viva Fuengirola!

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Fuengirola Marina

It was a cold and wet 22 hour sail from Almerimar to Fuengirola and despite wearing nearly every article of woolen clothing that I own, I felt I was sailing in the Arctic rather than the South of Spain.

With so many layers of clothing I looked like an inflated puffer fish, but despite the handicap, I still managed to keep Eileen of Avoca pointed in the right direction. Bravado aside, there really isn’t that much to do ‘on passage’ once the sails are set and the autopilot’s engaged.

Just the way I like it… There aren’t too many sporting activities that allow you to make a cup of tea or take a nap while you are at it… though upon further reflection I’ve added cricket to the list :).

Not that I was sleeping, a ready supply of RedBull and the angry buzz of my newly installed radar detector kept me wide awake as I ambled past the light off Cabo Sacratif (FL (2) 10S 25M).

I passed the time rummaging through my provisions for that ideal midnight snack, listening to insults exchanged over the radio (prompted by some bored fisherman amusing himself with incessant on-off transmitter clicks and the occasional groan), and obsessively fussing over the GPS in order to make that negligible and completely unnecessary adjustment to my course.

Surprise surprise, I didn’t run into anything, I was not attacked by pirates or sea monsters, and no rogue waves materialized. I just motored into the marina, tied Eileen to the visitors pontoon, and stepped ashore in Fuengirola. All too easy! I’ll have nothing to blog about if this keeps up.

Abandoned boats!

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Abandoned boats

Abandoned Boats

Here I am busying myself with boat maintenance and moored across from me is the most sorry looking  collection of dilapidated sailing vessels I’ve ever seen.

Why isn’t someone looking after them?
A mystery which was only recently resolved while chatting to locals.

They are the confiscated property of drug runners plying their trade between la Costa del Sol and Morocco!

Which explains why the authorities were so keen to question me and search my boat at Benalmadena and again upon my return to Almerimar.

Except that I hadn’t been anywhere near Morocco… 🙂

I’m told that in the past these assets were sold, but the authorities found they often ended up back in the hands of organised crime so now they just sit there at the mercy of the elements.

Life in Almerimar – an oxymoron?

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Running wiring on a Yarmouth23

Running the wiring

I’ve been sheltering in the port of Almerimar on La Costa Del Sol for the past month.

Regular, and poorly forecast storms with with Force 8 winds are making cruising somewhat impractical so I’ve assigned myself to boat maintenance duty.

I’ve made a temporary mount for my Rutland 504 wind turbine out of a fishing rod holder, run new wiring, and installed a Rutland HRDX Charge Controller to manage the system.

Running the wires took a couple of days (I’m on cruisers time so all jobs take 3 times as long to complete), and while all the cabin lining was removed I though I’d might as well get my Mer Veille (Radar Detector) up and running. It wasn’t doing me much good stowed away in the hold.

So here is what it looks like now.

Rutland 504 wind turbine

I’ve put the instruction manual for the HRDX here and the Mer Veille here so I don’t loose them (again…)

Eileen of Avoca is really starting to look like a long distance cruiser now!

On a sunny day (a rarity), I also made a highly optimistic attempt at varnishing, but a sudden change in the weather ruined my masterpiece so I’ve given up and will wait another month or two before tackling the brightwork.

Another couple of days were passed head down in the bilge figuring out why my hot water system leaked… (Calcium deposits in the pressure release valve)… Fixed with some “anti-calc” bought at the supermarket.

HRDX Controller and Mer Veille

While playing the yachtsman version of “twister” in the bilge, I gave the few rusty bits on the propeller shaft coupling a good scrub and repaint so everything is now looking remarkably tidy down there. A case of transferred entropy, because I was looking remarkably messy.

So… is there anything else to do while wintering in Almerimar (apart from visiting the chandlers for that missing piece required to complete a boat project?

Well, if you like walks on the beach you can amble along what’s left of the grey sand to the west of the marina admiring the unfinished apartment monoliths. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants competing for what seems to be an increasingly endangered species… the client. I regularly frequented an English bar called the “Stumble Inn” or a Spanish one called “Emporio” for a social chat, coffee and free Internet Wi-Fi.

Beach at Almerimar

Beach at Almerimar

I’m struggling to add to the list… but perhaps I’m just too unimaginative.

Wintering in Almerimar, Spain

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Well I didn’t expect to get stuck in the south of Spain for the winter, but there is no point pursuing a planned itinerary when the weather is so disagreeable. I’ll just have to be fatalistic (quid erit, erit …) and accept that I wont be moving until Poseidon wills it.

My plans must change. Fortunately I have no time limit and few commitments, so it’s easily done.
Crossing the Atlantic will now wait until the 2010-11 season. The new plan has me sailing along the Atlantic coast back to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight where Eileen was built before heading south for the usual jump-off points.

This opens plenty of new possibilities for interesting cruising in Portugal and the west coast of France. I’ll be able to catch up with other Yarmouth23 owners and finally have some quality work carried out on Eileen of Avoca before heading further afield. I’ve not had the greatest success with yards in Italy, Greece or Spain.

For the moment I’ll play the wintering in Spain game and catch up on what boat maintenance I can carry out while afloat. Yay! 🙂