We've been waiting for a weather window, one that gives us a westerly wind to take us towards Barbate, and onwards to Gibraltar. Barbate is ideally positioned (being approximately 40 miles) to break up the 80 miles trip to Gibraltar. The forecast came through predicting a westerly 3-4 for the next few days so we wouldn't be spending too much time in Barbate. We decided therefore to leave Rota early and if everything went as planned we would arrive in Barbate late afternoon to allow us to spend a couple of hours walking around the town.

Leaving early meant no wind so we motored all the way. Live firing exercises were taking place just off Cadiz which could be heard for miles as we followed the coastline in depths no more than 30 meters.

Three sets of tuna nets were on route, all to be avoided. Thankfully they are laid in more or less the same position every season. From experience to date the markers for tuna nets have been huge bright yellow cardinal markers (depicting north, south, east and west). Generally these markers are seen many miles away but one set of markers were pathetically undersized - we were literally on them, thank goodness for chart plotters we say!

As we passed Cape Trafalgar we recalled how Nelson's fleet of 27 ships attacked 33 ships in battle, destroying the whole fleet without loss of a single English ship. This victory thwarted Napolean's plans to invade Britain. Britain controlled the seas. Nelson died during the attack. His body was pickled in a barrel of brandy and transported back to the UK.


Cape Trafalgar, one of the most famous headlands in the world.

Having passed Cape Trafalgar in the hazy distance we started to see land which made us question our positioning in relation to the Straits. It dawned on us that this land mass right in front of us was actually Morocco! What an amazing sight.


in the distance... Morocco, Africa!

Total distance this season: 165.21 nautical miles