After settling the bill of €62 for the night in Ibiza we were ready to depart for a free anchorage. To us €62 is the most we have paid for a nights mooring, and we are not in the high season yet, we know there is much worse to come with reports from friends of amounts up to €230 in high season in some places. Having said this it will be what it will be. You just have to pay the price because sailing past some of the places like Monaco when we have come all this way would be silly.
When we set off we set ourselves a budget of €350 a week for food, moorings, fuel, gas etc. The first year we were quite surprised how little we spent with moorings ranging between €14 & €39 a night depending on the season. We had foolishly expected the first year to be the most expensive. Knowing what is ahead we are aware it is worth getting into the habit of taking advantage of safe anchorages (free) along the way to accrue some money in preparation for the more expensive must stop places.
So back to today, we are trying to plan our time in such a way to make sure we are in Barcelona for when Amy & Richard come out on the 18th June, this means we can take things slow, short hops. Todays was only 10 miles from Ibiza to an anchorage called Cala Yondal, a pretty anchorage which has a Champagne Beach Bar and very expensive houses lining the cliffs around, reportedly belonging to the very rich and famous. Further round the bay were sunbeds and palm parasols with waiters walking around serving drinks to the sunbathers. One real plus to this spot is you can pick up free Wifi, very unusual on an anchorage.
The sun was shining down and the Ibiza style music was beating out of the bar, not the awful block your ears type. As the day progressed the music did seem to get louder and we wondered what sort of a nights sleep we would get, I struggle to sleep when there is music playing.
Mike decided to plunge into the sea for a cool down and a skinny dip, stuff that for a lark, the water is still a bit to cool for me to even get in, never mind naked. By about 17:30 the wind and swell started to pick up and was rocking the boat about, Mike checked the forecast and it was not as predicted and certainly wasn’t suitable for the anchorage we were in. A quick decision and we were off to another anchorage around the corner called Cala de Port Roig which would be more sheltered from the wind and swell that we had experienced. It was quite strange sailing out of the cold wind and choppy water into a bay of sun and calm water within minutes. Not only was the weather a stark contrast but also the scenery. Sun burnt yellow and red cliffs with small wooden fishing shacks along the water’s edge, all rough in structure but oozing their own charm. As we gathered the lines of the mooring buoy a young man stood proudly naked at the sea edge watching us. I think it was maybe him I saw swimming in the water as we entered. On his own, he walked around the bay following the sun, wearing just a T shirt he would gather up his straw bag and guitar to each new spot until the time came that the sun was beyond reach and he made his assent up the steps. What a simplistic and peaceful lifestyle.