sySpringDawn

Vessel Name: Spring Dawn
Vessel Make/Model: Rival 41
Hailing Port: Hamble
Crew: Robbie Wilderspin & Jacqueline Cole
About: Robbie's a salty old sea dog. Jax is still learning.
20 June 2017 | Rio Judeu, Seixal
17 June 2017 | Praia Grande, Portimao
15 June 2017 | Alcaidesa Marina, La Linea
13 June 2017 | Benalmadena Marina
12 June 2017 | Almerimar Marina
08 June 2017 | Marina Alicante
07 June 2017 | Marina Alicante
06 June 2017 | Marina Alicante
03 June 2017 | Rada del Moraira
02 June 2017 | Islas Columbrete
05 October 2015 | Sant Carles de la Rapita, Spain
30 September 2015 | RCN Palma, Palma de Mallorca
26 September 2015 | Cala Gran, Mallorca
25 September 2015 | Cala Ratjada, Mallorca
24 September 2015 | Puerto de Pollenca, Mallorca
17 September 2015 | Villa Can Joan, Pollenca, Mallorca
13 September 2015 | Puerto Soller, Mallorca
11 September 2015 | Real Club Nautico de Palma, Mallorca
09 September 2015 | Isla de Cabrera, Balearics
08 September 2015 | Sa Rapita, Mallorca
Recent Blog Posts
20 June 2017 | Rio Judeu, Seixal

Lisbon and an intermission...

Having enjoyed a day to go ashore, do a bit of swimming and generally restore ourselves we left the anchorage on Monday morning. First stop was the waiting pontoon in Lagos so that I could go to Sopromar for impellers and gas, Tom went to Intermarche for other essentials. Sopromar came up trumps, though [...]

17 June 2017 | Praia Grande, Portimao

And so to Portugal...

Left La Linea bright and early for the journey onward from the Med and into the Atlantic. It was the first day of the tuna season so our exit was in company with a number of power boats equipped with fearsome looking rods and what appear to be dentist chairs into which the fisherman can be strapped should [...]

15 June 2017 | Alcaidesa Marina, La Linea

Leaving the Med (and more socialising)...

Left Benalmadena around 08.00 for a motor sail around Europa Point and into La Linea Alcaidesa marina, picking up fuel in Marina Bay, Gibraltar, on the way - 50p a litre ! Bit hazy all the way with the rock appearing out the mist at around 5 miles, and if you want to see traffic on AIS look no futher [...]

13 June 2017 | Benalmadena Marina

Sail repairs and socialising...

We left the marina at Almerimar about 3pm to anchor outside (and not incur a second nights charge). The plan was to have supper and set off for Benalmadena overnight, about 85 miles. Didnt really fancy much to eat as we'd had a largish lunch (black pudding sausage n chips for me) so a quick sarnie, up [...]

12 June 2017 | Almerimar Marina

A bit of a blur...

On leaving Alicante we had a short trip to an anchorage in the entrance to the Mar Menor. We passed Torrevieja on the way where I have been assured the cheapest full english on the Costas can be had for something like €2.99, never mind the quality eh! The anchorage is not pretty but it is secure, its [...]

08 June 2017 | Marina Alicante

The delights of Alicante...

The marina is part of the local scene as the paseo goes around the outside of the basin with a casino and many restaurants and bars. The city is a cool network of narrow streets and squares overlooked by a castle whose origins go back to the 9th century during the Muslim occupation of Iberia. The paseo [...]

Light Westerlies??? (Barbate to La Linea via Tarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar)

06 January 2012 | La Linea de la Concepcion
Jax/Blowing like the merry blazes!
We set off after breakfast on the 35 mile or so trip from Barbate to La Linea de la Conception in the knowledge that the forecast was showing light westery winds for the day i.e. the wind would be behind us as opposed to the usual prevailing easterly Levante. We were motor sailing with the main up when the engine died. A quick diagnosis by Cap'n Robbie was that we had air in the fuel system. By this point (we were about 2 hours into the journey) the wind had built a little so we unfurled the gib and Robbie went below to bleed the system.

In the 15 or 20 minutes Robbie was in the engine room, the wind had built some more and we were seeing gusts of over 25 knots and I was thinking to myself that we really ought to put a reef in the main. We safely rounded Tarifa point (the kite surfing capital of Europe where it's windy 300 days per year) and Robbie put two reefs in the main.

As we approached the next waypoint we had so much wind on the tail and so much current under us, we were doing over 10 knots over the ground! - Go Spring Dawn!! By now the wind was gusting over 30 knots and the sea state had gone from moderate to a big lumpy chop. However, 'The Rock' was in sight and what an impressive sight it is. We were still going like a rocket and we'd calculated that we would reach La Linea by mid-afternoon in time for a nice cup of tea. In reality, we barely had time to finish our lunch as we roared into the harbour, dodging the anchored tankers and fast ferries. Shortly before we arrived in La Linea we saw our highest gust of the day - 42 knots!! What happened to those light westerlies??!!

In summary - not an entirely comfortable journey but the best speed over ground we've ever achieved out of Springy and, as a bonus, we arrived an hour and a half ahead of schedule! Thankfully, the engine started first turn and we tied up in Alcaidesa marina in La Linea de la Conception, the town on the Spanish side of the border with Gibraltar....a windswept and interesting journey!
Comments
Spring Dawn's Photos - Main
Cefalu to Vulcano and Messina
30 Photos
Created 20 September 2013
Capo Vito to Termini Imerese including Palermo
29 Photos
Created 18 September 2013
Trapani & the Egadi Islands
13 Photos
Created 16 September 2013
Carbonara to Olbia & back
29 Photos
Created 16 September 2013
Maddalenas - Alghero - Cagliari
41 Photos
Created 16 September 2013
...Alghero to Bonifacio with Ocean Hobo
46 Photos
Created 16 September 2013
35 Photos
Created 16 September 2013
..but mostly Valencia
38 Photos
Created 22 January 2013
45 Photos
Created 22 January 2013
14 Photos
Created 22 January 2013
23 Photos
Created 21 January 2013
71 Photos
Created 21 January 2013
Costa del Sol, Costa de Almeria & Costa Blanca
19 Photos
Created 21 January 2013
44 Photos
Created 21 January 2013
Smir, Tetuan & Ceuta
27 Photos
Created 20 January 2013
16 Photos
Created 20 January 2013
The Guadiana to Tarifa
39 Photos
Created 1 March 2012
Lagos, Alvor, Portimao, Faro & Culhatra
13 Photos
Created 1 March 2012
Povoa da Varzim, Oporto, Peniche, Lisbon
18 Photos
Created 12 November 2011
Ria de Muros, Ris de Arousa, Ria de Pontevedra & Ria de Vigo
16 Photos
Created 12 November 2011
Ribadeo to Finisterre
15 Photos
Created 17 October 2011
12 Photos
Created 14 September 2011
19 Photos
Created 3 September 2011
23 Photos
Created 2 September 2011
19 Photos
Created 18 August 2011
41 Photos
Created 1 August 2011
9 Photos
Created 19 July 2011
28 Photos
Created 19 July 2011

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