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 [...]

Lots Of People On Board!

11 September 2015 | Real Club Nautico de Palma, Mallorca
Jax/Hot and Unsettled
The weather remained somewhat unsettled and we had a bumpy motor-sail when we left Cabrera on Thursday afternoon. We had intended to head for S'Arenal and anchor there for the night but it soon became clear that a southerly swell had kicked in and looked likely to remain so we resorted to Plan B and headed for Palma Nova, one of the few places where we knew we could anchor out of the swell.

The last two hours of the journey were slightly miserable - the cloud thickened and it rained hard. Tom and Kate were valiant and helmed all the way back, keeping Springy on an even keel in the bumpy sea. We all sat in the cockpit getting wet but in true British style, we just put on our waterproof coats and buoyed up with copius cups of tea we arrived in Palma Nova early evening, just as the rain stopped. A highlight of the trip was, just as we'd left Cabrera we watched a swordfish leaping in and out of the water just a few yards from the side of the boat - we'd only seen a swordfish on the fishmonger's slab before.

With the sun out again on Friday morning, we upped anchor and tooteld across to Punta Negra for a pre-breakfast swim in this pretty little bay, turning our backs on the sprawl of Palma Nova and Magaluf. In the afternoon we motored into Palma and again took a berth in Real Club Nautico de Palma.

Robbie had been in touch with his insurance company and arranged to meet their assessor once we were berthed in Palma. No sooner had we tied up than Juan, the assessor, appeared along with Charlie his technician and they were soon involved in inspecting the auto-pilot computer, wind instruments and alternator regulator (the red light had continued to come on and go off over the last couple of days). Then, Reiner, the electrician who had our auto-pilot control unit, turned up too, along with his assistant - my word, it was getting busy on board Springy! Reiner had found there was no fault with the control unit and therefore, this made it plain that it was the auto-pilot computer which had suffered the damage. I must say that we were really pleased with the service and advice given by everyone and the ease with which Juan told Robbie that he had the 'green light' to go ahead and get repairs done, all covered by his insurance policy. With all these people on board, Kate and Tom made a hasty exit and indulged themselves in some tourism, visiting the Cathedral in Palma.

That evening we wandered out into the city and had a lovely dinner in a little restaurant in the Santa Catalina area of Palma.
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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