With the wind predicted to shift to the south, we thought that we would get a leisurely sail along the SE coast of Mallorca... how things can change!

We motored past the offlying islets of Cabrera as they sat there like giant stepping stones heading towards Mallorca. It wasn't long before we found ourselves in lollopy seas, presumably leftover from the previous winds which made our progress slow and pretty uncomfortable. It didn't help that the southerly wind predicted was still northerly so we continued on under engine with a view to meandering into the various calas before deciding which one to anchor in overnight. Our requirements are simple - room to anchor and swell friendly - not much to ask for! :-)

Suddenly, out of nowhere the wind increased from virtually nothing to 25 knots, bang on the nose. Wham! Within fifteen minutes we had a short choppy sea with white cresting waves heading straight into the calas, putting pay to any ideas that we had of meandering around. For a moment we considered turning around to head south to the point before working our way north in the lee of the land to anchor just south of Sant Jordi. It would have been a quick sail with both wind and waves coming from behind but instead we decided to press on for Porto Petro, hopeful that the wind would blow itself out. Before our arrival we tried to contact 'Real Club Nautico del Porto Petro' who run the marina and maintain the mooring buoys but without success.

We passed Cala del Llamp which lies at the entrance to Porto Petro, but the anchorage was just too small to tuck ourselves in out of the way so continued into the bay. By the time we arrived there didn't appear to be any buoys left, however the marinero managed to fit us in at Cala d'els Homos Morts but mentioned that we may find it rolly given the now NE wind direction and that we could move to another buoy in the other cala, Cala dels Mats room permitting in the morning.

Total distance this season: 776.62 miles