We have here in Gibraltar now for 2 weeks, we have spent time stocking up on food items for both crossings, Atlantic and Pacific, different items we won't be able to get there. We have made several trips across the border to Gibraltar from Spain, walking across the active runway! They close it when planes are taking off and landing. Otherwise it is used as the main road in and out.
We waited a fair time for Eric the rigger to get around to do our job on the furler for the genoa, several screws had come loose. Unfortunately we missed the window of weather for a good crossing to the Canaries by only half a day, so have waited until now for the next batch of good weather, we will leave the marina tomorrow and fuel up, then anchor in the bay until we can get going from here.
Have met some really nice people here and hope to catch up with some of them in the Canaries and beyond.

Formentera to Gibraltar
We set off at 8 am and sailed for quiet a while then motor sailed and motor and back to sailing, good trip made good progress, a few spots of rain other than that nice clear skies and sunshine, got close to the coast of Spain on several occasions and had wifi. Managing on the 3 - 4 hour shift arrangement at night, seems to suit both of us. Rang La Linea marina, she told us just to come, plenty of space.

Arrived within the Gibraltar area at 4 am ,massive amount of ships anchored and moving about, we both stayed up as pretty hard to see what was going on, we slowed right down to enter the harbour area at sunrise. Got into the marina, and tied up at the very high visitors dock, booked in and the staff are very helpful and friendly, we tied up on our finger berth.

Started well , then bad weather later in sail, toward entering the area of Mallorca we encounted huge thunder, heavy rain and lightning , next to no visiblity, found it extremely hard to see what was going on, rain on radar obscuring boats.

Anchored in Sant Jordi Bay, Mallorca after a long wet and windy trip from Sardinia.
Nice settled anchorage behind the small island
19th October ,run from Mallorca to Formentera Island.
Up early 5 am for Formentera hoping to make it before night. Motor sailing, rain in the first quarter of the trip, sun now and nice and warm. joined by a little bird, who has decided he likes our interior design and wants to keep going inside, we have nick named him Rare Admiral, he continues to pick at all the crumbs left around and also the welcome mat. He remained with us for 4 -5 hours. After he was finished his eating he left, not a goodbye, thank you anything! Oh well off to Ibiza for better food.
Wind not co operating so we are putting the sails in and out to get as many knots as we can to get there before nightfall. We arrived just as the sun was going down, and still light enough to see whats what. There are 8 other boats here, picked up a mooring buoy and settled for the evening, some swell in the bay. Spent 2 nights here on the mooring buoy and several boats came and went , a far few tripper boats packed with people. Made bread and scones for next leg

Left early at 6 am and motor sailed to Cala Rotondo on Favignana Island in the Egdali Islands, western end of Sicily. Really nice spot, and semi enclosed bay, another yacht here, so hopefully a settled night, no wind to speak of, wonderful rock formations.
13 14 15 16 October
Sailed from Egdali islands to Sardinia
We arrived in the late night to Porto Malfalto and anchored in the big bay with a German catarmaran and several other yachts to our starboard, the night was less than perfect, windy and rolly, but glad to get some sleep, in the morning we moved around to behind the Island and had a much better deal there, less roll and wind, stayed a night there, rain and cold but nice to not be moving again.

Syracusa

Syracusa