So cruising eventually
16 May 2019
Phil Heaton
We left Albufeira on 1st May and motored the 25nm to Culatra. We had made new friends among the Albufeira overwinterers and were sad to say so long. There was plenty of room in the anchorage but even this early in the season it was quite busy with ferries and water taxis.
The following day we were off by 0640 for the 81nm to Rota, near Cadiz. We had a great beam reach in 10kts NE wind ... for an hour and then the wind died ... and then veered SE so not good for us ... and with about 15nm to go increased until it was c.25kts as we approached the Bay of Cadiz. We tucked into the marina (Plan A had been to anchor) and tied up at the reception berth for the night.
We kept going the next day and motored the 42nm to Barbate, rounding Cape Trafalgar - this was not a good trip as we had 12-15kts on the nose until past Cape Trafalgar when the wind eased but still on the nose.
The marina at Barbate we found to be very easy berthing as it has lots of space but it is somewhat run down, presumably because it is just an overnight stopping point and does not have a significant overwinter cruising population.
Off again on Saturday 4th May for the 36nm to Gibraltar and La Linea. Off Punta Camorro, near Tarifa, the wind kicked in and we had a cracking sail pretty much all the way after that. with 12-15kts NNW wind. We used Alcaidesa marina in La Linea as it is lower cost than the Gibraltar marinas and it is an easy walk to the border and into Gibraltar.
That evening we met up with Peter and Toni from s/y Tigger who we last saw in the Azores - they have an apartment in Gibraltar.
The following day we met some OCC folks Alan and Shirley Lillywhite and then did the Gibraltar tour, taking the cable car up, visiting St Michael's cave, seeing the macaques, exploring the Great Siege Tunnels from 1779-83 when the Spanish and French failed to recapture Gibraltar and climbing the Moorish Castle. A truly great day and we walked about 15km.
With the weather looking good for the trip into the Med we prepared Minnie B and left for Cartagena on Tuesday 7th May.