Back in Santa Ponca waiting on Yamaha engineers and an appointment with our sailmaker.

A week ago our main ripped finally giving notice of its intention to retire. We had hoped it would get us across the Pond once more where in Florida there is a brand new, unused one waiting on a best offer.

Faced with possibility of the thing disintegrating we've ordered a new one from OneSails.

Anyway, Santa Ponca turned out to be as rolly as Soller. This time, we had the space to put out a stern anchor and so, a bit optimistically we dropped our tiny 2.2lb (that's 2.2lbs; a couple of bags of sugar) dinghy anchor with 5 metres of chain on the end of my old stretchy climbing rope.

Just after we bought Time Bandit I read an Anchor Test in Yachting Monthly. They tested 12 anchors. New generation to old favourites. We had the "old favourites"; a Bruce and a CQR. They came bottom of the table. 11th and 12th respectively!

We therefore changed, buying the two at the top, a Spade and a Fortress. When I ordered the Spade I went up a size. However, they didn't have one in stock so I just took the next one up. Consequently, we have this very powerful anchor which, after a few days in Soller in a decent blow had dug itself so deep only the trip line allowed us to get it out.

Back to the tiny dinghy anchor.

To our amazement not only did this hold 13 tonnes of boat but, come the morning, lifting it was an effort.

Lifting also happened in the dark at 03:00 as we couldn't take the rolling any longer. So, there I am, rowing around in the dark try to lever this daft wee anchor off the bottom. Amazing holding for such a small anchor.

So, by 04:00 we were off, heading for Ibiza on a broad reach in 15+ knots. We averaged over 7 knots the whole way; 43 miles to Portinatx at the north end of the island.

Portinatx is a reasonably pretty little cala / tourist resort. A few apartment blocks off the beach with the usual bars and restaurants milking the sunburnt tourists.

Since we got here however the wind has been on the nose for our penultimate leg to Denia or even an overnighter direct to Valencia. So, once again we are sat at anchor, (in the pub actually) bobbing up and down which is 100 times better than rolling. Shame we're 20 metres from the rocks but we have faith in the Spade.