Anchored off Arenal Gran
We spent yesterday evening fretting over pilot books, charts and the internet having seen the weather forecast for Thursday with thunder storms and strong winds from the east. We'd read that Porto Colom, our anchorage of choice for its all round shelter, was now no anchoring at all with mooring buoys placed everywhere. We despaired as for us a buoy woukd be around €40 a night, extortionate in our opinion. Then Delia on Go got in touch to say they had anchored there, just on the right of the entrance so we now had a potential refuge as all the calas were out with the swell and easterly winds.

That swell! Our fourth or fifth sleep disturbed night since we arrived on Mallorca caused by swell. We were well out of the direct swell in Porto Petro but it was reflecting off the sides of the cala resulting in a confused chop and roll. Not good.

I was happy to be up and away looking for a safe place the next morning. We motored directly to Porto Colom to find just 2 boats anchored off Arenal Gran, both looked like no one was on board. Second anchor attempt held then it was relief induced sleep catch up time.

There are big mooring fields in Porto Colom with the only anchorages off Arenal Gran and another small area on the other side of the fairway snugged in before the moorings begin. We dinghied ashore and tied up on rings along the quay for a walk ashore.


Porto Colom is still a traditional fishing town

We can see directly out through the entrance of the harbour so a southerly swell would probably not be good, as it was the south-east swell didn't affect us too much and died right off through the day.

We helped Rene and Angelique celebrate a year of cruising with a bottle of bubbles on Pimentao. Back on Emerald we watched a bride and groom having photos taken on the beach. The groom started running across the beach and I was expecting a Dirty Dancing type finish but no, he just stopped in front of her. Shame. I'm wondering if it was just a photo shoot as all the wedding guests were missing.

There's something in the air.....
Something is definately brewing up in the atmosphere, there have been foreboding clouds lurking out on the horizon which have shuffled on south with only a few spits of rain here. No wind at the moment, the anchored boats are bobbing in all directions doing a random dance. Good job we all have plenty of swing room. The air does have a 'feel' to it, lets see what tomorrow brings....(just seen ligtning flash to the south!)