The anchorage at Addaia, Menorca. Emerald and Red Snapper nearest

Our friends left for Menorca on Thursday, but the winds that day looked too light for us to sail so we were delaying until Friday when stronger winds were forecast.

We waved them off then spent the day getting Emerald ready for sea again after 3 weeks in one place. We were able to buy water at the fuel pontoon in Alcudia Marina - €1 per 100 litres-ish. We'd used just under 400 litres in 24 days; about 16 litres a day. Then it was a few bits of shopping - essentials like cheap beer and wine! Colin had coffee with the Bulgarian-Russians that had been next to us for a week or so and we met the British couple with a motorboat on a mooring next to us, they were lovely and gave us lots of useful information about Addaia having started up the marina there.

Friday 8am we upped anchor, motor sailing for a couple of hours out of Alcudia Bay. Once clear of the shelter of Mallorca the wind picked up enough to sail; soon it was a F5 and a reef in main and genny went in with us still doing over 6kts. However, that was noting compared to the Wally superyacht (called Open Season) that overtook us, they must have been going nearly 3 times as fast as us!


What a Wally

Approaching the western end of Menorca looked quite barren, low cliffs topped with parched grass and no trees, a bit like some od the Orkney islands. Dotted around were some beehive shaped buildings which we guess are prehistoric. Along the north coast it started to get greener ashore, trees and bushes covering the low hills and small resorts clustered around sandy coves which looked busy with anchored boats.

The wind stayed from a south to south-east direction so we were able to keep sailing, however the strength varied between F3 and F6 so our speed was up and down and we gave up letting the genny in and out, choosing to keep it fully unfurled but with a reef in the main.


West Menorca - is that pimple something prehistoric?

Off Cabo Cavalleria the wind settled to a more constant F5 but our course was now more close hauled. I helmed for a bit to pinch as close as we could whilst staying safe but eventually we gave up and motored the last hour. Then what does the wind do as we approach the entrance to Addaia? Increase to a F7!!! The narrow, winding entrance was well marked with red and green buoys and we had plenty of water under us. Soon we saw Red Snapper and Riverdancer anchored but the anchorage looked quite crowded. With it still gusting F6 we weaved around the anchored and moored boats looking for a spot. It was pretty tight with lots of mooring balls taking up space. We tried right down the far end and ended up in soft mud, soft enough for us to motor out of again rather than getting stuck!

Feeling stressed we headed back up towards our friends and saw Pimentao had left their spot, we went for it as another boat was heading in and likely to take that space. We anchored fine but it was all a bit cosy, especially overnight when the wind died and everyone bobbed hither and thither!

The anchorage reminds me of a cross between the Guadiana and Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight. It is the weekend so hopefully will be a lot less crowded come Monday.