OUR BLOG
"There's always a plan, but unexpected things happen and we just go with the flow. Though I do believe that fate and destiny often play their part"
sailing blog
The big question on our minds was whether the Med might be warm enough to swim in yet. A stroll down to the beach yesterday, on Gibraltar's East side, which is just about the Mediterranean, provided the answer. NO! Absolutely, definitely, NOT! Dipping our feet in the briny confirmed that the sea will be out of bounds until some serious scorchio weather has warmed it up. That won't be happening this week for sure. For once the forecasters got it right and the predicted strong winds arrived on cue in the middle of the night. Not much sleep was had by all as we bounced around in the sloshing marina. By five am, I was sat in the cockpit nervously watching as we made contact with the concrete wall of our pontoon every few minutes. Thank goodness for big fat fenders that's all I can say. I also observed the local fishermen departing in the pitch black into a sea that must have been pretty dam rough. What brave people they are. Obviously, we're going nowhere until it all settles down again. Until then there are still plenty of jobs to be done on board. Nicki is busy sewing mosquito nets ready for when the little blighters attack our sweet blood in the dead of night. I've got my own special way of dealing with them........simply chuck the net over your head...... but I haven't worked out yet how to sip my wine. Suggestions on a postcard please.
1 Comment
On Saturday we set sail from La Linea at 08.30am and headed down the West side of Gibraltar towards Europa Point, the southernmost tip. At the bottom you turn to Port (left) which takes you almost immediately into the Med. What a monumental occasion this was - entering the Mediterranean at last. It all started quite well, but as we approached Europa Point thick fog began to pile over the cliffs as if someone was ladling it out of a bucket in huge dollops. It was a terrifying sight. Had we not been sailing in company, alongside another boat with radar and AIS, I would not have continued into a busy shipping area in such conditions. But, with a deep breath, we motored on as the visibility deteriorated further. Within minutes we were completely engulfed in the thickest fog I've ever seen. My strategy was quite simple; stick my bow under Cygnus III's stern and don't stray an inch all the way to Estepona. I spoke to Mark regularly on the radio and he briefed me on the whereabouts of any ships and buoys around us. On one occasion we both had to veer very suddenly as a small fishing boat loomed out of the fog just yards in front of us. After a few hours the fog eased a little and so did the tension. Unbelievably, the fog lifted in a matter of minutes, just as we approached Estepona harbour. The journey took just over six hours and boy were we relieved to tie up (stern to) in Estepona Marina. Nicki was superb out at sea, despite the frightening lack of visibility. She must be getting well and truly used to life on the ocean waves. Estepona has turned out to be an absolute delight. It's a tourist town with a difference. The narrow streets in the old area are festooned with flowers and the houses are all freshly whitewashed. Beautiful. I think these two pictures speak for themselves. On Sunday, whilst wandering around the town, we bumped into a traditional Spanish procession with lots of dressing up and very well groomed horses. It was great fun following the noisy troupe, admiring the flamenco dancing senoritas in all their finery. The caravans were a bit weird - but pretty. So, what next - now we're in the Med? Well, the weather is set to get very windy over the coming days. That seems like a good excuse to sit tight in Estepona and enjoy more of the delights in this wonderful little gem of a place. Our onward journey, when we decide to move, will take us to Puerto Banus and Marbella, where we'll join the beautiful people for day or two. |
A FEW PICS OF COMINO Click a photo to enlarge and use side arrows to scroll through. COMINO IS CURRENTLY HEREDID SOMEONE SAY SEAFOODOn our journey from Portugal to Greece we enjoyed amazing seafood almost everywhere we stopped. Finding the local fish market was always a priority because seafood was so plentiful and so reasonably priced. And, the displays were a feast for your eyes.
Locating a market sometimes meant pounding the pavements in searing heat, but if you kept your eyes peeled, you often came across a little clue. The pic below was a rather less than subtle advert for a fish market - it was eight feet tall.
Freshly cooked onboard, a plateful of giant prawns, baked in wine and garlic, washed down with a few glasses of local vino, was like heaven. Watching the sunset on the boat eating a meal like that was the epitome of "living the dream".
Now we're in Greece we've another favourite to savour. I'm talking about fried Calamari. It's usually good, but every now and then it's off-the-scale fantastic. At Natalie's Taverna on Kontokali Beach in Corfu, it was nothing short of epic.
We're based in Lefkas now and It's been a bit of a mission to find somewhere just as good. And we have. Rakias is a mere ten minute walk from the marina and this little fish market, with its very own taverna attached, is quite sensational.
Oh...and it's also worth mentioning that, on occasions, a bit of barbequed Octopus is on the menu at some of the tavernas we frequent. Can I resist....no. SUNSETS AND DRAMATIC SKIESNo filters, or any other monkey business, have been used to enhance these images.
OUR ADVENTURES FROM THE BEGINNING CATEGORIES
|