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"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
Some people circumnavigate the globe. Our achievement is slightly less adventurous but nevertheless going right round Ibiza was quite an experience. It wasn't all plain sailing either, we had a few sticky moments along the way. After leaving the luxury of Marina Ibiza on 22nd July we sailed up the east coast to anchor in a spectacular little place called Cala Llonga. Steep pine carpeted hills either side of this long inlet, leading to a sandy beach, made it an ideal place to chill for a while. The picture below is the view from Comino anchored safely in the middle of the Cala in crystal clear water and not a jellyfish in sight. We swam all day, ate a hearty dinner and retired to bed feeling pretty damm lucky to be where we were. Sadly, during the night an annoying swell rolled in which made it difficult to sleep. There's a fine line between a soothing gentle rocking motion and something akin to being constantly rolled from one side of the bed to the other. Anyway, it was a sleepless night and in the morning we decided that we should move on. A short hop up the coast was Cala Pada. We dropped anchor off the beach thinking this would be an ideal place to spend a few days. Then the wind started to blow quite hard from the south. Guess which direction we were facing - south. Again, the swell kicked up and my instincts told me we should find a more sheltered place, preferably north facing. Up came the anchor, on went the engine and we steamed further up the cost with a beautiful little island called Tagomago a few miles off the mainland in our sights. In the most spectacular location, under dramatic cliffs and clear water like I've never seen before, we settled down once again. The wind grew much stronger, my nerves jangled, another sleepless night was on the cards. Up came the anchor, on went the engine. This time we crossed back to a very north facing small bay and as soon as we tucked in under the cliffs the world went completely calm......aaahhh......this would do nicely. In Cala del Lleo that night we were treated to an awesome sunset plus a good uninterrupted sleep. In the morning, feeling very refreshed, we decided to press on with our circumnavigation. As the electric motor whirred into action to bring up the anchor there was a horrible clunk. I looked down to see the anchor wedged between two rocks and clearly nothing short of a JCB was going to bring it up. On went the goggles and flippers for an urgent rescue mission whilst Nicky looked on nervously. Down I went into 15 feet of water and with one almighty yank out she came....£350 worth of anchor was saved. In brilliant early morning sunchine we travelled on round the north of Ibiza where the terrain looked like the scenery from Jurassic Park. Massive jagged cliffs, rolling pine forests and practically deserted. We passed Pta Moscarte, the northern most tip of the island, which has a lighthouse (see below) painted like a stick of candy. Our destination was Cala Portinatx, another beauty spot if ever there was one. Apart from a great beach and turquoise water we tend to choose Calas that have a bit of life in them. A few hotels, bars and restaurants mean there's plenty of people providing a bit of hustle and bustle. We've done isolated remote nooks and crannies but after a while you get bored of the nothingness. Are we philistines....probably. That said, Cala Portinatx was our home for a few days and we loved it. In the picture below, somewhere amongst the boats, is Comino bobbing about merrily. After a while at anchor there are certain necessities that run out. Water and battery power to name but two. Not the drinking stuff, bottled water is always on hand in little shops and cafe's but you do need to wash up the dishes now and then. Batteries can also be re-charged by running the engine for a while, but it's not ideal. So, onwards and upwards we decided to travel for a few hours back to San Antonio Bay where we could stock up. Sailing down the west cost of Ibiza the landscape was even more dramatic and totally uninhabited due to the towering rocky mountains that plunge vertically into the sea.
We anchored for a few more days in the bay first before coming into the marina for some luxury, which is where we are now. One thing that has been bugging us all the time is the lack of internet access as and when we want it. Therefore, I finally got off my backside and braved a trip to a Spanish mobile phone shop to seek a solution. Two hours later and Comino now has her very own mobile router......we are, in the eyes of the world, a floating Wifi hotspot.....about bloody time too Nicky exclaimed. Our next adventure involves the kids coming to see us, which after nearly five months apart is going to be an emotional welcoming. James arrives next Wednesday for a week and Emily-Jane and her fiancee come at the end of August. Our plan now is to stay in Ibiza till the end of the summer. Things like the hippy markets, a night in Pasha, more trips to unexplored Calas mean ther's plent of new stuff to experience before we put Comino to bed for winter. Where that might be is emerging as an interesting story in it's own right.....more news on that front to follow. In the meantime the pic below sums up one of the things we both like to do most........get up and dive in.
1 Comment
Jackie Harvey
5/8/2013 09:58:36 am
Wow the water certainly does look inviting and the views breath-taking. Glad you now have decent wifi and really pleased that the kids are coming out to visit you very soon as I know you must be missing them dreadfully. Have fun and keep us all up to date with your winter plans. Weather here in the UK has been lovely and warm but back to the norm with heavy rain storm hitting the windows as I type this! Enjoy :)
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A FEW PICS OF COMINOClick 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.
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