Mallorca

Cala Tuent, Mallorca

We had an uneventful overnight crossing (the best kind) from Barcelona to Puerto Pollenca Mallorca arriving on May 6th after a passage of eighteen and a half hours. We stayed in Pollenca, one of Tan’s favourite towns for 13 nights before going to Cala Tuent (one of our favourite cala’s) where we were the only boat at anchor for two nights. We would have stayed longer but the long range forecast showed thunderstorms so we motored 5 miles to Puerto Soller where we stayed on the public quay for 3 nights. The redevelopment of the port is going very well except for the design of the toilets and showers, which are terrible.

Charlotte We were due to meet with Debbie and her children at the start of their holiday in Magaluf so on the 24th we left Soller for Andraitx. The sea-state was calm so we did some man-overboard practice on the way. Next day Debbie and children came to Andraitx by bus and we had a lovely day and arranged to meet again at Magaluf later in the week.

On the 26th we left Andraitx after Tan performed three perfect coming-alongside manoeuvres against the quay and headed for Sant Elm (San Telmo) on the southwest coast. Sant Elm is a lovely holiday resort with three hotels, three supermarkets, a variety of bars and restaurants and good walking. Two days later we motored round to Santa Ponsa where we dropped anchor and victualed at the local Eroski supermarket. Next day we anchored off the beach at Magaluf where we collected Debbie and children (minus Charlotte - late night) in the dinghy. We sailed to Cala Portals for lunch but it was very crowded and uncomfortable due to the swell so after lunch back to Magaluf where we anchored for the afternoon while the children played in the dinghy. Then, after saying farewell we headed back to Santa Ponsa where we stayed three more days. Santa Ponsa is a good safe anchorage with good swimming and supermarkets.

Sant Elm (San Telmo), Mallorca From Santa Ponsa we planned to go to Arenal to meet up with Mike and Chris on Shabonee but the wind was gusting Force 5 on the nose and we were making slow progress ploughing through the one-metre waves so we anchored in Las Illetas. Whilst there we met Alex and Mary on their boat Lechwe. The anchorage is very good as is the swimming so we stayed five nights during which time we went to Puerto Portals for water and back to Illetas to anchor.

We made El Arenal on the 6th June and had drinks with Mike and Chris on their boat. There’s a nice beach here but the anchorage is very exposed so after provisioning we left the next day for Rapita and anchored just off the beach behind the entrance to the marina. We applied at the Royal Club Nautic (RCN) for a permit to the national park and nature reserve islands of Cabrerra. Many thanks to Rapita RCN for their efficient handling of the transaction.

From Rapita we went to Colonia Sant Jordi where we anchored close to the beach tucked in behind the harbour entrance. There’s an Eroski and Super-Aprop supermarket just a short dinghy ride and walk away. RCN Rapita called to say that the permit had arrived so on the 12th we left Colonia for Rapita where we collected the permit and then had a good sail across to the islands of Cabrerra.

Debbie & Tan The national park consists of a group of small islands about 20 miles southwest of Mallorca, Cabrerra being the largest measuring some 3 miles across and is the only one where visitors are permitted. The tiny port of Cabrerra is in a large bay with 50 mooring buoys well spaced apart. Overnight anchoring is not permitted anywhere in the national park. It’s very peaceful, no jet skis or water sports allowed. We stayed 2 nights and would have loved to stay an extra night but it was fully booked. We did the steep climb up to the castle to be rewarded with great views and also visited the museum and new arboretum. On the second day Tan was stung by jellyfish whilst swimming. The rashes were very painful and took several weeks to clear.

On the 14th June we reluctantly left Cabrerra but due to heavy swell the anchorages on the south coast of Mallorca were untenable so we motored to the east coast to the very popular and crowded Cala Mondrago. For dinner we decided to go to the same beach restaurant we enjoyed last year but we had a disaster landing the dinghy and both of us got soaked and covered in weed so back to the boat in not too good humour! We made the restaurant the following night without mishap but although the food was good it was more expensive than last year.

The next day (16th June) we motored a couple of miles to the north and dropped anchor in Puerto Petro. The town is small but we found a very nice restaurant on the harbour front where we shared paella for lunch. We anchored opposite the small harbour entrance and on the night of the 24th had wine and desert at the same restaurant and enjoyed the town’s small but delightful fiesta.

Puerto Petro, Mallorca After nine nights we left for Porto Colom, a well-protected and very large natural harbour with space for over a 100 yachts, however much of it is laid to mooring buoys and many people spend the whole summer there. We spent our first night on the public quay after being at anchor for the past 31 nights. The following day the harbour master assigned us one of the mooring buoys. We met a nice young couple (Alex and Renata) on a very small catamaran which he had restored himself. Despite the cala being large and busy we liked Puerto Colom and stayed a total of 11 nights.

Menorca

On the 6th July we took advantage of a brief change in wind direction and crossed the 43 miles to Cala San Saura in Menorca. It was a good passage taking just over six and a half hours at an average of 6.4 knots. The following day we went to Cala Galdana, the largest cala on the south coast of Menorca. This is primarily a tourist resort with 2 large hotels but the small town is very clean and well designed and there are several small supermarkets. We had nice French neighbours, three attractive women who like to swim and sunbathe in the nude!

Calla Grau, Menorca Three days later we motored 5 miles along the coast to Cala Trebeluja where we spent the night at anchor. A quiet cala at night but busy in the daytime with large tour boats depositing people on the beach. The forecast was not good so the next day, the 11th, we left for Cala Taulera.

It was a very good sail to Cala Taulera with maximum speed of over 8 knots. This is undoubtedly the best-sheltered anchorage on Menorca being tucked in behind ‘La mola’ fort at the entrance to Mahon and in bad weather it’s often very busy. We arrived early enough to take the dinghy through the short canal and across Mahon entrance to Es Castell to do our shopping and have the eight euro ‘menu del dia’ at the Club Nautica, excellent. The following evening a 12 meter Fairline, out for the day, passed astern of us and ran aground - stuck fast! It was obvious he didn't know what to do so with the help of David, a neighbour on a catamaran called Glaros, we used one of my 50 metre warps to pull him off.

By the 13th the forecast had improved so we went through the canal to Mahon for fuel and water then departed amidst the contenders of the Rolex yacht race. We went to Cala Grau on the east coast, they didn't! Cala Grau is a large rounded cala overlooked by the small pretty village of Es Grau. We anchored as close in to the beach as the mooring buoys would permit and just a short dinghy ride to the jetty. The cala is open to winds and swell from the east and after 2 nights we motored 3 miles round Isla Colom, a small deserted island, and anchored just a few hundred yards from where we started but sheltered from the easterlies by the island. A very nice refuge but busy with powerboats that anchor for the day.

Calla Covas, Menorca Two days later we continued our anticlockwise journey around Menorca to Arenal D’en Castell where we passed Alex and Ronata just leaving. They had heard the same forecast as us and were heading for shelter in Taulera Mahon. We decided we could stay here one night then high-tail it back to Taulera. Arenal D’en Castell is an almost circular bay with long sandy beaches but surrounded by hotels and apartment blocks. Ted, Phylis and children (Kari) from Barcelona were at anchor here. We left early the following morning (18th July) and made the 13 mile trip back to Cala Taulera in just over two and a half hours. Given that the forecast was for bad weather I was surprised just how few boats were here but that changed later in the day when a pack of French boats arrived jostling for position. It can be quite entertaining watching people anchor! Alex and Ronata were there as was David and Paqui from Glaros. We invited them over for drinks, charming.

On the 20th we left Taulera for Cala Binibeca, a busy cala formed by low rocky outcrops but well protected from northerlies. Soon after we arrived the same French boats arrived like a flock of starlings and just as noisy. Then Hooray Henry arrived! We have encountered this boat a couple of times before, they arrive with her standing erect and topless on the bow like Boudicca and him at the wheel in his cowboy hat. They drop the anchor in a pile, leap into the dinghy (literally) and make for the nearest beach and watering hole.

It’s the start of the holiday season and getting very busy so we woke next day to find another French boat anchored almost on top of us. We left and motored 7 miles to Cala Covas, a very small beautiful cala surrounded by cliffs. It’s a national monument because of ancient caves, mostly sealed-off until they have been excavated. We anchored with two bow anchors and a stern rope to the cliffs because there is no swinging room. Kari was already here and the flock of starlings arrived soon after with much shouting and jostling. The water is crystal clear, ideal swimming and the rocks and ledges are littered with topless or nude sunbathers. I would have liked to stay another few days but the forecast was not good and we needed to be back on Mallorca to receive visitors so reluctantly, on my part, we left after just one night.

Mallorca again

Timothy & Emma 22nd July - the 50 mile passage to Pollenca Mallorca took 8 hours at an average speed of 6.2 knots and on arrival we tied-up at the public quay. My son Timothy was due late on the 24th so we hired a car for 3 days, restocked with the heavy to carry items (bottles) and collected him from Palma after spending the afternoon with our dear friends Dick & Anna at their home in Deia where we were fed handsomely.

On the 25th Timothy experienced his first night at anchor in Cala San Vincente on the North coast. We all enjoyed swimming in the clear water of the cala. Next day en-route to Cala Tuent we saw a flying fish that must have been airborne for 50 metres. Tuent is a beautiful cala in which to anchor and swim. There is a small fishermans cottage, a jetty and a deserted building which was probably a restaurant at one time. Puig Meyor, the highest mountain on Mallorca higher than Ben Nevis, is clearly visible in the background. Tan and Timothy rowed across to the beach and went for a long walk. We only stayed one night because Emma and Sherwin were due to arrive and we had to meet them in Soller.

It’s only 5 miles to Soller and we managed to squeeze into the last place on the public quay, and it was a tight squeeze! The next day Emma & Sherwin arrived via the excellent bus service from Palma and that evening we all went out for dinner. Unfortunately Timothy’s time with us was too short. He had to leave the following morning to catch his flight home while we took the boat to Cala Deia. We had wonderful day swimming, especially Emma and Sherwin, then took the dinghy ashore and did the beautiful long walk though the hills to Deia.

Rachel & Andy snorkelling During the night a swell got up which made the anchorage uncomfortable, and the forecast predicted northerlies so we departed at 07:00 for Andraitx on the SW coast. Despite the fact that it’s the height of the silly season we found a good place to anchor just outside the harbour entrance. Andraitx has a significant fishing fleet and a small yacht harbour and is very popular with charter boats. Every afternoon it gets very crowded with boats moored inside the harbour (a no-no in summer) and even in the middle of the clearly marked channel (unbelievable!) so every evening the harbourmaster clears the harbour and channel.

On Sunday Emma and Sherwin took us to lunch at our favourite restaurant Es Portal before they left to go home and that evening we had drinks with Alex and Mary aboard Lechwe. We stayed in Andraitx because Rachel and Andy were due to visit. Some of the French boats were very unhappy about the fact that I had 30 metre of anchor chain out in a busy anchorage but at 02:30 on the 1st August there was a severe thunderstorm with storm force gusts (it had been predicted), the dinghy tethered to the stern was flying a meter above the water and all but two other boats dragged their anchors, it was a chaotic scene. We stayed put, glued to the spot but at least two boats were damaged.

The next day Tan’s daughter Rachel arrived and on the 6th Andy joined her and they took us to dinner at Es Portal, another excellent meal. The following day we plied our way back to Soller where we stayed on the public quay for 2 nights. Then on the 9th we anchored in Cala Tuent and enjoyed the day swimming and snorkelling and saw several flying fish but this time underwater. A mistral in the Golfe de Lion meant that swell would make this anchorage uncomfortable so the next day we weighed anchor and made good progress to Pollenca averaging 6.7 knots.

Rachel On the 12th Rachel and Andy had to leave so we stayed one more day on the public quay then anchored in the bay outside the harbour. Puerto Pollenca is ideal, situated at the end of a 6 mile bay, it’s sheltered with a public quay and excellent marineros and a well-protected anchorage with good swimming just outside the harbour. On the 19th we moved back to the public quay because the forecast was for severe thunderstorms that duly arrived the next night with torrential rain and 50-knot gusts, that’s storm force 10!

The 24th August saw us motoring out of the bay of Pollenca to the next bay of Alcudia where we dropped anchor just behind the marina and close to our friends Bernt and Danielle (Dani) on their Grand Banks boat Kariba. A couple of days later the weather allowed us to anchor in Cala es Calo, a pretty but exposed anchorage on the other side of the bay. We enjoyed a very pleasant day swimming and walking but the next afternoon the wind changed so we ran back under full sail to anchor in Alcudia at almost exactly the place we had left.

We spent the next ten days at anchor in Alcudia and invited Danielle (Kariba) over for dinner whilst Bernt was away teaching on his charter boat. He is an qualified examiner. On the 2nd of September whilst looking for Schleker (a drug store) we found a Japanese sushi restaurant and indulged in the eight-euro buffet, fantastic, even Tan who is not a sushi fan enjoyed it. The following night we went to a BBQ hosted by Bernt on his boat. I made chocolate strawberries. Christina and Christian (Pegasus) were also there. An excellent evening.

Glyn & Tan at Pollenca The forecast is for strong gusts and thunderstorms over the next few days and the barometer dropped 10 points in 12 hours and was still dropping so on the 5th September it was time to go back to Pollenca to the public quay. The holiday rush is over so there was plenty of space. The gusts started early next morning and reached over 30 knots (Force 7). We met Alan and Sheila (Suzanna from Barcelona) in the marina and invited them over for drinks. Next day, more thunderstorms, this time with 48-knot gusts (Storm Force 10). Alex and Trak (Tracy) from Tirando came over for drinks. On the 7th even more thunderstorms with 53-knot gusts (F 10) which popped two of the studs on the cockpit cover, very glad we are not at anchor in the bay.

On the 9th we went back out to anchor in the bay and a couple of days later David and Paqui (Glaros) arrived so we invited them over for drinks and dinner. On the 12th the forecast was for more severe thunderstorms starting Tuesday night and Glyn and his friend Ed were due Thursday so back onto the public quay but the next day all the severe weather had moved to Saturday! 15/9 Hired a car to collect Glyn and Ed but the flight was delayed three hours so we didn't get back until 04:00 and after after some sleep Glyn & Ed took the car to Magaluf for the night. The thunderstorms arrived as predicted next day with max gusts of 41kn (Strong Gale F9). Two nights later we had an excellent meal at Los Zarazales until almost midnight then Glyn & Ed went for a drink and ended up in Alcudia with a group of holiday reps until 07:30 next morning! On the 19th Glyn & Ed retuned to the UK and a couple of days later we anchored out in the bay, fantastic weather and good swimming but on the 25th more potential thunderstorms so back to the public quay for a couple of nights and did the wind blow! 43 knots (F9) at 01:00 just after we were back from a nice meal at Zarazales.

Sunrise at sea We had a berth reserved at Barcelona from the 1st October but Tan’s dear friends Jackie and Barry were going to be in Soller from the 4th on a walking holiday so we delayed our departure in the hope of good weather. On the 5th Mike & Chris (Shabonee) came to Pollenca by car and we had lunch and a pleasant afternoon on the boat. In total we spend 31 consecutive nights in the Pollenca area, either on the quay or at anchor because we like the place but also due to weather and visitors.

On the 7th the conditions were good except for lack of wind so we motored the 37 miles to Soller at an average of 6 knots and next day had lunch on the boat with Jackie & Barry. In the evening we all went for a drink at Hotel Es Port, the oldest and very spectacular mansion house in Soller. The next day (9th October) we left Soller for our favourite cala Tuent and spent a glorious day swimming and relaxing before leaving for Barcelona at 03:35 the following morning.

The 97 mile passage to Barcelona was uneventful but despite the lack of the predicted easterly force 4 we made good time, averaging 6.1 knots, and arrived at Port Vell in the same berth as last year in under 16 hours at 19:20. En-route I saw two pods of dolphins but wasn’t quick enough to photograph them and about 10 miles from Barcelona a helicopter came low from astern and checked us out. It’s sad to leave the islands which we enjoy so much but nice to be back in Barcelona with so many familiar faces.

This year we made 52 passages taking 163 hours and covering 947 nautical miles bringing our total to over 3,300 miles and 688 hours since we left the UK. We spent 81 nights at anchor throughout the summer in various cala’s and thanks to the long range forecast via the SSB we only had one or two uncomfortable nights.