6th to 8th July

I know, I know. I said no more postings. I apologise. We've been packing up and stocking up, cleaning and walking and sitting by the pool and tomorrow we're coming home.

We pass a maritime museum on the way to the shops. Usually it is shut. A it was open we went to have a look. It is an extravagant building for the town and for the contents. We fancifully imagined EU money had been spent in it, it's hard to imagine an elected local council splashing the cash. The exhibits were magnificently displayed even if they mainly consisted of shells and stuffed fish. Surreal.

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4th and 5th July

We slept badly expecting a storm. However there was little wind overnight and Imagine remained attached to the sea bed. We got up early and walked to the lighthouse overlooking Soller. It was mid morning by the time we got back so we pushed off heading for the Spanish mainland. The winds were light to non existent for the whole crossing and we were only able to use a sail to assist the engines for a few hours. The sunset was great. The moon rose behind us after about an hour of darkness and it was spectacular. Enormous and glowing golden orange, as it rose it gave enough light for us to see clearly. It was chased away by the dawn at 6:30 a.m. We arrived in Sant Carles after a crossing of 113 miles which took 22 hours. So far this season we have travelled 970 nm. We will be back in September hopefully heading to Sardinia. Until then this blog is on holiday.

3rd July

Anchor angst! Up until 9pm all was tranquil. Then a strong wind arose blowing from the shore. As darkness fell it became even stronger. Then sirens and hooters sounded. Shadowy figures appeared on decks all around. Opposite a large monohull was sliding in a stately fashion between two other boats as its anchor dragged. People rushed out in dinghies to save it. A large bright moon rose over the hill behind the port. The wind speed increased. Other boats started dragging. The beam of the lighthouse swept over the scene as boats put on navigation lights and started moving. Eventually about 15 boats, about a third of those at anchor, dragged or were moved. It was mayhem. I stood watch until nearly one am by which time the wind was subsiding. By two it was flat calm with an oily sea rocking us with the swell left over from the storm. In the morning boats were scattered throughout the anchorage with large gaps showing where vessels had upped anchor and disappeared.

In the morning we took a bus to Deia. The road clung to the mountainside giving glimpses of the sea. This time Robert Graves's house was open. We learned a bit about his life and works and admired the tranquil garden. The lady at the kiosk said we might die if, as planned, we walked back to Soller in the midday sun. So we had a drink and took the bus back to the boat.

Later a French couple came by in their dinghy. A runaway British boat had hit them in the night causing damage. The offending boat had done an early morning flit. Did we know them? They also said it would blow up again tonight. I will be standing by with my foghorn and searchlight although a good night's sleep would be wonderful.

2nd July

I did tell the man who collected the mooring money we might be leaving early. We left at 6am and there was no one to collect the fee. We are now in Soller on the west coast of Majorca. We decided to do it all in one go, a distance of 73 miles. We motored the whole distance with some assistance from the sail for a few hours. For part of the journey we had a slightly unpleasant swell but otherwise the trip was uneventful. The anchorage is pretty crowded but we managed to squeeze into a corner. When we were here before the anchor dragged. Let's hope we will be ok tonight.

1st July

We sailed gently downwind another 7 miles to Fornells. We've been here before and it is a lovely sheltered bay with an attractive town. We picked up a buoy and later went to the far shore for a walk. Other boats trying and failing to pick up buoys provided some amusement before we went to the town for our supper.