“translated from the Spanish translation application using Google. We apologize for any errors that may occur in the text”

Duration: Two weeks

Distance traveled: 850 miles

Palamós – Menorca – Cabrera – Ibiza – Formentera – Palamos.

On Saturday August 17, 2002, at about 14 h, the expedition sailed “Crodeler” from the old port of Palamos, aboard two of sailboats Sailing Nomad, the Atalante (Beneteau Oceanis 411 Clipper) and Antull ( Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper), heading to Menorca.

We sailed from Palamos

Antull from sky

Going to bat

The journey went quiet, without much wind, and with enough hours to motor, but very nice. It was our first cruise and no doubt is an experience I recommend to all who like to surf and have minimal knowledge. In our case it was fairly complete: we saw a swordfish, we swam with dolphins, enjoyed a beautiful sunset at sea and sail with the gennaker night.

A dolphin playing with Atalante

Atalante from heaven

Sunset

On Sunday at 11:30 am we arrived at the port of Ciutadella. It is a small port with little infrastructure, with a single non-proprietary dock where boats up abarloan third row. Arriving early, find mooring for two boats together, and even we could afford to go for a swim in the cove just off Ciutadella, Cala Santandria. Care should therefore there tethers work almost like a parking lot, if you leave one place you are guaranteed to return, no matter how much you paid.

During the day we took a short tour of Ciutadella, went to stock up again and at sunset, dinner and party to celebrate the arrival.

The next day we headed to Son Saura, wide cove with crystal clear water and sandy bottoms, where we take to eat, and then to Santa Galdana cove. In the evening we went to anchor at the paradise Trebaluja Creek, where we spent the night.

On Tuesday we started visiting Cala en Porter quickly, we walked Creek Coves, where we practice a mooring with “out to the rock”, with a south wind that was not all easy. It is a narrow creek, with some rocks on the bottom and very busy because of its beauty and natural caves where they lived behind the times “hippies” (during the summer there is still some inhabited). Finally we ended with Mao. A highlight of his spectacular entrance Mahon, a channel width about 3 miles. Again luck was with us (this time already arrived later, at about 17 h) and found the two boats mooring side, right on the moorings that are giving the pavement the ride, as if it were a car . A luxury.

Crodeler C (and Ciutadella)

The gennaker

And failed jibe

Dinner at Sand Creek Trebaluja

On Wednesday we visited the island of the Air, nice but a bit crowded, and Binisafúller creek. After dinner, and a hiccup with a sea urchin, we headed to Cabrera.

At night, the journey to Cabrera spent in light wind. We got the engine to near, around 10am in the morning.

Cabrera is definitely an island worth a visit, but perhaps with too many limitations. Although these pets knowing they are in favor of the conservation of the environment, the preservation of which the popularity it now enjoys sailing, is especially important and critical. However, in practice, we find that in Cabrera everything is regulated and restricted (… for most people). In particular, except that one has permission diving, anchoring is permitted only at the port where there are dead buoy color-coded according to length. We had gotten permission for the two ships, handled by Quim Nomad Sailing Gispert, about 10 days earlier. After visiting for a couple of days the archipelago and an unsuccessful attempt to jibe with gennaker, on Friday evening to drive to Ibiza 21h.

During the journey to Ibiza had the only shock of the trip; caught us squarely in the early hours of the morning, about 10 miles from the island of Tagomago, a storm like I had not seen in those lands. The wind was not excessive (not much more than 30 knots), but lightning menacingly close to the mast fell, the rain barely open his eyes and allowed the sea turned black. But Antull Atalante and heroically resisted and went unscathed.

In the harbor you four chances to tie, but still not easy to find place (or cost). We moored in C.N. Ibiza, less likely port facilities we visited. We served to practice docking maneuvers to dock stern anchor by the bow, the circumstances that went pretty well. Of note, it should pay attention to when taking the start anchor to not cross to other ships, or one of the few existing dead. It also has to be careful not to hook the dead line (about 20-25 m. Dock) as impurities of those waters will void the visibility, invite some to dive. In the moorings to the outside of the club’s frequent surges caused by the ferries come and go, and some dangerous out concrete steps just below the water level, so you have to try to keep his distance from the stern. And finally, do to rush to find any of the boards that will allow us, nothing comfortably off the boat.

The port of Cabrera

Ibiza CN mooring

Formentera

Spent two days in Ibiza, and opted for a more terrestrial tourism, not least because the weather is not too accompanied

On Monday mid-morning we left the last island of our trip, Formentera, the quietest of all. The ride was short but intense, with a favorable wind allowed us to move from the 8 knots with one reef taken.

That night and the next was spent at the Marina de Formentera, in the port of La Savina. The most expensive of all we met, in part due to water restrictions suffering, but with good facilities.

We rented bicycles and visited the inland towns of the island and the beach of Es Pujols.

On Wednesday we spent the night in the cove Sahona, one of the few places on the island sheltered enough to spend the night, where for a successful security practice double anchor mooring. The beach restaurant did last dinner together.

On Thursday, August 29 after lunch we face the return journey, with a short stop in the beautiful island of Es Vedra, on the southwestern tip of Ibiza. The wind was very favorable, and we put the gennaker for about 6 hours, 17 at 23 h, achieving speeds of over 7 knots SW wind. Also saw dolphins up to three times, one of which took the opportunity to swim with them again.

The weather was very good during the whole trip and Saturday at sunrise we reached Palamós again.

Double anchor mooring

Returning

When choosing places to anchor and also for port calls, at all times use a precise and accurate English driver with a very satisfactory result. As shown, did not have any impact on this.

To highlight the high level of service received by the people of Sailing Nomad, particularly the good condition of the ships, and the excellent treatment received by Quim Gispert, who has usually been our interlocutor. This has been precisely the reason for agreeing to make this small contribution.

Bingen John