Cruising around Mallorca

Cruising around Mallorca

Friday 17th & Saturday 18th May.... Apologies for missing Friday's blog.... our computers ran out of power and our boat batteries were low. The day was so windy with up to 40 knot gusts most of the afternoon. We were still on the buoy in the harbour at Andratx, and it's a little concerning whether the buoy will hold out or not. We heard that two buoys back in Ibiza had broken loose. We just about got Saffy ashore with a bit of effort, waves up against the dinghy pontoon. The afternoon was spent onboard keeping an eye on everything, fortunately all held well and there was no damage to any boats as far as we know. The lines that go from our cleats to the buoy rubbed on our new seahorse stickers and have made a little damage. Another thing for Dean to fix. Our wind generator was whirring its head off and putting charge into the batteries but as soon as evening came the batteries started to lose charge and Dean was doing lots of calculations of how long they would last. He's on a bit of a downer with them at the moment. 

On the buoy in Andratx harbour

 The Church in town

The river at the top of town

 Lots of cloud all day today

Saturday 18th we moved on, motoring for 3 hours round into Palma Bay. On the way we passed quite a few anchorages but we ended up in one called Cala Contesa at Las Illetas. It's not too far south of Palma. We're kind of hidden from the wind and most of the swell and it's pretty comfortable but not very scenic. A lot of boats were about, after all it's the weekend and very busy. We got ashore on the nearby beach but it wasn't perfect and we had to walk through restaurants to get to the road. It's quite calm though and tonight should be the same so we are happy enough. We want to go into Palma but the marinas are very expensive...even though it's not high season yet. We are trying to book for one night on Monday. Batteries performing better tonight. 

 Rounding Pointa de Cala Figuera en route to Palma

We passed this anchorage at Portal Vells

 It's a Posidonia no anchoring zone!!

Obviously they don't care....or don't even know maybe

Massive party boats at the anchorage...

they should know better being a business

Some rock caves here... think to do with the Phonecians

  

This unusual bug landed on Thesee this afternoon

...an elongated ladybird??

View from our anchorage at Cala Contesa

Cruise ship in port at Palma

... and here's Thesee tonight at anchor

Sunday 19th May 2019...We slept reasonably well last night but woke early to find that the wind had come round farther than forecast and we were quite close to the rocks. We decided to move straight away to the other side of the headland. Once anchored safely we went ashore to walk Saffy. There was a bit of swell running up the beach but we managed to time it right and arrived on the beach dry. Not so good on the way back though. Saffy and Linda both got drenched. Luckily I managed to dive behind the two of them and stayed quite dry 😉

Saffy drying out after her drenching

We decided to give Saffy a bit of a wash and trim while she was wet anyway, now she's not talking to me!

Space age catamaran in the new anchorage

Reminds us of a Star Wars Stormtrooper

 View from the boat

 And another

 View from walkies

We stayed put in the new anchorage as the forecast said the wind would drop. It didn't and when walkies time came again we had to move back round the headland again. Anyway a dry evening walkies was had by all. At least with the sun out and the wind blowing the batteries had a good charge. We're off to Palma tomorrow, we booked the marina online as there are a couple of things we want to see and do while we're there.

Monday 20th May 2019...We had a good night's sleep at anchor for a change. We woke had a quick coffee and breakfast onboard before taking Saffy ashore. The beach here is extremely nice but you have to walk through the fancy restaurant to get to the main street and vice versa. Consequently we have to carry Saffy through the restaurant. We get some strange glances from the staff. Anyway all done, Linda made the boat ready to leave while I did a couple of quick jobs. One was the blue bottle! Stay with me. The anchor light I like to use is at eye level, ie: not at the top of the mast. I've fixed the light to the backstay about 7 or 8 feet above the deck, it's automatic so turns itself on and off but has to be plugged in by the helm. I had an old plastic bottle taped to the bimini rail to keep the plug and wire in but wanted something a little neater. I managed to find a blue plastic water bottle and by cutting a few holes and fixing a bracket it now holds the plug and wire quite neatly.

Special blue bottle
.... not Dean's rum ration

We finally arrived at RCNP. Real Club Nautico Palma and had to wait to be shown to our berth. All went well in the end and we berthed nicely. 

Approaching Palma Cathedral from the sea

Nearing Palma harbour, quite a large port with three cruise ships in

The place is full of super yachts! Just like Thesee

Then the panic set in, we have a lot to do in the two half days we have here. We have already done the shopping, tried to buy gas again! (don't get me started) been to the dive shop and managed to get my demand valve spares as well as a weight belt.

Fins for mermaids? in the dive shop

We've been to three cycle shops to look for tyre sealant also. Iv'e done a de-sulphication

on the batteries and tomorrow we hope to walk Saffy, look at the castle and cathedral, go to the chandlery shop that's miles away and wash the boat also...all before midday.

 Local Church

 Local windmill

 Local tree colours

Same local Church!

Big Church (Cathedral) all lit up tonight! 
Photo taken from Thesee

Tuesday 21st May… How busy we are. Up at 6.30am, scrambled egg on toast breakfast (treat…with real toast from a toaster), shower, dog walk, laundry, wash the decks, walk 2 miles along the harbour to….another Chandlery, and then back again with Dean’s purchases in the backpacks…. Flippers, teak oil, mosquito screen, water purifying tablets. We actually went all that way to buy comfy deck seats (that we’ve been after for ages), but they had sold out! There were a few other things that we wanted but couldn’t get too. We didn't get chance to have a look at the Cathedral, maybe another time.We managed to return to Thesee at 12.30pm and then had to do a quick getaway as you are supposed to leave a marina by midday. Just as we were about to leave, another boat came in beside us and caused more delay. 

Passing Basteo de Sant Pere in Palma

The Modern Art Museum

The Torrent de San Riera

Couldn't miss the stepping stones

Once on our way, we sailed south east across Palma Bay until the wind ceased and then motored the last couple of miles to Cala Pi. It's been cloudy today but we had a real nice calm sail. We had the bay to ourselves, really, there was no-one around, so quiet after the weekend. So onto Cala Pi… it’s a very tiny inlet and you need to drop your anchor in the centre and then row a line ashore to tie onto the rocks. This was a first for us, and went remarkably well on the whole. Dean had a bit of a game panning out 50 metres of line in the dinghy and steering at the same time. It was tricky at the rocks because although the weather and sea was calm the dinghy still gets bashed about the rocks a bit. Anyway after about 30 minutes we were settled alongside another boat, so we are not alone tonight which is always nice. The cala is beautiful but the beach is a little disappointing. In Spain there always seems to be a lot of graffiti about and it really does spoil the views. 

Vessel Finder showing our location in Cala Pi

Don't panic, it's deeper than 1.3 metres!

 Dean fixing a line ashore

The calm weather forecast for tonight

Wind: 2 knots, gusting 3 knots

Looking into Cala Pi this evening

...and out to sea

From the beach now

Into the valley

So calm here

Dean finds a plank of wood

Mansions up above

Wednesday 22nd May… Oh woe is me! Sleepless night! As you know, I was boasting yesterday about the calm night forecast. It was indeed calm but the wind (albeit slight) went round to the North and we got pushed towards the rocks at 10pm and for the next 10 hours! No sleep, checking every hour.  Dean had to pull our stern line tight (the one that was tied to the rocks) and this stopped us from being pushed sideways into more rock danger. It’s not all fun you know, we have to put up with the sleepless nights too.  As it turned out, dawn eventually arrived and all was well with Thesee. Thank goodness. I’m a little worse for wear though. 

View inshore from the high path at Cala Pi

There goes Dean in the search for Thesee

There he is, with our only neighbour last night

Time for a selfie with Thesee

The fishermen's huts on the opposite side

By the time we had been for walkies the wind had reverted to South and so we were in a good position to leave Cala Pi, which we did with ease. This was our first time mooring to rocks and although it went well we think we have learn’t from it, which is a good thing. 

So off down the Majorcan coast for about 7 miles to Playa des Trench. We were intending to stop here and anchor for lunch then move on but it was so incredibly amazing we’re still here tonight. It’s a very very long sandy beach, absolutely crystal clear blue water as far as the eye can see, and on the edge of a nature reserve so lots of background greenery. All I can say is that I feel I am in the West Indies. Why have we never heard of this place before?  

Just arriving at Playa des Trench

 Our dinghy...floating on air? Or clear blue seas?

 Nice motor yacht beside us

The water

 Saffy keeping cool in the afternoon breeze

Time to chill out and enjoy the rest, which is exactly what we did to some degree. It was a really hot afternoon. Dean went for a dive in his new lightweight wetsuit, new flippers, and new divebelt. I tried to catch up on some sleep outside in the cockpit but got too hot, and was so tempted by the clear water that I got into the wetsuit myself and had a swim (only a little one though). One step at a time. I couldn’t miss this opportunity to gain some more confidence in the water. 

Dean's new wetsuit trial, complete with scuba gear

 Or is it the Milk Tray man?

He's off again

 Now time for a rinse

Lazy days in paradise

I can't resist, i'm going in too

 

 One hand

Yay, no hands

This evening arrived and we went ashore with ease, walked about the sand dunes, and found that the area is dog friendly…. Yes dog friendly I said…. On leads of course which is fine by us. For dinner, Dean did a BBQ and we ate al fresco in the cockpit. These are the days we’ve been dreaming of. 

Dogs on leads allowed, thank you Playa des Trench

Barbie time

Chicken kebabs tonight

Thursday 23rd May... HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY ISAAC... A wonderful night of completely unbroken sleep in this incredible anchorage. Dean got up and went outside to see if there was any chance of spotting the anchor. Well he didn't have to look far!! We were right on top of it. 

Wish all anchorages were this clear

3 metres of water

Absolutely idyllic

A close up zoom in to the anchor, looking so big down there

After a lazy start to the day, we dinghy'd to the beach for a walk about the dunes. You could walk for hours in this place, it goes on for miles.

 Fancy beach restaurant with fancy prices

 Morning walkabout

I love this place

So back to Thesee then and time to check the weather and make a decision where to next?

Thésée wants to stay here

We wanted to move on around the headland at the very southern tip of Majorca, so off we went. After about an hour we passed around to the eastern side of the island, put up the sails, and had a wonderful journey for the next 3 hours or so to Porto Colom. We were only doing about 4 knots for the most part with the wind behind us. There's so many anchorages to choose from it's hard to make a decision. As we entered the harbour at Porto Colom we saw some people filming and on the opposite side there were some rock climbers putting up a very large banner. It said 'No Anchoring' Posidonia. We kind of assumed they were protesters as that's not the normal way of saying 'No anchoring'. Later on we asked the marineros about it, and they confirmed it was a protesters banner, but the harbour staff were in support of it. Anyway, we had already decided that we were going to get a buoy for the night as the anchorage was shallow.  The water is sea green, normally i would love that, but after last night nothing compares.

Passing the lighthouse on Majorca's southern tip

About to enter Porto Colom harbour

Well you can't misunderstand that message

Street name in town

Need to investigate this

Looking across the harbour

Friday 24th May… After a quick look around the other end of Porto Colom this morning, we departed for Porto Cristo. We heard from our friends on Illusion who were already there at the IB town quay…. (cheap). They also have a Beneteau Oceanis 50. So off we went on our way to Porto Cristo and met up with them. In fact they had already spoken to the Capitania and it seems they had saved us a space right next to them. Sure enough cost for one night is 29 euro and includes water, electric, and showers too. Wow, bargain. This afternoon we had a stroll around the small harbour here and into the town. There’s a lot of restaurants and we chose one to eat out tonight as Dean was craving a juicy fillet steak. Our friends said they were also eating out so we all went together and had a lovely evening, finished off back on Thésée for pudding….my homemade apple pie.

 Colourful fishermen's huts in Porto Colom

 

Now around the marina at Porto Cristo.... it's raining

 Church view in the back streets

Looking out of the harbour entrance

Glass Bottom boats everywhere

...and big tomatoes

Do you sell lemons here?

Saturday 25th May… There’s some weather approaching and we were undecided what to do. In the end we went 2 hours south to Porto Petro and picked up a buoy in the harbour here. It’s another cloudy day and the journey was a bit rolly, so not very nice really. This east coast of Majorca has been quite disappointing on the whole. We did eventually manage to get some laundry done, a rather strange set-up at this Club Nautico. We also got told off by a local for walking the dog around the marina. So not the best of days, but on the other hand we got a good coffee and almond cake in a local café whilst we were waiting for the laundry. No photos today.

This blog post is getting a bit long now so we'll start another one 
called...Week 2 in Majorca