Saturday, April 2, 2016

March 2016

In which we sail back to mainland Europe in preparation for a summer in the Mediterranean. 

We started March at anchor of La Graciosa, the northernmost inhabited Canary Island.   Our weather planning had brought us here in the expectation of getting a favourable wind to take us To Madeira, the first leg of our journey back to the mainland of Europe.

The wind predictions continued to hold (for once) and at mid-day on the 1st we heaved up anchor and headed North West.  The predicted wind was NE’ly F4-5, backing to ENE’ly as we approached our destination.  Our intention was to swing a little to starboard of our track so as to keep the wind on our beam.  In fact, we found the wind to be coming from ENE on departure and kept it ahead of the beam, to avoid having to beat into it on arrival.  This meant a less comfortable sail, with a greater apparent wind, more heeling and more pounding into the waves but it was quite manageable and, after 36 hours, even Elsie claimed to be enjoying herself.  With the possibility of stronger winds, we had rigged the storm jib on the inner forestay and this proved very effective.  At night, Elsie sailed with just the storm jib and a 3 reefed main and achieved 5 knots across the ground.  Putting out a small section of the genoa increased our speed by over a knot and also reduced the rolling considerably.  The downside of this was fluttering of the leach of the genoa so, reluctantly we had to put it away to avoid any damage (on arrival, we tightened the leach cord on the genoa, and will experiment again).

Elsie had made up the after cabin again for this trip and this proved a good precaution as there was a leak from the hatch in the forward cabin.  We didn’t realise how bad this was until arrival, when we found that the bedding was completely soaked.  We feared that the seal needed replacing but investigation proved that the source was a perished O ring on a latch.

As we approached our destination the wind, instead of backing, veered, so that we could have had a much more comfortable journey.  So it goes.


We arrived in Porto Santo, the small island to the North East of Madeira at lunch time on the 3rd and tied up at 1400.  We chose here as 1, it is the nearest place to mainland Europe and 2, it is inexpensive: one week’s berthing cost 134 Euros but, if paid in advance, you get the rest of the month for free.  As we were unsure of when we would be able to move on, this was good news.  The staff are also very friendly and helpful, if a little inefficient.  Elsie managed to get all the bedding washed and dried in the first 48 hours and when it came to our personal laundry, leaving it next to an occupied washer resulted in the cleaner washing, drying and folding it – all for free!  The boatyard was a disappointment, proving unable to provide a tester for our suspect batteries or a piece of pipe to replace one on our domestic fresh water system with a pinhole leak, but the ever-helpful Zapatisto managed to conjure up an O ring that (almost) fitted the forward hatch, an auto-electrician to complete the re-wiring of our radar supply wire, a mobile diesel supplier to top off our tank and a replacement camping gas cylinder.  Even the Customs officer seemed to have done the customer service course and was charm personified.  Daily bread was available from the local café and an adequate supermarket was a mile away, giving us our daily exercise.

Each morning, we checked passage weather and Grib files (for the uninitiated, these are highly compressed files which can give a good overview of forecast winds).  Each day we agreed that six days’ time looked a likely date to depart, but we would need more information.  Finally, the departure date ticked down to 4, 3, 2, 1 day in the future.  On Monday 14th it looked possible:  Following 10-15 knot winds for the first 200 miles; light and variable for the next 100 and 10 knots on the beam for the run in.  It looked like it could be a slow passage with motoring required in the middle but very safe.  We carry fuel for about 300 miles but always want to have at least ¼ tank for ‘just in case’. 

So, with full fuel, water, stores and cooking gas we let go at 1015 on the 14th, bound for Lagos at the south west corner of Portugal, fully prepared to be at sea for a week if necessary.  Keeping us company was ‘Jaz’ another yacht bound for Cadiz.  We stayed neck and neck until her track finally took her too far south to see.  The wind, bless it, turned out to be 20 degrees backed from the forecast, which meant a broad reach rather than a run.  This gave us a more comfortable motion and an extra 2 knots.  Initially, with a F3, we had cruising chute and full main.  The wind had increased to F4 by 1800 and, foolishly, I kept the chute up for my evening watch.  I was regretting this by 2300, when the wind was gusting to 18 knots but didn’t want to disturb Elsie so left it until she rose at 2345.  Naturally, as we dowsed it, a stronger gust came, broke the weak link at the head and dumped it overboard, so it had to be dumped, wet, into the shower.  Changing to Genoa made no appreciable change to our speed.  Our education continues.

The wind continued SxWly F4-5 through to 1800 on the 15th, by which time we had covered 220 miles, averaging 7 knots, on a direct track and were within motoring distance so, when it dropped to F2, on came the engine.  The next 24 hours were alternately sailing and motoring though, as the wind was on the beam and the swell low, we could have progressed at 3 knots under sail.  By the following evening, the wind had steadied at N’ly F3 and we resumed sailing at 5-6 knots.

There is a huge traffic separation scheme off Cape St Vincent, which meant a 45 degree turn with 45 miles to go.  The wind obligingly turned with us and remained F3-4 on the beam.  We had full sail up as we crossed the end of the TSS but engine running too.  This gave us a reliable speed to assist in collision avoidance and also ensured that we would arrive in Lagos well before dark.  Sails down at 1615 with 465 miles run and still over ¾ full tanks.

Lagos marina turned out to be very pleasant (though a bit pricier than we had become used to).  There are many British boats staying winter or years.  The town itself is also attractive if a little touristy.   The chandlery, billed as one of the largest in Portugal proved a little disappointing but was able to supply the pipe required to repair the pin-hole leak on the domestic system.  We stayed 4 nights to recover, dry out the boat, watch the final day of the 6 Nations rugby and dry ourselves from that.

It was coming up to my next return for medical checks so we decided to plan on being in Gibraltar for the 10th April.  This would provide convenient flights and, hopefully allow some work to be done, particularly upgrading our battery charging options with a wind generator and a replacement for a defunct solar panel.  We left Lagos on the afternoon of the 21st for a short but pleasant sail to Portimao, anchoring overnight.  The following day, we wished to enter the lagoon off Faro, which meant arriving early afternoon to avoid 7 knot currents at the entrance.  The wind was initially too light to permit this so we motored for 3 hours until the coastal wind built at 1130 and gave us a good broad reach.  The lagoon has many mud flats and although our anchorage appeared, at high water to be in the middle of miles of open water, the falling tide told the true story.  The following 2 days were also spent more motoring than sailing: 53 miles to Mazagon on the 23rd and 36 to Bonanza on the 24th.  At the former, we anchored just outside the marina, in the shelter of a huge sea wall.  Bonanza is a few miles up the Rio Guadalquiver, which leads to Seville.  There is a strong current, but good holding and we spent a very comfortable night.  AS we were at spring tides, timing our exit was important, so we had a long lie, picking up anchor at 1030.  We expected to have to motor to the river mouth, but the wind was kind and we were soon progressing with all plain sail down the coast to Cadiz, tying up at 1700.

Cadiz from seaward

The centre of Cadiz is wonderful, with a huge area that has hardly changed for hundreds of years.  No chain stores, no plate glass windows and no advertising hoardings.  Every U.K. town planner should be made to come here to see what is possible and hang their heads in shame.  And where there are modern features, such as the bridge linking the peninsula to the mainland, they are stunning.  Even the pylons crossing the same gap are spectacular.  The only tatty bit is the dock area, leading to the marina.  Like so many parts of Spain (and Canaries) there are partially complete or abandoned projects that have been allowed to decay and get covered in graffiti.


We spent 2 nights in Cadiz before setting off down the coast early afternoon on Sunday 27th.  We had only 22 miles to go today and that was forecast to be the best timing for wind.  So it proved and we had a lazy sail down to Port Conil, where we anchored in what should have been the lee of the harbour wall.  Unfortunately, this seemed just to funnel the swell round and we had an uncomfortable night.

Our next challenge was the Strait of Gibraltar.  This is only 8 miles wide at its narrowest and not only does it have the only flow of water in and out of the Mediterranean, it also funnels the wind between the pillars of Hercules so there is great potential for 7 knot currents and gale force winds, with one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world to add to the spice.  I was having difficulty tying in the text advice in the pilot book with the tidal flow diagrams, so asked advice on the Cruising Association forum.  Collating the replies revealed that our best chance for the next week, and possibly much longer (as who knows what the wind was going to do after that) was to finish our coffee, pick up the anchor and go.  In fact, going 2 days earlier would have been even better, as it would have given an extra 90 minutes between best tides and sunset, but too late for that now.  So, at 1040, we heaved up and set off.  Had daylight been longer, we would have had time to sail all the way but, as I didn’t want a dark arrival we motored, or motor sailed most of the way to keep the speed up.  We didn’t pick up a following current until Tarifa, the start of the narrow bit, but from here on, with tide behind and a fair wind we sped through.  Gibraltar bay was packed with freighters bunkering, fishermen ferries etc. so we were pleased to be crossing it in daylight.  Our chosen parking space, Marina Bay, is right next to the airport runway, so we had to promise not to cross the centreline as it was active.

The marina itself is ‘Med style’: bow or stern to, with lazy lines to keep you off the jetty.  A fixed jetty works well in the Med, with no appreciable tidal rise but here, where it goes up and down a few feet, it presented access problems for Elsie.  We had planned to leave Ruby here while I flew back to the U.K. in April, but had a re-think and changed our booking to Queensway, where floating pontoons are used instead.

Gibraltar itself is all that we expected: touristy, historic, crowded.  We took the obligatory cable car to the top and went for a walk over the border to Spain.   Having motored so much in the previous week, we needed 130 litres of diesel, but at 28 pence per litre, it didn’t hurt too much.


Barbary ape

We had 10 days to kill, waiting for my booked trip to Scotland and decided to see a bit of the Costa del Sol, so set off again on the 31st for Marbella. The forecast was for 15 knots of wind; we planned for 20, with 2 reefs in the main and Genoa;  there was actually 25, so we had a spirited sail down the East side of the bay, round Europa point and up the coast.  Only on going inshore, at Jose Banus, did the wind change to light and variable and we had an interesting last few miles, alternating tacks, beating, running and reaching but tied up at Bajadilla at 1700, next to Jaz, the boat we had left Porto Santo with.  Timing on this coast is not so much about currents but seasons.  The cost of this marina was very reasonable, at 13 euros per night but from June to September, it nearly triples.  Ouch.  Let’s hope we can find some nice anchorages in the high season.

Monthly stats:
logged               931
Over ground    1004

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