Wander Lost

Month: January 2023

  • Gibraltar to Motril

    The Spanish Costa del Sol coastal towns have held little interest to me being full of hotels, bars and clubs. I am glad to be passing out of season when they are quiet. The scenery on the other hand is stunning with mountains right up to the coast.

    I am currently anchored in the harbour at Motril. I will stay here for a few days exploring and move on next week, weather permitting. I think I have found a vet willing to issue a pet passport for Dotty, I need to go to the clinic on Monday, cross fingers on that.

    Loneliness has crept in a little bit again. I am determined to be positive though. I am taking steps to fight it, friends should expect a barrage of ” How are you?” messages soon 🤣 and those of you thinking of holidays this year, check out cheap flights to the med to join me for a week or two 🤗

  • Gibraltar with Marina

    Now this could be confusing so bear with me. Marina is a good friend who flew to Gibraltar to spend a week with me on Lady Cindy, who is in Gibraltar at a marina. As I explained to my mum…

    Yes, it’s Marina. I am going to a marina to meet Marina and will stay with Marina at the marina for a couple of nights at least to walk from the marina with Marina up the rock. Then Marina and I may leave the marina to go to a marina at Cueta to stay a couple of nights and Marina and I may get a bus into Morocco. Then return to the marina. Then Marina and I will sail back to the marina in Gibraltar to stay another night or two before Marina flys back from the airport near the marina. Come on mum, keep up 🤣

    And that is exactly what we did 🤗 for once, everything went as planned and we had a great time.

    Tetouan in Morocco

    But, all good things come to an end eventually and my time with Marina in Gibraltar is one of them. Yesterday she flew home but as the marina is right next door to the airport, I got some video of her leaving..

    I plan to spend a couple of days in Gibraltar, there is a Yanmar dealer here where I can get engine parts so I will service the engine, do a few maintenance jobs and then sail into the med and up the Spanish coast. I am in exploring mode now so although I have a rough idea of direction (Italy) I can wander to get there. The weather forecast shows a windy week of 20 knots or more so I will wait till that blows away.

  • Arrived in Gibraltar

    It’s taken a lot longer than expected but I have finally arrived at the gateway to the Mediterranean, Gibraltar. Its been a difficult journey with bad weather, rough seas, finding out my mother is very ill, feeling low at times plus other difficulties. But we have done it, we are here and I feel fantastic.

    Sunrise at The Rock.

    We arrived at night so threaded our way through the busy harbours of Gibraltar on one side, Algecires on the other, I don’t think I have seen so much traffic on AIS, even in the Solent. We dropped anchor on the Spanish side at La Linea and took a well earned sleep after 3 days and 2.5 nights of non stop sailing.

    The next day we moved to the marina and spent a few days looking around, shopping, fixing things and chilling. Today we moved to Ocean marina in Gibraltar so technically we are back in the UK 🇬🇧.

    This is a big milestone because we switch from travelling mode with a destination, to wandering mode where we can go in any direction. At the moment I am think Balaerics then across to Italy and Malta. I will stay in and around Gibraltar for a week or two first.

    Tomorrow, we get a new guest aboard. Marina will be joining us for a week. We plan some sight seeing, sailing, fishing and possibly a trip to Africa, about 3 hours away across the strait.

  • Portimao and farewell Nelly

    After Christmas we left Sines and headed to Portimao. Good winds down to Sagres died completely after we turned the former so anchored overnight. After starting the engine the overheat alarm went off so we drifted into anchor. That night I replaced the water pump impellor and we were good to go. The next day there was no wind so we motored into Portimao in flat calm seas.

    Portimao is where Nelly leaves Lady Cindy😔 she will be ashore for a while working on a beautiful 3 masted cruiser that is in for maintenance. Nelly will help with painting etc. to get it ready for it’s next leg around the world. She has been a great help in what have been difficult sailing conditions from Santander to here. I wish her all the best for her onward adventures, she will always be welcome back in the future but maybe not in such rough seas 🤢🤣

    After 2 nights in Portimao, Dotty and I set sail for Gibraltar, via Cadiz. Sailing so far has been with good wind strength and calm seas but with the wind more Easterly than forecast, talking back and forth is slowing progress. We have just passed Faro and are on a Southerly tack. At this rate we should reach Cadiz late tonight.