I’m in Alcudiamar Marina For the next 2 months. It’s a lovely Marina less than 7 years old so everything’s new and modern. The town is very nice it’s sleepy because it’s out of season. Its a family resort so you don’t get the big clubs and noise that you would in Palma or Ibiza. I had a walk up to the Old Town.
Alcudia old town
I’m going to be working on somebody else’s boat for a while but also I need to get an International certificate of competence (ICC). It’s a bit of paper issued to prove that you can sail. It’s not legally required on a UK registered vessel, but as I found recently the police don’t necessarily know that and want to enforce the national rules which says a captains license is required. I will have the same problem at most European countries I visit so it’s easier just to get the certificate and then produce it when somebody asks for it.
I am booked onto a sailing course that will give me the certificate in Palma next week. The course is very expensive and I’ll need to hire a car but if I want that bit of paper. I have to bite the bullet and do it.
From Altea I sailed up the coast and anchored overnight. The next evening I set off for a night sale to Ibiza. The seas were rough with a 4m swell and strong winds but we made very good progress and arrived in the early morning. I anchored overnight and the next morning I moved to Ibiza Marina where I resupplied with food and stayed 2 nights.
The next day I sailed along the South coast of Ibiza to an anchorage just at the tip of the island ready for the crossing to Majorca. On the way I passed 2 coastal towns one called Cala Longa the other Es Carna, the last time I was here was about 30 years ago on two seperate family holidays. My youngest daughter Lucy was still in a pushchair.
It was another rough crossing to Majorca and found a beautiful anchorage in a small bay and stayed there 2 nights. I am now motor sailing along the South coast of Majorca making my way up to the Marina where I’ll stay for up to 2 months.
I have not blogged for a while so there’s a lot to catch up on. This will be a longer blog including carnivals and possible romance. How’s that for an attention grabbing opening 😉
Carnivals
From Garrucha I sailed to Aguilas, my mum had told me about carnivals there and the timing was perfect for getting to see some of it. I booked into the Marina for 5 nights and while there managed to see 3 carnivals in total. One night was a party night where everybody dressed up in different costumes and just went out for a drink at the bars and the restaurants, the place was buzzing and although I went back to the boat at around 11pm, I could hear the partying going on until the early hours. I really need company to share this with.. more on that later.
Aguilas Carnivals
From Aguilas I sailed up to Mazarone, my mum used to live there, And then up past Alicante and Benidorm to Altia. I’m here for 2 nights to refuel and resupply ready to cross to Ibiza.
And now the bit that I’m sure my mum is dying to know more about. Last November I went on some dating sites and I’ve been quite successful. I’ve got several new female friends who I chat to online and may progress further, but time will tell. It takes a very brave and adventurous woman to come out and meet me on the boat having never met me ashore. But those are the qualities I like so it’s a good filter for the people that may be suitable for me. Two ladies have booked flights to come out and meet me in the next 2 months, both of them coming out as friends and they may leave as friends, we don’t know, They do know about each other, I am very honest and open with them and we are mature enough to understand what is going on. And in case you hadn’t already guessed Marina is a lady I met on a dating site, she came out as a friend in Gibraltar. We agreed we’re not compatible and that’s OK, we still enjoyed our time together doing some sightseeing and sailing.
Tomorrow I hope to sail to Ibiza I could write a song about that.. “Hey, I’m going to Ibiza 🎵”. Its 12 hours away roughly depending on the weather, the forecast looks good though. I will check the forecast again tonight and tomorrow morning but it’s likely I’m gonna do it as a night sail so I can arrive in Ibiza during daylight. That means leaving late tomorrow afternoon.
