Gibraltar to Almerimar

Actually, we have been in Almerimar marina for just over a month now but have had a steady stream of visitors and as a consequence, have not updated our blog sooner.
More on Almerimar shortly but firstly let us pick up on our journey here.
We left La Linea marina at the end of September and had more or less decided that we wanted to do a final 'long passage' at the end of the season. There are not many anchorages between Gibraltar and Almerimar and we would need a good weather window to make them tenable. As it happened the weather had taken a turn for the worse and was becoming much more unsettled. Our almost unbroken spell of not seeing rain since June came to an abrupt end one day with a huge storm and reports of severe flooding all along the Costa del Sol. The flash flooding was so severe that sadly, ten people lost their lives. It just goes to show the forces of Mother Nature which you can never take for granted.
We left the waypoints for various marinas in the chartplotter just in case we had to run for cover along the way but is it happened we covered the 135nm journey in about 26 hours in a mixture of conditions from almost no wind to a very pleasant force 4 to 5 at night. We had arrived in Gibraltar in fog so it was a welcome relief to leave in better conditions and after rounding Europa Point lighthouse we enjoyed a good period of downwind sailing under just the genoa.

Rounding Europa Point - Gibraltar

We had prepared a casserole the day before so heated this up for dinner and at about 8pm we rigged up the lee cloth on the port sofa and settled into our watch rota of three hours on and three off.

Sea berth - very comfy!

By now the wind had died so the engine had to go on but at about 2.00am it picked up enough to hoist the sails and turn off the engine for a good while. 
The wind was now coming from directly where we wanted to go so in order to make progress it was necessary to tack along our intended route. Fortunately, the genoa winches can be operated from the helm and the auto pilot has a self tacking function. This means that by pressing two buttons the pilot will tack the boat through 100 degrees. A nice touch if you are short-handed.

Night sails on longer passages are something we both really enjoy and may feature in our future longer term plans. This one was no exception as we soon found ourselves surrounded by a pod of dolphins and it was mesmerising to watch the trails of phosphorescence that they left behind as they swam along side and played at the bow. When dawn did break the wind had once again died down to almost nothing, so back on with the engine. Once the mist had burnt off, it was interesting to see the coastline with the snow capped Sierra Nevada mountain range as a spectacular backdrop.

Sierra Nevadas

As we got nearer to Almerimar the coastline takes on a rather bizarre appearance courtesy of the miles and miles of poly tunnels, we are now in the 'greenhouse' of Europe. Huge tracts of land devoted to growing vegetables which consumers can enjoy all year round.

Miles of poly tunnels

By now, the sea was almost flat calm and we began to notice large clumps of vegetation, presumably washed down from rivers following the recent flash floods.

Almerimar Marina entrance was straightforward enough and like many other marinas we have been to this year, you dock up at the waiting pontoon and check in before getting a berth allocated.
We had already been here by car last year and had read many other yacht blogs which described it as having a good liveaboard community, plus it is relatively inexpensive and worked out at about 1600 euros for six months. Of course, once again we are classed as a 15m boat so if you have one under 12 metres the price drops quite a bit. Electric and water are extra and cost a hefty 3 euros per day, worth factoring in when making comparisons.
Berthing is also med mooring which involves picking up a  'sinker' line from the dock and running up to the other end of the boat to pull the main line which is attached to a weight on the seabed and tie it off on a cleat.
Our first experience of this was at Bayona, our first landfall after crossing Biscay but all went well as the helpful marina staff were on hand to assist.

Winter berth - Almerimar marina

The marina is large and having the bikes helps us get around. Every morning there is an informative liveaboard radio net on channel 67 and we have already attended a few quiz nights and played boules on the beach. The local supermarket (Mercadona) is just a few minutes walk away and well stocked and we are informed the marina has over 70 bars/restaurants to choose from!

Well that is all for now. We have already driven to Murcia to visit Lynne's parents and have a hire car booked to go and visit Alhambra and Granada shortly but more on that and an update on life in Almerimar next time.

Steve and Lynne xx



Gibraltar - La Linea - Ronda

Actually, we are in Alcaidesa Marina at La Linea in Spain, on the border with Gibraltar. The marina is only a few years old and as we had previously stayed in Marina Bay in Gibraltar a while back when on a sailing course, so we decided to try somewhere new.

The prices are very reasonable although, electric and water are metered and we don't have the final bill yet. There is a good laundry on site with a large capacity washer for only 4 Euros a wash. We are on a finger pontoon rather than a Med mooring, but this is probably the last time this will happen from here on in.

Many people will know that Gibraltar is famous for its population of Barbary Apes that reside at the top of the rock. Legend has it that when the Apes leave, so will the British.

Is it just us or can you too see the face of a Gorilla in the picture below? Spooky or what?

Faces in the Rock

If you look a little closer, you can also make out a 'human' face above the mouth and below the right eye with an upturned mouth. OK, so maybe the local Vino Tinto is a little stronger but you had to be here to see how realistic it looked!

The local town has several supermarkets but we mainly used the Mercadona as it was only a 15 minute walk away. We are still struggling a little with recipes so if you are missing familiar stuff from the UK and want to cheat, you could always nip over the border to Morrisons. We have many cook books on board and need to study these in a little more detail, as both of us need to branch out and get more creative. Salads are fine and prawns are always welcome at any mealtime but seven days a week....

It was a bonus to attend the opening night of the Alcaidesa Lounge Bar at the marina, just a stones throw from our pontoon. Free drinks and tapas went down very well and we both wish this venture every success for the future.

One of the other Rally boats, Plane Magic arrived this month. We had not seen Neil and Hilary since Lagos and it was really nice to spend some time chilling out together. We even enjoyed a session of ten pin bowling at the King's Bastion Leisure Centre in Gib (unlimited bowling on 'Thrifty Thursday' night between 7pm and 11pm for only £10 per person).

We are also incredibly grateful to Hilary for organising some VIP tickets to the very first Gibraltar Music Festival featuring Ali Campbell's UB40 and Jessie J amongst many local acts.

Neil and Hilary of Plane Magic

The setting was very opulent indeed as was the guest list. it is not every day you get to meet a former Miss World!




The very beautiful and charming Kaiane Aldorino with a very happy Steve!

The festival was a sell out and UB40 were particularly good (Lynne was very happy as they are one of her favourite bands and she enjoyed having a singalong and a bit of a boogie). We are very grateful for the experience, it was Plane Magic!




A packed venue



Jessie J

From one major even to another...  Just a few days later we once again nipped across the border, this time to attend Gibraltar National Day, dressed appropriately in red and white (the entire population turns out in the colours of the Gibraltar flag).

Casemates Square was packed with standing room only.



Gibraltar National Day 2012 in Casemates Square

The atmosphere was amazing as this clip hopefully shows.




A few days later we met up with Vaughan from the Rally boat Viking, who was having a short stopover in Gibraltar at Marina Bay.

Marina Bay Apartments, you need deep pockets here!

We had a meal in the local Casino - a 2 for 1 special offer (well we are cruising folk) and took the time together to swap adventures since parting company in Lagos.

Vaughan

We wish Vaughan well and hope we will meet up again next season.

About 10 days into what was turning into a packed social life, our friends Tim and Tina flew in from the UK to spend a week with us. It was an emotional farewell leaving them in Plymouth and equally emotional catching up with them again.

As it was their first time here we did the usual sightseeing which included a trip up the rock with associated stunning views.  We took one of the organised 'Rock Tours' on a mini bus, which takes you to the Pillars of Hercules, St Michael's Cave, The Monkey's Den and The Great Siege Tunnels.  This really is the best way to see the sights as the roads are very steep and narrow, which makes it a tiring walk.

View from near the top of the Rock looking towards La Linea and our marina base. The runway separates the border



St Michael's Caves

 

The Great Siege Tunnels

 

















The Pillars of Hercules





Tim & Tina by the Pllars of Hercules



We think Tim and Tina enjoyed the day!

Tim and Tina also did a dolphin watching boat trip but we opted out as we had seen so many dolphins on our journey here.  They saw several large pods and even got to see a dolphin calf with its mum, which really made Tina's day.

For our final evening together we pushed the boat out (well walked across the road actually), to the most fabulous restaurant called aQa.
What a find. The food here is simply divine. If you have a special occasion or just want a great meal out and worry about the cruising budget another time, you should try this place. The starters are huge, so make sure you have a big appetite!



The restaurant is upstairs and the bar/cafe downstairs



After Tim and Tina left we set about getting the boat ready for our next voyage along the Spanish coast.  Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas! A huge low pressure was due to pass through and we are always cautious so we decided to stay a little longer. This delay just so happened to coincide with the arrival of Rally boats Katerina and Ravi who were making their way to Gran Canaria to join the ARC.  It was fantastic to see Scott, Julia, Harald, Ragnhild and Svein Inge again.

We had a get together and dinner on Katerina followed by a get together and dinner on Ravi.

Julia, Harald & Ragnhild onboard Katerina





Scott with a vintage box of Don Simon Vino Tinto on Katrerina!







Scott, Lynne & Ragnhild on Ravi



Steve and Scott got chatting and said how much they both missed a good curry. We noticed an Indian restaurant, the Tahj Mahal in La Linea town centre and all decided to give it a go. The boys were keen to introduce our Norweigen friends off Ravi to the British tradition of beer and curry. (they also do a take out service and will deliver to the marina)



Scott, Ragnhild, Steve, Lynne, Julia & Harald enjoying  curry



Whilst we were waiting for the bad weather to pass, we decided to take a trip to Ronda. The crews off Katerina and Ravi had made the trip themselves the last time they were in La Linea and highly recommended it.  We got the bus to Algeceiras and then caught the train to Ronda.  The train journey was approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes long and took us through some breathtaking scenery through the mountains.



The train to Ronda



Situated in the far northwest of the province of Malaga, Ronda sits on an outcrop of rock in a basin surrounded by mountain ranges. It is one of the oldest towns in Spain and its cultural heritage and surroundings are Arabic. The views from the Old Town really are spectacular.



Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) built in the 18th Century





Puento Viejo-Puento Arabe (Old Arab Bridge) built in the 16th Century





Platform overlooking the views from Ronda





View from the platform





Ronda 'New Town' taken from the Old Town



One of the highlights was visiting the Arab Baths, dating back to the 14th century.  They are the best preserved in Spain and are the Muslim adaptation of the ancient Roman baths. They consist of the same system of reception, three rooms for bathing, cold, temperate and hot, underfloor heating and heater.



The outside of the Arab Baths





Inside the Arab Baths



Ronda is also home to the oldest Bullring in Spain.  It was the first purpose built space for fighting bulls in the World and is considered to be one of the most picturesque. The first fight took place in 1785 and the matadors were the local born Pedro Romero and the Sevillian Pepe Hillo.



Statue of a matador outside the Bullring



The next photo was taken especially for Lynne's mum who collects wall plates!

Oh well, it is almost time to move on again so the preperations have started for our next leg. We will leave for Almerimar soon but have still not decided whether to head over in one go or, to anchor along the way and take our time. The weather forecast will decide for us.


Until next time..

Steve and Lynne xx