Its time to fullfill one of my dreams: sailing to Scotland and Ireland. Stella is flying to Bodrum on June 5 and we will leave Gulluk on June 7. The total journey is around 3400 miles. At an asumed average speed of 5 knots that is 28 days of continuous sailing. But this is Covid time….
After being on the water for a long time, sailing almost the entire Mediterranean sea from East to West and then the North Atlantic Ocean, adjusting to land life takes some time. But it is easier to arrive in a little village then in a big town.
The last days in Newry pass quickly with pleasant walks in the countryside. The boat is still moored alongside the Albert Basin at the end of Newry canal right in the center of the city. Thank you people of Newry and Mourne for your help during the winter.
Sailing across the Irish sea and then around the Mull on a favourable tide. But remember: do not hurry, this is a pleasure craft! So let’s anchor for the night. There will be less wind tomorrow.
In the last days of August we left UK to head for the Carribbean via the Canary islands. That was the general plan anyway! Always bending to the wind with Captain Neptune and to the general adventurous nature of our lives at sea.
The northern most tip of Africa so close to Europe is full of interesting sights and tastes influenced by the native Rif, Berber, French, Spanish and American. It is a thriving modern city where you can buy almost everything.
Do we stay or do we go?
Still very happy on the boat in Tanja marina but now considering going back to Gibraltar for the repair. The work on the boom has ground to a halt as the man from Rif Mountains was too busy. So work was not going forward.
The three day passage from Gibraltar to Essouria went according to plan as the winds were very well behaved and we made good time. We were going to leave on 25th but when we checked out, the jolly Gibraltarian, complete with Christmas hat, earrings and red jumper declared the Marina closed to any traffic at all on Christmas day as the boom would be up.
On the way to Sidi Ifni and Mirleft as I wrote in the last post? Well.. we are sailors and sailors change their minds all of the time. While leaving Essouaria there was good wind to bring us straight to the Canaries but there was no wind near the coast, so time for a new plan. Lets go to La Palma instead.
At night at anchor in Puerto Vueltas La Gomera I wake up in the middle of the night, anchor alarm. The kathabatic wind howls over the mountain. In the morning the same again and we are almost on top of the catamaran that anchored behind us yesterday, much too close for my taste.
The Definition of Arrive.
Do we arrive as we sail at dawn around the northern tip of the island through a channel with reefs? It is drizzling and the squalls on the horizon around us make a dramatic background. Or do we arrive when we drop the anchor?