large pod of dolphins welcomed us to the Mediterranean. There was very little wind and again we motor-sailed to maintain the 6knots that we do our calculations for ETA's on. We noticed very soon into the med that there were horrible swathes of orange scum being carried on the water surface and trillions of small yucky particles in the sea. We wondered if this was as a result of the mass hydroponic veg and fruit production along the shore. There are just mile after mile of large plastic greenhouses. Apparently the sheets are up to 100 metres long and in storms get ripped of and carried out and dumped in the sea. I wouldn't want one of those coming at me in a howling gale !!
Fuengirola was ok but we only saw the marina as we had things to do on the boat. Next day we set of for Marina Del Este but decided to anchor at La Heradura just round the headland to save money. I was like a cat on a hot tin roof worrying in case the anchor dragged.......but it didn't. Next day it was boiling and we put up our bimini, which had been adapted by Renee in Hamble.
Diary entry - the sun was so hot we put the bimini up! Its naff and the boat looks like a chinese junk !!
1st July and we are one month in. We slip from the anchorage at 7am and make for Almerimar. Its a beautiful morning and the Sierra Nevada mountians, still capped with lots of snow tower over the coastline. We discuss if we are happy with how things are......and we both agree that we are, thank goodness. Do we miss anything about home........No, only the family, and we try to keep in touch regularly. Nothing else.
We arrive in good time at Almerimar, but we had only just got in and were busy doing our engine checks ( making sure nothing had fallen off or sprung a leak ) when a spanish boat came in next to us and crashed ( slight exageration ) into our side. Bloody foreign drivers !! The result was a dented stanchion. Could have been worse. We exchanged insurance etc. He was very apologetic and seemed like a nice bloke. I told him I was a descendant of Francis Drake, so he'd better watch himself .
We went for something to eat but only got as far as one watering hole. We ordered two beers and they brought two bacon, tomato and egg sarnies with it. Tapas. I felt guilty and ordered another two beers. They arrived with two pots of meat stew and chips....more tapas. We didn't go for a meal after that. Mind the mossies were also having tapas, courtesy mostly of Susan, who has now got lots of large red lumps decorating her. While we were in Almerimar we got the stern gland re-packed...not as painful as you might imagine, and it cured our embarrassing dripping. I wonder if I could ask the NHS to pay for it. The weather forecast was not good but our friends Mick and Julia were due to fly into Almeria, so we made a dash around the corner and into Aguadulce so it was handier for them. On the way in the autopilot took a dicky fit and turned right without warning.....mmmm. Switch off, go to manual. Aguadulce was good, and we were berthed next to a couple in a boat he had built himself. We had a good crack, he was from Lancashire and she was from Holland. They lived about 50kms away and kept their boat there. Mick and Julia arrived on Sun 4th July, it was so nice to see them, but I had to break the news of the bad weather forecast. Nothing I can do about that tho'. We had to get around the Cabo de Gato which is a bit of a notorious headland and we needed the weather to settle.We all went for a walk, and a beer and watched Nadal win Wimbledon.....he is awesome. Stayed in port the next day. A french yacht came in after a bit of a torrid time. They had tried to get into Almeria but had been turned away, even tho' they had very young children on board. Bar Stewards ! Had a fantastic paella that night in a traditional spanish restaurant. Tuesday, up early, lets go for it. The weather is easing. Slipped lines by 6am. Things not too bad at first but then rounding the Cabo de Gato things started getting seriously lumpy. Poor Mick wasn't well. At 1200 I made the decision to try and get into San Jose. I rang them and they said ok ( they also have a reputation for turning people away ) so we ran for cover in there. The berth was bloody aweful and so was the marinero ( fella that helps you with your lines ). You either moor stern back ) or bows ( front ) to the quay and they hand you a line known as a lazy line, but effectionately known as a slime line for obvious reasons. It was blowing a hooley through the marina and it was not comfy at all, but Mick said he was happy without the executive decision that had been made, so that was good. To be continued when I get me batteries recharged. Great says Susan.
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