Into the Med proper!

So as an interesting point . I left Marbella Bajadillo marina on the 10th and on the 11th a massive fire took out 100 boats. It probably wouldn’t have got mine but I would have been evacuated and the smoke must have been visible for miles!

I got my sail stitched and the auto helm checked. Nothing wrong there just low batteries. That’s great news. From there I went past the bay of Almeria and did my first solo night time anchoring. It should be daunting but if you trust the gadget's software it’s pretty ok. In the morning you wake up in a lovely bay over looked by a deserted fortress!

The next day having been bitten I decided to anchor the next night as well . That’s another 130 miles east and in a bay which has a small town and road but I’m slightly unclear as to legality of anchoring , any how did and no problem. The next days target is La manga area to meet up with a bevy of birds. Past Cartagena and on to Cabo de Palos a small fishing port. I had not been able to get in touch or responses from or speak to any of the marinas in the area so employed brilliant Tony in Sussex who hables Espagnola . and he established this port as doable not only that it’s FREE! Hopefully safe! The funny thing is that by pure chance the bevy were drinking in the port side when my boat came round the corner! I jumped off was tying up then screams of ecstasy and delight as they mobbed my cruiser. Pleasant surprise.

Now staying with Ali, Sussane and B in the exclusive la Manga golf resort. No golfers on the course and only 10 mins from the boat. So now there's a bit of shore time for a few days , but did sail up to The next marina for fuel yesterday as this port doesn't sell to non fishermen?!

Lunch by the boat after refuelling as we had to wait for even hours for the bridge to open and let us out. A lovely motor sail back with Ali learning the ropes then tied up on what hopefully is a less swelly mooring, very shallow here though.

Next stop Alicante to pick up next passenger, Stephanie,  Eds vet from France looking forward to discussing the finer points of dolphin autopsies . That's a few days of sleeping on a proper mattress before then though.

This is the coast line of southern Spain and the next is a view of the snow capped mountains from Almerimar marina, out of sequence but love it.