Time to deal with the immigration wallahs!

Seems like a while since the last post. I arrived in Ibiza and anchored in the same bay as I did last year. A lot more people now and no great interest in mixing with them so stayed a couple of days to rest . Rowed a shore a few times and admired the big boys toys all over the marina.

Lamborghini!

Moved round the island to another quieter anchorage and walked through bushes and goat tracks. I think the spot is where the clubland acid heads come to to ponder life and the funny colours of our world as there were a few unlikely walkers in a very desolate place subsequent to an arduous walk from the top. Also there was a big magic mushroom painted on the rock!!

 

This spot is less than 5 miles from formentera, where two days later the first big storm hit. Not sure how I would have faired at anchor. Waited for winds then headed for mainland . Still checked out of Schengen so my little Brexit clock isn’t ticking . Hopefully I won’t be bothered by that soon. Stopped in another anchorage just south of Denia. 

Some lovely caves but too many day boats! Carried on south towards Torrevieja of all places.

Once there , time to get visa sorted . Much buggering about. Instruction from UK was go to local police and get ID card then you have a year in Spain extendable to two more at end of period. There are about 5 police forces , multiple offices and different rules in each state not apparently known to anyone I spoke to. Went to Alicante ,4 hrs walking around . Finally in the commercial container port in the Algerian ferry terminal on the second floor a very amenable police man and woman stamped my passport to enter Schengen. Unfortunately they didn’t want to stamp the one with visa in it, and I was later to find out this would be a big problem necessitating another visit to same office. Fortuitously on that occasion there were different officers and I didn’t even need to tell them I had come from Tunisia.

Still no way of finding which office to go to next and not wanting to stay in Torrevieja ( part of the process in Valencia envolves registering with town hall, using an annual berth contract. ) I know now that is in Valencia not Murcia. L.S.S. With Ali’s assistance I’m using a solicitor in La manga who absolutely knows the process but cannot book my finger print visit to police because the online booking system turns on between 1-3 but best to do it on Monday. FFS 🙄. I’m in the system and hopefully not time constrained. Chaos.

Had a holiday last week 😃 met up with Chip and Ali in Cartagena. Theo the man who got orcaerd when we met him in France. Quite nice to be back in Cartagena. I was there under duress before so had jaded views.

Then back to Torredump. Marina is good town is ugly and not interesting like La linea. 

Theo !

Presently at anchor in Tabarca where I met up again with Theo after he left Torredump. He’s good company and good fun . Don’t know why the boat full of girls went over to his boat yesterday evening? Apparently one of them fancied him but he only has eyes for his candy floss ( Candice.) shame!

Tarbaca island, thousands turn up on weekends, deserted at night.

Torrevieja!

Anchorage outside Cartagena waiting for Theo from the south

Brilliant submarine in Torre’ Marina walk around inside  €2 including other stuff on dock.

Night time in ratsville!

Tarbaca. Bit different to earlier . Over night there were just three of us.

 Our two boats are down there in the middle some where. This doesn’t show all of them . Busiest anchorage I’ve been to but still managed to pull alongside Periwinkle.