Inland Spanish jaunt.

Jane has come over bringing some windlass parts which was a  great help and heavy package! That’s all reconfigured and yet to be tested properly though it does work. Now with a car we have gone in land in the Valencia/ Aragon area. What a stunning place. Loads of fruit growers , olives and vinyards. Amazing windy roads , great for bikes and very little traffic!

Iron ore mine. Very impressive little tour where the miners were paid 16 cents per day ! Closed in 62

Eagle flying just above our heads.

Visited a bull farm, unofficial. Most of the villages around here have bull runs but not fights. Don’t know why but very impressive animals.

Fresh water , thermal pool not very warm but not mountain cold and so clear with loads of fishes.

Goats or deer not sure?!

One of many mountain village’s above lovely back streets no one around and mostly  renovated . All thriving on fruit growing and olives.

Below Teruel, biggest local town with Muslim influences .

Morivet castle and surrounds. Amazing building from 11 century built over many times partly by the Templars! Have to look up about them, assume they were spreading the Christian way while raping and pillaging . Nothing much changed in 700 yrs then.😳

Mora d’Ebra. Site of fierce battles in the civil war. The river flowing through is massive but water level about 15 ft down from 10 yrs ago and the dam we passed was almost empty. Some serious problems ahead me thinks.

Our Parador in Tortosa. Amazing views and 5* type of building at 3 * prices.

Monument to Franco , still causing a lot of controversy!

Peniscola last visit before heading back to boat.

Not quite Bayesian !

But she was prominent in my thoughts!

So had a great sail from València to where I am in Oropesa. 10 hrs sailing with the last two at night and 7 kts all good . Decided to anchor outside rather than enter small strange marina at 23.30 with building winds. Limited anchorage’s around here but this was a bay  with sand below . 3-4 m depth so all good . A bit rolley to start off but nothing to concern then the wind picked up as well. Lots of noise and banging around but had new nylon snubbing line to two cleats so happy and went to bed. Not very productive bearing in mind the noise and motion but at 1.30 there was a new noise . Had the boom fallen ? No the anchor chain was paying out on its own. 

Rolling sea- under statement . I’ve never seen breaking waves move past me at such speed . I was side to swell on occasion and these were hitting from the side . The cockpit was awash but not drowned. The wind was over 20 knots and I was wondering what to do. I’ve 70 meters of heavy chain but half of that would take me aground . Last sight of the depth gauge showed 2.1 m , I use 1.8m. I was lying on the fore deck tying ropes around the chain to stop it paying out , while it was paying out. Next best option ditch the whole length of chain and anchor go out to sea . Head to marina next day then recover anchor! My tie jobs seem to be holding as was my trusty anchor so although my depth gauge was flashing inaccurate crazy figures now due to excessive rocking and data burp. I wasn’t aground and wasn’t getting any closer to the beach. I decided to monitor the situation. Stayed up top as static motion was making me feel a bit queasy . Wouldn’t say I slept, but cat napped while holding on and waiting for sunrise at about 7. 

It arrived and I was still in one piece, as was the kat . Time to start fannying about As the anchor would not haul in under strain . I tried winching and pulling by hand but trying to lock off each foot pulled in wasn’t working. Time to call for assistance or cut the anchor away. 

Then a small boat with two blokes on board asked if I needed help and one spoke good English. Some might not understand but sometimes help though well intended isn’t help it’s hinderence! Any how seemed worth a try. Bingo. The guy swam across , got him on board. He understood the issue. I used the engine to position us, he hauled in the chain and I locked what he’d taken in with a carabiner. Running back and forth to position and secure . Very successful. Couldn’t have had a better bloke to help. 25 yr old, just passed his police exams and entering the academy next month. Looked like he worked out . 

Anchor stored he swam back ,bear in wind the wind was brisk and the boat rocking around , not as bad as previous night but difficult . I entered the marina completely shag mc knackered! Did the paperwork then saw the two lads in the cafe. They were supposed to be fishing but Adrian was feeling a bit sick and his mate decided to call it off. I did offer the guy some money when he was on the boat but he declined so I bought them their breakfast. The second bloke was an ambulance driver . Really nice of them to assist!

So windlass is knackered. The anchor plate bent . My snubbing hook is lost but I’ve arranged for the spare parts and done what I can to prepare but curtailing plans as with out anchor some of the marinas are really too expensive . This one isn’t and is really nice so am staying here for a week or so. Things to do.😄

In mooch mode.

                                         Calpè where you had to book to climb the rock and produce passport. I’m anchored outside the sea wall in that boat cluster.

                                       Local fauna.

Valencia!

Whilst waiting for my holiday to Uk to drive a friends car down to Murcia I’m shooting the breeze! How is this different from the norm you ask? It’s not. Do I need a holiday you ask ? I don't, but a free flight and luxury ferry cruise from Pompey to Bilbao with 4 dogs and a cat in a little convertible through Spain with an overnight stop, makes a change!😀

Anyhow was heading up to Tarragona with diversion to Mallorca staying on anchor for the month to save marina charges but forecast thunderstorms led me to this very cheap large and pleasant marina to take refuge in and I’ve been here for four days! Waiting for the storms which have been bad elsewhere but not here!

Felt a bit lazy not to investigate the locality, so took a bus on the first day which was tiresome and got off at a shopping centre which had a Carrefore , then next day hired an e-bike to go into València. 

Nice ultra modern city in parts with great old buildings scattered about and affable ambiance. Didn’t have a paella though there were hundreds about. 

Pretty large even for two and I thought a prawn or mussel stuck on top of a load of rice was a bit of a tourist activity. 

 Remember I’m a resident now not a trog. Or at least technically am though I still haven’t had my fingerprints taken and therefore don’t have an ID card yet but hopefully that is in hand!

So this episode is just a few city scapes!

                                 Central market.

Town hall

Lonja ( trading palace)

                                           Cathedral, missed out climbing to the top because they only took cash!