Repairs started!

Long time no news. Things are now moving but slowly. Parts have been ordered and fibre glass work has been started with a bit of welding as well ,but it feels like the boat is in bits ,which it is whilst I wait for my reconditioned propeller and an engine part which has caused endless grief in finding.

The big news with this saga is that the insurance company said they wouldn't pay so I had to employ the services of a solicitor .He sent a mail and the next day they agreed to pay the sum arranged and it has arrived. This money issue was causing too much concern so at least that has been dealt with but it is only one of the problems . It was a major one and for that reason I am for the time being a bit happier but just need to get the old boat in the water.

Tina has been out for a visit so did a load of sights.in Cartagena ,which was as important to the Romans at the time as Rome itself. The preserved ruins in town are quite amazing and they have been displayed very considerately.

 English information is a bit sparse but most of the stuff is quite obvious. I have been to the naval museum, the military museum. This was on a par with IWM but less fancy The second gun emplacement, the massive English department store Corte Inglaise and another castle at the top of the hill.

Ali and Sooz have come over again so am staying at Alis place for a few days. Their trip has included skinny dipping in hot springs ( not me obs ) because I had to take the picture. Thermal spring swim,Sea swimming, very cold .Prehistoric caves later inhabited by a Roman family. jackdaw ravine -self explanatory and hill walks.

 All good distractions from boat stuff. Still got good weather though a bit colder and that's about it for now hopefully next post will be entitled .Work complete,back in the water !!

Carnival procession through Cartagena. Full monty effort.

Out of the water.

Not much change to report since being lifted out of the water. I was delayed for a day by the yard then on the day was the worst weather pretty much since leaving UK . Now being stored in the boat yard. The assessor has been and the latest is that the insurance company say they will not pay the bill because I was not in a marina. This is definitely a semantic argument because .I was moored at a boat mooring inside the entrance to a port with all the facilities of a marina as defined by the insurance people, it being an area of the marina. One wonders what the clause means as it's practical application when cruising precludes anchoring, using mooring buoys ando staying in ports!!? There is an argument to be had probably including solicitors which is not good news.

Apart from killing time and doing lots of jobs on the boat I have had two visitors. One Ed's vet from France Stephanie and Nigel. Both had to walk to the top of hills to look at the big guns.Nigel fortunately got only a short walk as we could drive most of the way! Both guests caught colds or came with them and now I have one but it seems to be passing. 

18 metre barrels and made by Vickers in 1926 ,fired only once. What a waste but the buildings around them are amazing and devoid of the vandalism usually seen on non protected sights at home.

Nige and I visited the naval museum in Cartagena where the boat is and saw this submarine. One of the first practical working designs apparently. Spain has a long history of submarines usually second hand off the Americans ,German  (u boat) and others .there are two in the naval harbour at the moment. 

What a coast line around Cartagena! Now staying in La Manga some times as Ali said I could use the apartment. I just pop over for a change of scenery at the week ends some times but how nice is that and lucky. 

Went for a shore based boat bbq the other day with an Italian and some of the boat yard workers and live aboards , that was nice and he had general Francos baton apparently!!

That's all for now not feeling too good about everything because of the insurance issue but hopefully things will get sorted at someone's expense. 

 

DISASTER HAS STRUCK !

Not like the first one with Eds  but bad.

Tuesday  having moved to a wind protected Quay the wind picked up to around 60 mph gusts. The swell came round the wall and my five mooring lines snapped. I wasn't on board and came to the scene about an hour after it started to check on the boat. On arrival the police,passers by and a very tattooed waiter were struggling and loosing to hold katrilli from being washed on to the rock sea defences.  The police were instructing people to let ago. Tattoo man jumped aboard and secured a line but we turned up just at this point so I was able to jump on start the engine and move away. Sue came aboard to help secure some lines and we motored in to the marina where previously I had been told I could not go in for various reasons. Fortunately there was a space where there wasn't one before and that's where I am now amoung the fishing boats. I'm taking her round to Cartagena tomorrow or next day and we'll find out what this will cost to repair. It could have been a lot worse, and I think if it weren't for tattoo man's efforts, and others it would have been. All my underpants would have been strewn around the harbour for one.

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.

Return to Europe

Well I was only in Morocco for three weeks but it seemed longer. That's not a criticism, but it did get a bit samey and much as I love tagine and chicken you can have too much of a good thing . Interestingly being a salt fiend I note that their cuisine could benefit a lot from adding some!

After Marrakech David came back to Rabat and took in the sites, then we overnighted back to Tangier where we did the same. Great little sail and no issues.  Did buy some swordfish in the best fish market in Tangier. Made that in to steaks  pappiotte  (?) Then supreme fish cakes, and a last fish cake after david left not bad for 10€. We then sailed back to Gibraltar to drop off David and give me a chance to meet up with people I met there.

The sail back was uneventful apart from sighting a pod of short Fin pilot whales mixed in with dolphins.  I did get the feeling of here we go when I first saw their fins because I thought they might be the infamous Gibraltar orca pod but they weren't. 

After that I departed for Marbella to get gas bottled filled then on to Almerimar . Marbs was scenic but considering its reputation seemed to be more incontinence pads than party people. This was my first Stern to mooring using the slime lines which are as the name implys. What a bloody stupid system unfortunately it prevails in the med. Trip from there to Almerimar was great but big seas and winds over night got a bit daunting, plus more issues with the auto helm . Very bad time to go but it sort of came back. Arrived knackered at 05.45 then the problems started . Plenty of space but wind was blowing me off the visitors pontoon. Considering there were two marinaris and they know their port ,performance was poor so I scraped my boat, some one else's and generally spent 45 minutes going round in circles.Safe in the end. Need to get a few issues sorted but seems like a nice place .

I hope everyone's year has started well. David and I shook hands over a cup of tea at the year change. Radical!

Gibraltar harbour and one of the siege tunnels inside the rock.

Marbs at dusk. 

Damaged sail from other night.!

Christmas escape committee.

Well here I am again. Quite a bit of action. Rabat is great and a useful base. Met a friend, David from England in Marrakech, then headed to the Sahara for Crimbo avoidance which was very easy after two days in the maelstrom of Marrakech which  is a bit full on. Manic musicians , snake charmers, illegal animal sellers and the pre requisite carpet and leather sellers with out considering the evening food station where the choice of venue is based on the selling patter of the waiters.The food on offer is identical on each stall . The sheep's head stew was avoided ,can't think why. 

The ride by mini bus to the desert was interspersed with stops to a berber village where Holywood has previously made films and still is. A rug sellers house and an amazing gorge where the local water for irrigation is sourced from springs. Over night stop in traditional hotel with usual food was good and generally any spiel given was very informative. Next morning our group reloaded the bus.  The dopey 20 yr old Dutch boy was late but he explained that with his ADHD 12 hrs sleep was required. Groan! On arrival at dusty destination the anticipated sand dunes and ships of the desert awaited us. More than a token gesture camal ride took us to a vantage point dune for sunset then on to camp site. Four blankets kept me warm but I seem to have acquired a cold anyway. Then return to  Marrakech next day. 12 hrs later with essential stops only, our trip was completed.  Good fun, tea shirt. Tick. Highly recommended. 

Train back to Rabat, home! David installed and a brief tour of my turf. A plan to return to Tangier was decideď in a couple of days and much formal pointless paperwork was imminent . Leaving the marina by boat is the same as leaving the country!!! Therfore passport stamp ( which we do again on arrival at Tangier ) is required. 

25 hrs of motor sailing through the night which was brilliant and we arrive knackered in time for new year which is tonight . No plans made or desired. Trying to decide whether to stay in Morocco or head along coast of Spain.  I'm leaning towards that option as I'd like to be in la Manga mid month. 

The pups seemed to have been kept safe but moved to the medina. New mothers were being primed by their suitors at the waters edge by new dad's  ( I'm talking dogs still) I did have an interesting glass of wine in a traditional cliff top kasbah house with a local perve who despite being forwarned I was not a homo (his description ) still thought getting his todger out for some after noon fresh air was going to convert me. My cue to leave! On good terms as I thought it was funny especially as he asked me to close the court yard door when I left. Not much else to report. A few pictures, most are self explanatory.

Happy new year all. I'm fine over here but I hope the UK cake gets at least an icing if not jam and candles this year because it certainly looks like it needs it! X. 

                                     View from hotel Marrakech. 

Desert Berber village.

The classic camel train and riders.