Coast of Southern Spain

Fishermen

After a few days in La Linea we again started to sail the southern coast of Spain (the Andalusia region) on our way to Cartagena - our winter home.  The landscape is like none I have seen before - arid and barren.  Home to mountains and tumbleweed!  Turns out is was the ideal location for filming all those "spaghetti westerns" of the 60s and 70s.  Some of the sets are still there but have now been turned into amusement parks.  Sadly, we did not make it to Tabernas where many of these sets still exist.  We will have to make a point of visiting on the way back out!  

South Coast of Spain

 There seems to be a permanent haze all along the coast - air pollution.  You don't notice it so much when you are off the boat albeit it is very noticeable when sailing along the coast. 

Beach at Cabo de Gata

Our first stop past La Linea we decided to go to a marina.  What a mistake - the harbour master was a complete curmudgeon and the marineros did not assist at all with the med mooring.  As we were novices to this type of mooring we could have used a little assistance!  After that we tried to anchor when possible and were much happier.  At this one little beach there was a fellow running a little business making mojitos for the sailors at anchor.  A mobile "bar" in a dinghy!  He was pretty proud of his mojitos but they were indeed very tasty.  Enterprising fellow!  

 The other noticeable feature of this region of Spain is what many refer to as a "sea of plastic".  The town of Almeria (as well as the whole area) is the site of the largest concentration of greenhouses in the world!  As barren as the area is you would think nothing would grow.  As it turns out the area supplies the vast majority of winter vegies and fruit to the rest of Europe.  The hills are alive with all these polyethelene sheets that make up the greenhouses allowing them to grow vegetables year round.  

Almeria Greenhouses

 And what goes well with fresh vegetables - fresh fish, of course.  The fish are not just caught but farmed.  Lots of folks to feed!

Commercial Fish Farm

A different landscape for sure - other worldly.  It looks pretty inhospitable but then you come across these great towns and cities - suddenly you see the beauty. 

Building right out the hills

One of my favorite sites was seeing how they just carved these buildings right out of the hills.  So amazing how folks adapt to their environment! 

Gibraltar

The Rock of Gibraltar

Much of Gibraltar consists of this very large limestone rock.  The top of the rock being a nature reserve and the inside of the rock filled with caves and tunnels.  Although, Gibraltar sits on the south coast of Spain it is actually a British territory.  Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain many, many years ago following a war and has remained under British control since.  Since at least a full one half of all sea going commerce comes through the Strait of Gibraltar its strategic significance is well understood.  There has been ongoing tension as Spain believes that Gibraltar is rightfully theirs... but the good folks of Gibraltar disagree, as does the UK.  Now, of course, Gibraltar is a tourist attraction as well as an important spot for the shipping industry.  The town itself sits at the bottom of the "Rock" and is largely self-governed.  We decided to stay in La Linea, Spain which is literally across the street from Gibraltar.  

Town of La Linea across the Gibraltar runway

In order to visit Gibraltar you must go through customs and then walk across the runway for the airport!  Seriously, you have to cross the runway to get to the town.  Now its not a busy airport so its not a problem... but the novelty is interesting!   The top of the rock is worth a visit if for no reason other than the monkeys.  There are many Barbary Apes that live on the top of the Rock.  They are really just monkeys - but they are wild.  My water bottle was stolen by one quick monkey right off the bat!  He was on and off my back before I was even sure what was happening:).  

There is a tram that you can take to the top of the Rock OR if you are very enterprising you can take some steps all the way up- 1,398 feet!  We took the Tram.  It was July and a hot day (a good reason to carry a water bottle which was promptly stolen!) so the steps were not sounding too appealing.  We bought a round trip ticket which turned out to be a mistake.  The tram drops you at the top but from there the tunnels, caves etc are all downhill.  That means if you want to take the tram back to town you have to walk back to the top to catch the tram!  They forgot to mention that part :(.

Tram cables and Bay of Gibraltar

We were steadily going down as we were visiting the sites and by the time we reached the Moorish Castle we saw that we were almost all the way down.  From there it was an easy decision to skip the tram and walk on down into town.

Moorish Castle

Baby Barbary Apes catching a ride on Mom

If you were really lazy you could just hire a "tour" car to drive you all over the Rock.  And if you are a very lazy monkey you just catch a ride on one of those cars.

Lazy monkeys riding around on cars

Over the years and through more than one war Gibraltar has been strategic due to its position at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.  Most definitely during WWII Gibraltar was hugely important as evidenced by the tunnels and gun sites. 

One of the many caves

I am certain the numerous caves came in handy as well for housing troops and supplies.  But for now all we do is visit and look at the tunnels, caves and battlements.  We receive a history lesson on their significance in the various wars but thank goodness its history... no war now.  

Queen Charlotte's Battery

Strait of Gibraltar

Windmills on the coast of Spain

So sorry that I have not kept up with blogging.  Sadly, work has gotten in the way now that we are back in the US!  I will try to catch up from where I left off.  After Rota we sailed to Barbate (pronounced BAR-BOT-AY) to stage our transit thru the Strait of Gibraltar.  The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean.  Two continents are separated by only a little over 7 nautical miles at the narrowest point.  You can actually see the European continent on one side and the African continent on the other as you pass through which I found to be absolutely amazing!  Of course, you cannot just sail through there without doing a little requisite planning.  There is a significant current flowing through the Strait making it imperative that you time your passage with the tide.  You also must take care to cross with a favorable west wind.  A wind against current situation leads to very big waves and rough water.  Waiting for the wind from the west insures the wind is with rather than against the current. 

Tarifa, Spain

 One of the trickier areas of the passage is going around Tarifa, Spain.  Tarifa sits right at the entrance to the Strait.  The Strait of Gibraltar is the only place in the world where the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters mix and it is notoriously windy - particularly at Tarifa.  It is no surprise then that Tarifa is known as the kite surfing capital of Europe! 

Tarifa

Of course, the wind and current are not the only elements to consider when transiting the Strait.  On any given day there are approximately 300 very large ships that transit the Strait, about one every 5 minutes!  There is a station monitoring all the traffic coming thru the Strait in Tarifa called aptly - Tarifa Traffic.  It is wise to check with Tarifa Traffic regarding the conditions in the Strait before attempting the transit.  Since, we try to be wise (occasionally) we did check with Tarifa Traffic and felt that is was a go.  The wind was about 15 to 20 knots and out of the west which is perfect with the east going current.  We went around Tarifa without issue and then we kept to the west side and out of the shipping lanes!

Ships all lined up in the shipping lane

We had attempted to time the entire transit but it did not quite work out.  For the most part we were moving faster than we had planned.  With the help of the current and the wind we were flying! 

Two continents!!

We made it thru the Strait without incident but as we got near Gibraltar the wind really picked up and there were very, very big ships everywhere!!  

The Rock of Gibraltar

And then there was the Rock looming ahead.  We felt such an amazing sense of accomplishment having finally reached the Mediterranean.  And on our own boat (anyone can get on a plane - right?) no less.  Such a perfect day!  We made it thru the maze of ships at anchor in the Gibraltar harbor to La Linea, Spain where we intended to stay.  Spain and Gibraltar are literally right across the road from each other.  And our friends were staying in La Linea.  Once we got to our slip we made it down to see Steve and Laura.  They had been watching on the AIS (automated information system) for us all day and were not seeing us.  So... that was when we discovered that our AIS had not been transmitting our position all day long.  We were stunned to discover that we transited one of the busiest ship traffic areas in the world blind to the ships the whole time.  We saw them (on the AIS) but they were not seeing us.  Thank goodness there were no issues with low visibility (fog) during the passage.  Time to relax for a bit, enjoy our achievement and spend some time with friends :)!

All the ships around Gibraltar (white triangles)

Lagos to Rota

Virgin Mary guarding the entrance to the Marina

Bill has returned home and it is now just Michael and I.  We left Lagos, Portugal and decided to do an overnight passage to Rota, Spain.  We STILL have not actually made it to the Mediterranean Sea but we are now very close.  It was such a triumph to make it to the mainland - that is when we felt that we had actually crossed the Ocean.  However, making it thru the straits of Gibraltar will be a huge accomplishment as well.  That will mark our arrival into the Med.

Rota

Rota is not a large town but it is an ancient town.  Founded by the Phonecians the town has a very long history.  Eventually falling into Spanish hands Rota is now primarily a play in the sun resort area for Europeans on holiday.  It is also the home of a large US naval base making US servicemen are a common site in town.

From 2:00 to 5:00 everyday the stores in Rota close for "siesta".  Walking around town at that time it seems the whole town has gone for a nap as there is almost no one on the streets.  But at 5:00 pm Rota comes roaring back to life.  They don't even think about dinner until 8:00 pm. Maybe that is why they have to rest up - they have a long second half to the day!!  Just a pretty, quaint little town.  We found a great Pasteleria that we frequented too many times!  Pastry's for breakfast and dessert.  Across the bay from Rota is the ancient town of Cadiz.  After exploring Rota for a day we decided to take the ferry across and spend the day exploring Cadiz.

Could have spent a bit more time hanging out here but as we spent a month in Sao Miquel we needed to make our way to Cartagena,  Cartagena, Spain is where we decided to leave the boat for the winter.  Due to Schengen visa restrictions we are only allowed 90 out of 180 days in "Schengen" countries - which is most of the EU.  So the clock is working against us leaving us with less time to explore all these great little towns along the way.  Next stop Barbate, Spain and then thru the Strait of Gibraltar!

Lisbon Maritime Museum

Entrance to Maritime Museum

The Lisbon Maritime Museum is located in one very large wing of  Jeronimo's Monastery. 
Of course, the Portuguese are and were masters of sailing.  Vasco de Gama completely changed the world when he found that famed route to India after decades of failure.  Long sought, the new spice trade was a huge economic boom for Portugal.  Allowing for one thing the construction of Jeronimos Monastery!

Figurehead on Vasco de Gama's ship

 Being present day sailors we are completely in awe of what it took for those sailors to achieve what they did.  We, of course, have charts, radar, sonar, radio communication, water makers, refrigeration...  the list goes on and on.  They had none of that, only nerves of steel!

Henry the Navigator

When you enter the Maritime Museum the first thing you see is a huge statue of Henry the Navigator.  Another very important person in Portuguese maritime history, Henry is known as the backbone and initiator of the "Age of Discovery". 

The museum did not disappoint.  We were pleasantly surprised by the vastness of the museum - it just went on and on.  Just when we thought we had seen the entire museum we stumbled on this room filled with ancient boats.  What a surprise! 

We could have easily spent the entire day at the Maritime Museum but as we were limited on time we moved on.  I believe we were all in agreement with our friend this is the nicest Maritime Museum we have ever seen.

Lisbon

Jeronimos Monastery

It was clear to us that there was an air leak in the fuel line so after our night at anchor outside of Lagos, Portugal we started thinking about how to get into the marina.  Michael and Bill decided to bypass the main fuel line long enough to get into the marina.  They set to work and once completed we decided it would be best to drive around the anchorage a little bit before heading up the canal to Marina de Lagos.  Everything seemed fine so we headed on up the canal.  We made it but... the engine did still die a few times.  Very stressful!!  Once in the slip we let the engine run for awhile and of course then, it did not die one time!  We got all settled in and made arrangements with the mechanic but then sadly, it was time for Bill to return to the US.  He was flying out of Lisbon so we booked an apartment in the Belem district for a day of touring prior to his flight.  We didn't have much time but we were determined to see as much as possible in the time we had.  Fortunately, the apartment was right down the street from Jeronimos Monastery so that was our first stop.  Jeronimos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built to commemorate Vasco de Gama's return from India.  Ironically, where the monastery was built was once the site of the church where Vasco and his fellow sailors prayed before setting off on their epic journey.  Vasco de Gama came full circle as his tomb now rests in the Monastery's church. 

It took 100 years to complete this monastery which is completely understandable with all the hand carved figures and ornate decoration.  There is a good deal of maritime decoration in addition to all the religious symbolism.  A nice little nod to the sailors which was fitting as it was built in honor of Vasco de Gama's sailing adventures.

 During the Liberal Revolution in Portugal all the convents and monasteries were shut down and the clergy were expelled.  Folks from Jeronimos decided to sell pastries that they had made at the monastery in an attempt to survive. There was a sugar refinery near the monastery and they began baking in the buildings attached to the refinery.  The little custard tarts became known as Pasteis de Belem.  Eventually, the bakery (and recipe) were sold to one family.  

That family still makes the pastry with the same ancient recipe in the same old traditional ways.  After touring, the monastery we walked down the street to try out those little pastries.  The line was down the block!!  A very popular spot it seems. Of course, once we tried the Pasteis de Belem we knew why that line was so long.  

Santa Maria Church - In the Monastery

The monastery just takes your breath away - you just marvel at the skill and dedication required to complete this masterpiece that is Jeronimos.  So grateful that we were all able to visit before Bill had to leave.  One wing of the monastery has been turned in to a maritime museum.  Our friend says it is the nicest maritime museum he has ever seen - a must see when in Lisbon.  So... next stop is definitely the maritime museum.  More on that in the next post.

Our final offshore passage

Big Seas

It was early Sunday and we headed to the fuel dock to fill up.  We had finished the final provisioning and gone over all the safety measures with the crew.  It was a nice and sunny but windless day.  Everything started out fine but there continued to be no wind throughout the day so we were a motor boat.  As we were approaching the tip of Sao Miquel and evening the engine died.  We received an error message that it had gone into "safe mode".  Still within cell phone range I sent a quick text to Emanual.  He said it was a fuel issue so Michael and Bill changed the Raycor filter.  The engine started right back up and we had no more issues so we decided to carry on.  Sadly, we had to motor for a couple more days before picking up the Portuguese trade winds.  All that time the motor ran fine.  On day three we picked up the trades.  The Portuguese trade winds blow consistently from the north but in that area there is also a south setting current.  So... between the north wind and the current we were being pushed south even though we were trying to go east.  By now we had the engine off and the sails up.  The wind was blowing consistently over 20 knots but due to the north wind and the south current we had to sail a course of around 40 degrees in order to actually sail 90 degrees.  That meant we were beating into the wind the whole time and going pretty slow.  The seas were rough and we had quite a few waves breaking in the cockpit.  It wasn't unsafe - just a bit uncomfortable.  And our slow progress was frustrating!  

Bill all harnessed in

 As we got closer to the mainland we did start receiving visits from dolphins which was very nice!

When we got very close to the mainland we approached the shipping lanes.  The wind had died off again and we started the motor.  And it died.  Same message - "safe mode".  Now we found air in fuel line that we bled off and the engine started back up without a problem.  Everything was fine for a bit- then it died again.  We bled off more air... Now the last thing you want is to be crossing a shipping lane with very large cargo ships and oil tankers all around and your engine quits!  Not good at all!  We did manage to get across the lanes but now the engine was dying every fifteen minutes or so.  We needed to make it in and get a mechanic to check things out.  

Mainland Portugal

 To add insult to injury as we were coming up the coast of Portugal there were fishing nets and bouys everywhere.  Great - now we get to bleed the fuel line every few minutes to keep the motor running and dodge fishing nets!  Just when you think it can't get any worse you remember that we have actually reached the mainland.  It could be worse, we could be way offshore still with no wind and no engine.  So... now we just focused on getting to Lagos.  We decided that we would call for a tow yet again to get in to the marina and get a mechanic in the morning.  But when we called the marina several other sailors heard us on the radio and reached out to let us know that we would run aground if we did not wait until high tide.  Thank you fellow sailors because the marina definitely did not give us that information.  Fortunately, there was a designated anchorage right outside of the entrance canal in front of the beach.  So we did the sensible thing and dropped anchor.  Time to pop open the champagne - we did it, we crossed from one side of the Atlantic to the other.  What an amazing sense of accomplishment.