Sailing with the Treleavens

Since Banus (to clear Ian’s mind) we had a fantastic sail to Caleta de Venez 42 miles and by passing Malaga. To-date this has been our best sail. It’s either wind from the east or no wind at all so it’s on with the motor. Here we contact a friend of a friend and in true Aussie style its come to a BBQ. We stayed here a few days and became tourists. It’s Ian Jnrs 21st. With Jane and David we visit a white village in the mountains with narrow lanes, hanging bougainvillea, picture post card Frigiliana. After a Spanish summer wine and tapas we are invited to dinner to a private Spanish villa over looking Frigiliana. The owner, Pepe, has a private cellar and we sample homegrown straight from the barrels muscatel wine. This was just starters and after more wine, squid on the BBQ, Ian Jnrs 21st Birthday cake, we all have a very pleasant evening thanks to Pepe.

Next morning we are up early to catch, yes, a bus, to tour the Alhambra in Granada. It’s a day tour and in over 40 degrees, we are happy to sit in an air-conditioned bus. Caleta de Venez is a small Spanish fishing village and for a change we are the biggest yacht. It’s still very hot, but enjoy getting out to sea to cool off. Ian Jnr left from Malaga and then we sailed-motored onto Salabrena with Jane. Anchoring out from the beach, Jane, David and Pepe decide we haven’t had enough to drink yet, so they join us at their favourite restaurant.

We are now on our own and sail-motor to Motril, where we unfortunately wrap a fishing net around our prop, so its dive time for Ian. Three days ago we rounded Cape Cabo de Gata into Costa Blanc - the white coast. Very brown and baron, but with interesting towers on every point. That night we free anchor in yet another nude beach, why not! The next day with wind behind us we use our never used yellow spinnaker. The temp is 35 degrees out here with perfect blue skies and we sail 62 miles - our longest trip to date.Wind 15 - 25 knots, we hit 11.4 knots, and Ian is in heaven or Hamilton Island. All days don’t quite go to plan and that evening we go to anchor in a bay and hook an illegal net 100 meters long.What a mess, 2 hours later and Ian, having swallowed half the bay, vomits and shits for the next hour while I motor on to Cartagena 4 miles away. We seek a marina and recover for the night. Cartagena is full of history, and we stay for the day (big deal), and explore. Surrounded by hills and century old towers, you can imagine the past history going back to 200BC. Today we sailed past Mar Menor, a huge inland salt-water lake which looks like Surfers Paradise from the water. A gentle breeze and now in Torrevieja, a salt seller of the world. We have now been going 3 weeks and covered 500 miles. Today is cooler, does it ever rain? A relaxing day would be nice but I am with Ian and that’s all I have to say!Our Aussie flag creates a lot of attention and they think we have sailed all that way. None the less, it’s a communication point. We have also been called the young ones as so many retired couples are cruising.Not short of making friend and you keep seeing them again and again in different ports.
On our way now to Alicante.

Not a lot happens in Gibraltar on Sunday so we decide to take a trip across the Straits and visit Morocco. Isn’t it fantastic that 3-4 hours away and you can be in a very different country, culture and food so different?  Our sail across is very pleasant and decide to sail down the east coast to Smir a small fishing port.  You hear people talk about fog but at this time of year how can there be fog.  Well now we know, to us its sea mist and its thick, and visibility only 10 feet in front.  Pretty scary when you have small fishing boats with nets out and not picked up on the radar.  We don’t make Smir and turn back to Ceuta.
 
Ceuta is still Spanish and on the most eastern point of Nth Africa.  Here we hire a guide to take us into Morocco to visit the town of Tetauan and its old Bazaar. The old Mercedes with no air-conditioning,no seat belts and mad driver,  we are all in shock and awe.
 
Our visit to Morocco is a little different to our guides.  He wants us to shop till we drop and we just want to be tourists having a look around.  I have no need for carpet, silver tea pots or leather ware on a boat.  We return, dust ourselves off and sample some Moroccan food to end the day on a good note.  One thing we did buy was spices and the smell is great and can’t wait to cook with them.  Diet here is very high in protein and of great interest to me.  Fish is in abundance, fresh or dried and coated with spices or just deep fried.  Marinated octopus, grilled fish, deep fried octopus, grilled prawns in salt, deep fried squid, meat on skewers (small) spiced and BBQ over coals.  How simple.

Shopping is very good here especially electronics, and is duty free. There is a great market next to the marina buying fresh fish and veg.  I make mental note for our trip to the Canaries after our 3 years in the Med.  Buying fresh scampi at the local market we cook up for lunch, so easy and delicious.  We stay an extra night and dine at El Reflecto on the waterfront.  We haven’t a clue what we order but its all fresh fish and enjoyed by all. We have now been to Africa and don’t need that in the plan in the too near future anymore.  Apart from the fog Ceuta was non-tourist and not up market so things are still cheap.  By 10 o’clock at night the fog has completely enveloped us and seems very airy back at the marina.  The next morning in 30 degrees the fog is still very thick but we decide to cross back to Gibraltar.  With visibility nil and ferries, container ships and what ever we nearly turn back.  The radar screen off the beam looks like train carriages. With fog horns in all directions and visibility only 10 feet in front the decision to go on is only made because turning back it only looks the same dense fog.  Radar is a must and as fog is quite common in this area due to climatic changes.  Half way across the fog lifts and dolphins lead us into Gibraltar.

Spain England Morocco Spain all in a few days and everyone wonting to stamp your passport,   sight the boat papers and insurance document .I guess we will get used to it.  In Gibraltar once again and getting repairs done in mid summer can be very frustrating.  You are lead to believe Gibraltar is cheap and some things might be but compared to southern Spain we preferred to buy there.
  We finally leave for the Costa de Sol the gateway to the Med. There are 320 days of sun a year here and not a breath of wind so its flat calm all the way to Penta La Duquesa, a 20 mile motor.  On the way we are able to anchor in a bay, Carla Sardina, and swim off the boat for the first time.  We are finally on holiday in the Med and feels great.  Penta La Duquesa is a holiday port and up market, new and clean marina.  Sophistication we finally have.  Ian is taking a long time cleaning the decks tonight which is unusual but I believe it's called perving while you work.  Dinner onshore and finally find the old town 100 meters along the beach and dine at Bar Domingo with a thousand cats and locals.  A delicacy here is fried baby squid very much under size for Australian standards but delicious.  Architecture here is new but still Spanish style painted white archways, orange tile roofs and beautiful colourful gardens of bougainvillea.
  It's now quite normal to be getting up at 9 o’clock or well almost for Ian (an early riser normally) In fact when he rose at 6 o’clock the discos were still blaring.  A walk to the old town and the whole chicken with head still on isn’t inviting to the men but in no time the breasts are cut off and cut thinly, very local, and we will have dinner on board tonight.  It’s 40 degrees today and still no wind but we will continue to motor our sailing boat. 
 Puerto Banus is our next port of call and we are well aware of what to expect.  This is casino Costa de Sol.  It certainly lived up to expectation and more.  Port fees were going to be high at $140.00 a night and we were lucky to even get a berth as in high summer it is booked out.  When asked for laundry facilities the reply was why wash when you have all these shops.  Shops they have, every fashion house of Europe is here and fit outs best in the world.  Then one has to wear the clothes so the evenings are one big parade along the front of 100’s of every mega boats from the Prince of Saudi to the cruisers down to our little 50 footer.  We sat and ate dinner and watched the passing parade, quite a night of entertainment of long legs, peeping bottoms and tummy buttons.