21 August 2010
After the howling winds of yesterday evening we were becalmed overnight. Motored into SInes harbour about 1100 and all the chaps swam ashore. Scaled the castle which overlooks the harbour. Evening went to old town - good food and booze for €15 per head. Staggered back to old tub close to midnight.
22 August 2010
Slow start to another how beautiful day. Bodies appear on deck about 0900 after excesses of last night. Another swim ashore before breakfast of porridge and fruit by Fay. Left port about 1100 and raised sale with gentle north westerly breeze. Heading for Cabo de Sao Vicente.
24 August 2010
Running before a stiffening westerly breeze under full sail and a very hot wind. Land fall close to Cadiz early in the morning and through straighs of Gibraltar about 1400. Strange and very choppy sea and howled across Bay of Gibraltar under Genoa alone. Dodged a large amount of shipping and followed by dolphins. Parked up in Ocean Village Marina lare evening under the famous rock.
25 August 2010
Sight seeing in Gibraltar. Rather like Truro in the tropics!
26 August 2010
Fill up with 500ltrs fuel at 62p per litre (like it used to be in UK before vat etc).
Leave 1100 and head up the coast of Spain. Very hot day.
27 August 2010
Another very hot day. On engine all day - no wind. Anchored boat to go diving in bay. Good to get a dive in and cool down.
28 August 2010
Wind on the nose and very lumpy. Changed course to Cartagena. Left about 2200 after meal in the town.
29 August 2010
Engine suddenly stopped 0200. Dan and I changed the fuel filters and got engine going again 0400. Motor sailed with a NEN force 2-3 during the day.
31 August 2010
Alison arrives today - yippee.
Arrived Barcelona 0600 and docked Port Vell. Boat arrived on time, safe and sound. Went to meet Alison at airport 1330.
Thanks to the whole crew for making the trip most enjoyable. Hope you all enjoyed the experience and maybe we will all sail together again sometime.
Friday, 17 September 2010
Just like home
We´ve been staying in Badalona, a few miles along the coast from Barcelona, for several days for repairs - to the boat and M´s teeth!!! The winds in Ibiza had been so strong that even with two anchors one got bent! We´ve also had problems with the generator and compressor which is very annoying as both were brand new. All is well now and our Catalan is much improved! The weather has been very hot a sunny until today when we were hoping to leave on our way to S France. It is now blowing a hooly and raining with thunder and lightning - sounds a lot like Cornwall eh??? We´ll probably stay until Sunday when it´s back to boring old 26ยบ. We may even make a start on our newe projects - A is going to learn to knit socks (Mrs J expect some frantic texts for help!!!) and M is embarking on his new guitar.
On first inspection Badalona looked very boring but we have found a large daily market with fantastic fish, meat and veg, but better than that we have found an amazing boulangerie\cafe with cakes to die for and a local cafe where ´mama´ cooks three course dinners with a basket of bread and a drink for €6.50! Even Mike now has a little tum. We have got to grips with the Metro and pop in and out of BCN like locals.
Hopefully the next message will be from somewhere around St Trop. Take care all xxx
On first inspection Badalona looked very boring but we have found a large daily market with fantastic fish, meat and veg, but better than that we have found an amazing boulangerie\cafe with cakes to die for and a local cafe where ´mama´ cooks three course dinners with a basket of bread and a drink for €6.50! Even Mike now has a little tum. We have got to grips with the Metro and pop in and out of BCN like locals.
Hopefully the next message will be from somewhere around St Trop. Take care all xxx
Thursday, 9 September 2010
exerts from a skippers log
11 August 2010
Waved Plymouth goodbye and motored down the channel followed by a fair wind and blue skies – a good omen.
Crossed Biscay –lumpy but elements were kind to the good ship Phoenix
15 August 2010
Arrived Gijon just after dark on 14 August. Word got out that it was skippers birthday and had to accept the derision of the crew then a welcome meal on dry land – thanks to all!
16 August 2010
Still in Gijon waiting for fair winds around Finisterre. I cooked a risotto and we all survived! A day at the beach.
17 August 2010
Time to wave Gijon goodbye and head for de de de de de de de de de The Dreaded Finisterre.
18 August 2010
Finisterre ORRID. Very misty and cold. Lumpy, wind on the nose and miserable swell. Cupboards have a habbit of emptying, mainly at head hight, dodge the contents if you can. Patty did a pasta thing in a 60degree roll from side to side.
19 August 2010
Finisterre best seen from the stern
Phosphoressence torpedos (dolphins in the dark)
Beautiful sunrise
No wind until 1600 when it got up to a force 4 NW
Dan and Pete dived in with the dolphins who shied away at their new found friends.
Taught crew to play ‘Hearts’ as the sun set and lost as they learned the rules.
Dan fixed wind instruments. Peter threw screwdrivers and bulbs from navlights overboard!!!
20 August 2010
Very foggy all day. Very cold. Vis about 100yds. Wind force 7, notherly (dead astern) doing 7 knotts with ½ Genoa. This boat can sure roll. About 2200 the fog suddenly cleared and we could see the lights of Lisbon its suspension bridge and welcomed by yet more fireworks.
Waved Plymouth goodbye and motored down the channel followed by a fair wind and blue skies – a good omen.
Crossed Biscay –lumpy but elements were kind to the good ship Phoenix
15 August 2010
Arrived Gijon just after dark on 14 August. Word got out that it was skippers birthday and had to accept the derision of the crew then a welcome meal on dry land – thanks to all!
16 August 2010
Still in Gijon waiting for fair winds around Finisterre. I cooked a risotto and we all survived! A day at the beach.
17 August 2010
Time to wave Gijon goodbye and head for de de de de de de de de de The Dreaded Finisterre.
18 August 2010
Finisterre ORRID. Very misty and cold. Lumpy, wind on the nose and miserable swell. Cupboards have a habbit of emptying, mainly at head hight, dodge the contents if you can. Patty did a pasta thing in a 60degree roll from side to side.
19 August 2010
Finisterre best seen from the stern
Phosphoressence torpedos (dolphins in the dark)
Beautiful sunrise
No wind until 1600 when it got up to a force 4 NW
Dan and Pete dived in with the dolphins who shied away at their new found friends.
Taught crew to play ‘Hearts’ as the sun set and lost as they learned the rules.
Dan fixed wind instruments. Peter threw screwdrivers and bulbs from navlights overboard!!!
20 August 2010
Very foggy all day. Very cold. Vis about 100yds. Wind force 7, notherly (dead astern) doing 7 knotts with ½ Genoa. This boat can sure roll. About 2200 the fog suddenly cleared and we could see the lights of Lisbon its suspension bridge and welcomed by yet more fireworks.
Thursday – sometime later in September
Sailed to Portinatx, Ibiza earlier in the week, A’s sea legs a bit better. Have had some very hot weather but also some very strong winds which have been a bit of a bother. Mike woke us at 6 this morning as he was fed up with being thrown about the boat and we sailed an hour further round the coast – not sure of village name but its sheltered from the strong northerlies which is all we care about. We are hoping to get a 24 hour window of better winds to head back to the mainland so Dan can get on with his tour and we can get some housework done.
Mike did at least get his night of Ibiza clubbing in San Antonio a couple of nights ago. We hired a car to get us to the other side of the island and the three of us went from bar to bar watching the antics of the young – not something for the faint hearted. We lasted until 3 then had burgers – we though we had done our selves justice by then.
The camera that was lost, then found, is lost again so will be buying a new one as soon as we get the to the mainland – it’s like giving up a habit not having it about all the time.
Mike did at least get his night of Ibiza clubbing in San Antonio a couple of nights ago. We hired a car to get us to the other side of the island and the three of us went from bar to bar watching the antics of the young – not something for the faint hearted. We lasted until 3 then had burgers – we though we had done our selves justice by then.
The camera that was lost, then found, is lost again so will be buying a new one as soon as we get the to the mainland – it’s like giving up a habit not having it about all the time.
Saturday – something of September!!!
Anchored in a smallish bay, Soller in NW Majorca. Alison took a while to get her sea legs – spent most of the journey from Barcelona in her bunk!!! Maybe she’s just lazy and not sea sick at all! Its now 27C, clear blue sea and even clearer sky. Mike is keeping Dan busy installing yet more gadgetry – obviously a slave driver at sea as well as on land.
Unfortunately, cameras and internet access is still a bit of a headache so not sure when will be able to get this on blog.
Unfortunately, cameras and internet access is still a bit of a headache so not sure when will be able to get this on blog.
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