It was really wonderful,
the sailing BACK from the safe harbour to our home port….we had the best winds and the waves in the right direction…BACK…
NOT possible was the crossing this time from spain TO the islands of Formentera or Ibiza.
Reason?
We had 5 days time to sail. From the 12th till the 17th of july. My calculation was, 24h to the islands, 24h anchoring there, 48 hours back and some hours for what ever can happen on a tour.
The weather forcast for that time was perfect: little winds from north and south, wave direction south at the way back from east……
If the weather gods had listened to the meteorologists, they would have served us with the right conditions…. winds with the right angle, waves moderate and from north or southerly direction…all would have turned out well, but
….after the start and some hours later the gods decided to change weather and the wind blew with 25 to 30 knots AND the direction of the waves was against us. Then we had difficulties to come forward and after a while we could not wait longer for a change of weather, the scheduled time did not allowed a longer crossing.
So the wind came suddenly from the east, waves builded up to 2 meters, we had no sight and we would have needed motoring for that trip at least 40 hours. Too short the vacation time, too long the way…
Instead we had some nice windy days swimming at the town of Altea, where we had found for 2 days a berth and returned, when it was time to go back in order to fly home and come in time to the airport of Alicante.
My Tour partner had never been before on a sailing ship, never had to go through bad weather like this and…..never became seasick, prepared an did all the meals down in the pantry during bad weather, stayed there for more than 30 minutes working, where others would have not been able to resist the rocking boat movements, and learned verty quick all the ‘seamans’ things like knots, steering the boat under sails, doing the preparation for leaving and arriving at a berth in the harbours and was a real help for me. I think, a great new sailor is there to see the seven seas.
There will be more sailing it was pointed out… and: this is another world well worth knowing , not only a new experience but something to do all life long, with increasing passion….
I only can confirm that…
But as well, as it can happen some times, the elements showed their other side and reminded us, that we are just never the master of nature…we relaxed anyway and enjoyed the way back and have learned, that it is useful to have an oven at board…the rocking boat made it nearly not possible to cook but the baked pizza and other meals were hot and tastefull…
This time no photographs to show, sorry.
Take care and hope to see you soon here.
Klaus
