We rounded Europa Point on the southern tip of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea at 1042 on a sunny morning making over 8knots in the favourable tide swooshing us NE along the Spanish Costa del Sol. A nice SW4-5 filled in mid-afternoon enabling us to sail into the sheltered anchorage right outside Fuengirola marina. there were still lots of people on the small beach and the people on the pedaloes came over to say 'ola' or 'hello'. We had a peaceful night and got up early the next morning for the next leg.

2 19 August. to Adra, 79nm.

We decided we would press on as far as we could today. Some contrary head winds are forecast, so we want to get as far as we can before another enforced break. Initially we were headed for Motril, which is near to where some ex-FedEx colleagues have a home, but then we found out that they are in the UK at the moment, so we pressed on to the next harbour of Adra. we had been motoring all day as there was no wind to speak of and the flat seas made for an easy, if tedious day. We continued to Adra arriving about 8.20pm and anchored inside the small harbour for the night. Fortunately, it was Saturday so the fishing fleet remained in. if we had been there during the week, 'Roam' would probably have been in the way of the fishing boats coming and going. The next morning 2 'Guardia Civil' (national police) patrol boats came into the harbour followed by a life boat. We wondered what could be up and then saw lots of people sitting on the decks of the life boat. Illegal immigrants. The coast is rife with people escaping Africa and trying to land in Spain. Many make it, a lot are picked up by the stealthy patrol boats and sadly there are some that never make it to the coast at all.

3. 20 August. to Almerimar, 12nm.

We left Adra at 0810 on a very still morning with glassy seas, motoring again. We saw lots of dolphins this morning and a few came to play in our bow wave for a short while. At one point the dolphins dived down and then came up almost vertically under the bow. The water is now much clearer than the Atlantic and it was possible to see them coming from about 20 feet down. We arrived outside Almerimar to find 'Arya Tara' at anchor. We dropped the hook next to her and went for a cup of tea with Joyce and Phil who had arrived yesterday afternoon. They left Gibraltar at the same time as us, so we felt quite smug to have caught them up...but who's racing?! The predicted wind started about 10pm while we were all having dinner on 'Arya Tara', so we went back to 'Roam' for a slightly uncomfortable night, checking the anchor every hour (that we had not dragged and that there were no other dangers to us). Early the next morning we upped anchor and headed into to the safety, comfort and stillness of the marina. The wind blew hard all day.

4. 23 August. to Cabo de Gata  (31.5nm)

5. 24 August. to Aguilas (54 nm)

6. 25 August. to Cartagena (32 nm)

The passage from Almerimar to Cartagena took 3 days, anchoring along the way just on the west side of Cabo de Gata in a remote bay. It should have been sheltered from the prevailing NE swell, but it was so calm, we could feel the wash of boats and ships passing some way off.  The following day we headed to the anchorage at the small town of Aguilas. what a difference! the town was hosting some rock concerts, as well as a small funfair, the music from both mixed up across the bay to the anchorage to give a very strange sound. But the anchorage was safe and sheltered. Joyce and Phil gave us a lift ashore for a cold beer in the lively town square. On the third day we actually managed to sail more than motor in the light to moderate NE breeze. Along the way we saw a load of big dark fins, much bigger than dolphin fins, then we saw some bodies - they were pilot whales - which appeared to be almost stationery, just rocking in the small swell. unfortunately we could not get close enough to get a good picture.

We berthed at the 'Real Club de Regatas Cartagena' in a very pleasant spot in front of the elegant, wide main square of Cartagena. Hannibal has been here, the Romans, the Moors and now Roam has conquered it!

 There is also a new Super-Yacht marina in a state of semi-completion and apparently has been that way for some time. There is water and electricity on the quay, but no showers or washing machine as the Club de Regatas has. There are some rumours that the owners have run out of money or that they are in dispute with the local authorities as to what they can and can't build. who knows! There were some yachts in the other basin, again there was a confusion as to the charges. It would seem that for boats up to about 45', the Club de Regatas is cheaper than the Marina. All berths on the pontoons are tailed fore and aft mooring. Boats over about 13m lie alongside at the Club Regatas by the quay-side cafes on a fendered pontoon. Although this is very public, no-one berthed there seemed to find it intrusive or unsafe. however, Arya Tara hope to return on their way back to Portugal and said that they would go to the marina as a. it is slightly cheaper for them (57') and b. would be a bit quieter at night.

A Greenpeace boat came in on Saturday and set up a stall to sell t-shirts and raise awareness of tuna fishing practices in the area. When we left, we saw 'Rainbow Warrior' anchored outside. the port authorities would not let it in as they did not want to offend their local fishermen too much.

We got the bikes out and went to the Underwater Archaeology Museum on the far side of the bay. the guide book said it would be a long walk...it must have been at least 5 miles around the outside of the naval buildings and quays and past a marine scrapyard! thank goodness for the bikes! When we eventually found it, it was a small museum, with lots of Roman urns (or amorphae) that had been found on a sunken galley. part of the museum was closed as the building was falling down.  In the small pamphlet, they explain that they are moving shortly to a new building in the centre of the city, but we did notice that the model of the new building is dated 1996 - and it isn't finished yet! entry to the museum is free on Sundays.

7. to Santa Pola 52nm

We departed Cartagena behind a Chilean submarine. What a nice escort! We motor-sailed up the coast to Cabo Palos and passed the high-rise resorts of the Mar Menor, including La Manga. The coastal vista has been a bit of a surprise to me. From Gibraltar to Cabo Gata, there was a lot of building development along a thin coastal strip but backed by the beautiful, huge mountains of the Alpujarras and the Sierra Nevada. From Gata to Palos, the coast is much more remote; the barren hills reaching right down to the sea and very little development. Once around Palos, it changed again. The coast is much flatter with a series of big resorts with huge high-rise buildings.

We had a mixed day of motoring, motoring and eventually sailing in the light easterly breeze. We trailed our feet in the water from the side-decks and noted that the water is very warm and would be very inviting if it were not for the multitudes of jelly fish. The sea is teeming with them.

We arrived at Santa Pola and decided we would try and anchor. the area outside the harbour was sheltered from the prevailing weather, but was very shallow, so we ended up right up close and personal to the only other boat anchored. we were so close that we had to check the our position every 2 hours over-night. since we arrived after they did, we would be culpable if our boats collided.

8. to Alicante. 14nm (38°20'6 0°28.7W)

We left Santa Pola bound for Calpe, some 40nm to the north-east, however once we rounded Cabo Santa Pola, the wind sprang up right on the nose at about a force4-5. We got a forecast that said the wind was scheduled to increase through the day, which would be very uncomfortable, so we diverted into Alicante. We had been warned that this was an expensive marina and to try the Club de Regatas (right opposite) first, but they were full. So we had to part with €31 for a night here. ouch! Alicante was a surprising delight. We had thought it would be a big tourist city, which it is, but it also has a cool elegance with the old city, carving out narrow streets and alleyways through the steep hillside leading to the old castle high above the city. But at over €30 a night we could not linger if we did not need to.

9. to Calpe. 34 nm (38° 34'3 N 0° 04'.1 E)

The wind had eased sufficiently by late morning for us to make passage to Calpe, even though the wind was still on the nose and the sea left from yesterday's blow was lumpy and uncomfortable, so we motor-sailed all the way.

We passed the highs (and lows) of Benidorm and the surprisingly large Islote de Benidorm, then had the excitement of crossing the Greenwich Meridian to move to the eastern hemisphere (we waved north towards London) to arrive in Calpe to find Arya Tara still there. They reported that conditions for crossing to the Balearics was good for the following day. so we dropped the hook and spent a rolly night in the bay before setting off early the next morning.

Logbook 4: Balearics.