Estepona to Fuengirola

As the rain was set from daybreak we decided we may as well be making headway as sitting in a Marina. And so it is we've been at sea for 4 and a bit hours motor-sailing eastwards. A dredger adredging as we exited  Estepona Marina. Sky overcast, bit of drizzle, bit of a swell and barely 10 knots sw. These conditions followed us most of the journey; wind on our stern, taking turns on the helm and admiring the hills behind the builtups of Costa No Sol. The sun finally came out. Greg defrosted his fingers, fishermen waved and at the approach into Fuengirola Marina we noticed a sunken vessel shoreside. We are now hunkered in with a lot of other boats,  protection from the breakwater too. Tonight we're planning a wander round the Old Town. Saturday I'm off to the Knit and Natter group here. After Knitting it's over to the Flea market. Tomorrow = chill, possibly head up to the hill village of Mijas by bus:O)

Just before Fuengirola - love them thar hills.

And to Starboard ...

That's it for today folks.
 

Wandering the 'Old Town' of Estepona

After a day of computer software breakdown trial and tribulation (now resolved) we decided on an early evening walk around the Old Town for a few hours. What a treat for the eyes, flowers everywhere...

Just off Calle Terraza

 

Greg relaxes his pins:

 

A music bar

Yellow pot street :O)

Purple pot street :O)

 

 

Blue pot street :O) 

 

 

Continuation of blue pot street with mosaics...

 

 

More flowers:

 

 

more mosaics:

 

More steps :O)

Then down to the beach - Los tres amigos

 

Boy glued to palm: 

 

No prizes

 

 

This man caught my eye. I discovered that he was reading 'La Sombra del Viento' - Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - one of my favourite Spanish authors.

 

Man de-fronding palm.

 

This street clown  came into the pharmacy where we were, asking for the spanish equivalent of Lemsip. Greg reckoned he must have a bad cold with such a red nose!

 

 

 

Back to our mooring as the sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onward to Estepona

30th March 2013. Left Sotogrande marina at 11:40 with dolphin escort. I helmed. A WSW wind 17- 20knots, sometimes gusting 25 knots. Two reefs in Main, half Genoa and Mizzen up making 6.5 knots, trip took two hours marina to marina.

View en route.

Me at the helm - note to self -  Wear a cap or cut hair!

Easter gift to us from Marina staff - and very nice it was too.
 

In convoy with the Conway's

We've had an amazing week with the Conway's. Here they are after their flight from a frozen UK standing on the 'Live' runway at Gibraltar:

 

 

A selection of photos taken during the week:

Jonothan

All best wishes to you and Mary for your wedding!

And Lawrence

We're hoping you get your dream job with the dolphins!


Next, Tom:

I love your hat!

Thought about stealing it!

Will the Pillars of Hercules inspire you to travel the Mediterranean?

 

 

Sebastian on deck in Cueta

 

Still on deck! Come and join us anytime Seb!

Jo with glass of fizz on Kantara

 

The sea air knocks you out.  Jo napping on Lerryn Lady.

Robert:  'I see no ships'

 

Robert and Jo in the fish market Cueta

Buy your boat and sailaway :O)

Sorry we missed Matthew, another time!

  

SY Kantara moored at Smir 

 

Smir to Sotogrande

28th March 2013 we crossed the Straits south to north again, Rob Conway on the helm. We couldn't find the bread shop in Smir so  I made a roast vegetable and chickpea casserole for lunch. I planned to re-heat this three hours into the 6 hour crossing. Well I tried to reheat the food, then gave up. The West wind had other ideas for us today.  At around lunchtime we were flying along in a steady Force 6.  Casserole went into the oven, I was prepping cous cous on the hob, when the wind increased to Force 8. We stayed on a broad reach for the next two hours at times touching 9 knots over ground (at one point 9.2 knots) which is definitely the fastest we have ever traveled on this boat :O) We ate bananas, chocolate and tangerines instead. Just as soon as we hit Sotogrande I restarted the lunch - we were all more than ready for it! Afterwards we went to the Hairy Lemon pub and had our last drinks with the Conway's who are off to Gibraltar tomorrow.

Rob Conway on the helm blowing all those workaday cobwebs away!

Smir - Morocco

From Cueta, Greg and I sailed South to Smir by ourselves, the Conway's had a full day of sailing instruction on the boat they'd chartered. This meant I had the helm again after the Winter layover. After rounding Punta Almina. (East of Cueta) we were close-hauled in 15-25k wnw wind, it's a straight forward sail to Smir. A distinctive conical hill, directly behind Smir, and in-line with the entrance to the marina helped direct us. The approach at night can be dodgy though as there are unlit musselbeds/platforms! Smir port is beautiful. Here's the view from our mooring, which was alongside, an absolute luxury after stern-to all Winter :

The white building on the left is the reporting office. There is a tour guide here called Ahmed - everyone in Gibraltar seems to know him. He arranged a taxi for the Conway's and took them all on a whistlestop night tour of the old capital Tetouan. They ended up in a Spice bazaar ( Cumin, saffron and neck massages) and inevitably a carpet shop where they bought their son a wedding gift. They enjoyed themselves. Greg and I chilled out onboard listening to the night birds on the water. March is quiet here but I imagine Smir harbour could get pretty noisy in the Summer as the waterfront is lined with bars and restaurants - closed for refurbishment whilst we were there.

Close-up of the reporting office - passports, boat papers etc. behind the building the shower blocks. To the right by the car is a cute guard dog tied up with a kennel. Talk about bites and barks - when approached he tries to runaway :O)
 

Cueta - A Spanish exclave on the Moroccan coast.

We wandered around inside this fortress and stared down at the moat which is still navigable by boat - not sure if there's enough water for Lerryn lady though!

Here we are moored stern-to in Cueta marina.

 

The hill is Monte Hacho. Morocco is on the other side. Cueta is named as one of the Pillars of Hercules ( the other being the Rock of Gibraltar). According to legend, Hercules pushed apart the two mountains and created a link between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic - very nice of him!

A few of our neighbours.