On to Mazarron

As we left Garrucha marina a motorboat came zooming alongside - it was Johan, the electrician, come to wave us off!
The swell was high outside the harbour with long troughs (nothing compared with the Atlantic)  but not uncomfortable once we were across the entrance, light winds meant we motor sailed away seven hours in the sun to Mazarron. We are no longer in Andalucia but Murcia on the Costa Calida. After the last two nights of storm swell and the seven hour sail we wanted a quiet nights sleep. So here we are moored alongside a nightclub called IMAGINE in Mazarron marina.

 Several people were strolling around, one man spotted our flag and said to his girlfriend: 'Hey there's a Brit.' Then to Greg : 'You alright mate?'

Not a sound disturbed our sleep in spite of the bar. This is breakfast after a million zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Local honey, grapes, mandarins, bread and trusty Marmite.

 
For anyone who doesn't know - this is the machine that lifts boats out of the water...

 

And because there was no wind we hoisted the main and mizzen sail before motoring out of Mazarron harbour.

 

 

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.

This is something I try to do, however today, I accidentally dropped a plastic tub in the sea and couldn't retrieve it :O(

The photo you won't see in Thomas Cook windows!

The sea hasn't let up all day - went to the beach, took this photograph then the battery died, Sod's Law. No footballers around either.

Walked a mile up the beach where things were getting 'dodgy' - the surf smashing concrete slabs and making matchsticks out of pallets. Mesmerising, dangerous.

STILL in Garrucha!

And here's a clue as to why we haven't sailed - photo taken an hour ago:

   This breakwater wall is about 30 metres from us. Funky huh? Just incase anybody was deluding themselves that the Mediterranean Sea is benign!
The sea has a four metre swell going at the moment and we have eight lines on Lerryn Lady on her mooring.  Five men went running up the main pier with ropes a while back, I ran after them with my camera as somone was in trouble in a small dingy. Here he is after being pulled alongside - he went out after someone's passerelle - got caught out on the waves as his outboard failed... see who this is safely rescued now...

Johan our electrician!

The group came back to Lerryn Lady for coffee and Snicker bars. I asked them if storms like this happen often, 'esto es no típico' - this is not typical.  Even the massive fishing boats are heading back into harbour. I'm sitting here composing the Blog wearing ear plugs as the noise of the fenders on the pontoon is getting on my nerves - little wonder fenders POP! Think I'll go for a walk to get some peace and quiet.
 

Still in Garrucha

 

The wind was against our plans today. It blew Easterly and we want to sail East. No point having head on wind, head on sea and motoring as well. We'll leave on Thursday as the wind is set easterly tomorrow as well. had a relaxing day in the sun and went for a long walk tonight.

The local windvane at sunset:

 No matter where you are in the World you can always spot Englishmen - Bless them!

 

We left the Marina and walked to the very end of the eastern promenade where the Salinas ( salt marshes) begin. Watched this little guy, a black-necked Stilt, searching for his supper at the shoreline. His little mate could be a Knot. Took loads of photos of him. Here a few to share with you...

 

With a friend

 

Striding purposefully:

 

Found a morsel;

 

And off again

They are blurred but will give you a feel for what we saw :O) will get to grips with the 'moving bird' option on camera as soon as possible.

What 'appened woz...

Went to the supermarket this morning, it was closed, a first for us on a Sunday in Spain. We decided to walk along the beachfront and came across a massive group of very noisy Spaniards waiting at a bus stop. 
I asked if they were waiting for the bus to Pueblos Mojacar ( a place we thought to visit yesterday ). Oh yes, I was told, only ten minutes to wait for the autobus :O) The coach duly turned up and the fifty or more Spaniards made a dash for the door. One man tried in vain to keep order but they all squeezed and pushed and shoved and shouted and a lady lost a shoe - it was hilarious! Greg said: 'Let's go, we'll never get on with this many people'...' No,' said I 'even if we don't get on the bus I'm watching this.' The coach driver tried to take fares and keep the peace as they fought over seats. After about ten minutes of elbow fest, the few 'sane' ones who had waited patiently, got on and there was just enough standing room for me and Greg as well. So, with tyres flat to the tarmac, thinking we must be caught in a hen house, jiggling along with Spaniards talking at us like machine guns never pausing for breath ( no answers expected here), fifty plus vociferous monologues going on simultaneously. We soon found ourselves about five miles down the coast and in this time I'd met two teachers and a retired Fireman from Granada ( he got his badge out to show me he'd done thirty-five years service!). We were dumped off the coach with all these chickens still clucking and crowing, to find ourselves way way away from where we thought we were going! So, pigeon Spanish to the fore again, we were told that a yellow bus would arrive in fifty minutes and take us up to the village about 8kms away. We drank a lot of water, had a few Tapas, the bus arrived and away we went to Mojacar hill village. What a beautiful spot, 180* views either out to sea or across a massive river valley and more of the gorgeous Andalucian streets.  Of course I didn't have my camera because I thought we were going to the supermarket this morning - remember? Had lunch, sat in the sun, waited for a bus back. The bus only took us so far then veered unexpectedly to the West. Off we got and walked three miles east along the shore towards Garrucha. Such a beautiful afternoon, sea turquoise, kitesurfers, families dancing to a band on the beach, I collected some pebbles... finally got back to the boat at 6pm. Tomorrow we're going to try the supermarket again LOL. Of course we could end up in Madrid if today was anything to go by!

Garrucha

Well here's a tale for you. Yesterday afternoon we sailed into Garrucha harbour. We passed a very large container ship being loaded with Gypsum, passed the tugs, passed the fishing fleet. Moored up, had a cup of tea, dealt with the usual paperwork. Greg plugged into the electricity supply on the pontoon and within a nano-second there was a BANG and smoke in the boat. Disconnected from mains supply in a nano-second ( as you would) and checked to make sure there was no fire onboard - accrid smell - no flames. To cut  a very long story short, the units in this part of the pontoon were throwing out 415 volts! As a result our boat battery charger was burnt out, the ipad charger and laptop charger were burnt out. Suddenly our boat had several visitors including: Marineros, Port administrators, two dogs, a few onlookers and thankfully one brilliant marine electrician who couldn't believe what he was seeing! He was not responsible for the problem - outside contractors ( Cowboys) had put the units in. We moved the boat onto another pontoon where the Voltage is 240. Today all the chargers have been replaced with new and the main ring system and appliances thoroughly checked. We could not have asked for a quicker response from the staff here. All is well. One bonus, the boat battery charger replacement is much quieter than our other one!

 

This is Johan, our electrician, pointing out the burnt bit inside the battery charger...

 

Whilst all this was going on I went off to the mercado and bought a few veggies, peppers, spinach and early garlic...

Rustle up dinner recipe : Lentil, Garbanzo and Spinach Pot with Rice

Ingredients:

Onion - chopped
Small red pepper - chopped
As much garlic as you like - chopped
1 heaped tsp ground Cumin powder
As many chilli flakes as you like
2 cups of lentils ( or 2 cups garbanzos - chick peas)
4 cups water or stock
Torn leaves of spinach
Splosh of tomato sauce
Coriander leaves and quartered lemons to serve
Serve with rice or cous cous

Method -

Saute onion in oil for few minutes until transluscent.
Add garlic, fry for another minute.
Add cumin, chilli flakes, lentils and water/stock, simmer until lentils are soft ( approx 35 mins).
Add spinach - add splosh of tomato sauce - cook till spinach soft

Serve with rice, coriander and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Simple and delicious!