The Good Ship Magnum: Balearics

Cartegena to Balearics

We left Cartagena at around mid day to start the 150ish mile passage to Formentera. We were pretty laid back about it as we knew the wind was forecast to be light and we were determined just to enjoy the sail even if it took a couple of days.

Tinfish 2 left at the same time but they soon disappeared over the horizon as they had a deadline to meet and were happy to burn diesel to get there.

As luck would have it the wind filled in and we had a good sail for the first 4/5 hours, then it was engine on time for a while. Night fell and we experienced an amazing variety of conditions and for brief periods had wind from every compass direction, we were determined to make the most of any wind we had so it meant many changes in direction and of sail sizes ….a busy night !

We were also treated to the most amazing lightning storm I have ever seen, huge bolts of forked lightning hit the sea all around us, never more than about 5 miles away but never close enough to be really scary.

Morning dawned windless, sunny and HOT! So after motoring for a little while we decided engine off and in for a swim. We were “off soundings” as in our electronics couldn’t “see” the bottom, but a quick check on the chart showed water depth of 600-650m. With slight trepidation we lowered the stern bathing ladder and armed with some shower gel jumped in for a cool off and a freshen up.

Very spooky being in water that deep, but we are now running a competition to find the deepest water possible for a swim !!

As we were breakfasting the wind filled in and we then had a great sail all the way to Formentera arriving around 5 in the afternoon.

About 2 in the afternoon we had another hitch hiker a ring necked dove we named Doris. She was obviously in distress and managed to just about land on the top of our pitching bimini cover whilst we tramped along at 7 knts. She stayed there for a couple of hours until I spooked her trying to get a photo and she then landed on the pull pit (after 3 crash landing attempts, obviously no training in moving dove cots !) and there she stayed until we sailed her within 250m of land.

Doris on pullpit

First Stop: Formentera – Ensenada Del Cabrito

Arrived anchored, rested, night full of ferry wash! Next morning the family from Tinfish who had left Cartagena at same time spotted us in the anchorage and headed over to see if we fancied a snorkel, it was good timing as we were feeling lethargic so we jumped up and headed in to see the fish. Not fancying another rolly night we decided we needed to head off and with southerly winded forecast we had to move on from Formentera as there were no other sheltered anchorages.

Ibiza

A breeze picked up and we managed a leisurely sail with just the foresail. Ibiza looks really spectacular when approaching from the sea, really mountainous and lots of little off lying rocks/islands.

Just less than 13 miles and we arrived at our first anchorage: Cala Basa, small cove with beach at far end. Off for a swim but didn’t make it ashore particularly as weren’t sure how well the anchor was held in the mass of weeds and rocks on the bottom. We were just round the corner from San Antonio so no surprise that a couple of party boats passed through the anchorage but thankfully none in the night!

Moved on the next day, first attempted a Cala across the bay but completely full so then back to Port Del Torrent which we thought was going to be a good pick when the anchor quickly held in sand but no it was not to be! Mark jumped in the water and was stung on the top lip by a jellyfish! After desperately trying to find out what to do on the iPhone we used the Balsamic vinegar and I did not need to pee into a bottle! After the tourist boats started ploughing past us at 9am we were desperate to move on!

A short hop up the coast, motor sailing due to light winds we rounded the headland for Puerto De San Miguel but before reaching the Cala we passed a small island just attached by spit of sand to mainland which had the most fantastic house on it, what a place to live!

Stunning scenery

House on island - Tracy Island

This was the first Cala where we actually made it ashore and we really enjoyed our stay here. Although quite busy in the anchorage there was still enough swinging room and it was really picturesque. It was an easy row (well for Mark) ashore and the dingy could just be pulled up on the beach. There were a couple of over priced shop so we could keep stocked with fresh fruit and veg. There were also a couple of large hotels, couple of bars and restaurants but not much else.

Magnum all alone in the distance

Island at end of anchorage with house, Magnum far right in foreground with pedalo too close to front!

Cheesy photo overlooking anchorage

This seemed quite a nice little family friendly resort, with quite a few British families passing on their pedalos a bit too close to the boat! We also had the enjoyment of the cheesy hotel entertainment which we could hear from the boat – how & why do the same songs maintain popular – Agadoo, Superman song, “We are going to Ibiza” to name a few! But I am sure the kids love them!

There was also a free dance party on the beach on the Saturday night, the music was at least 10X louder than the hotel but we decided to venture ashore, we were in Ibiza party isle after all! We had a drink and did some people watching but after a couple of hours (before it really got started) we headed back to bed with our earplugs in!

We also had some reasonable snorkelling here so nice to get back into swimming which had not always been possible on the Atlantic coast.

After a couple of nights we moved off round the corner to Cala Charraca, a big wide Cala and found a good sandy spot to anchor. We spent the afternoon washing the boat down and having a nice swim, again we found the follow you fish that seemed to be following the boat! These are grey/silver Dori looking fish that congregate under the boat and then when you get in for a swim they follow you, every time you turn around there are at least 50 of them behind you just looking! Unfortunately a big swell started to grow and grow and we could not stay for the night and the safest option was to head back to Puerto De San Miguel, the swell was still creeping into the anchorage but not quite as big. Anchorage was really busy probably as other boats were trying to escape the swell. By the morning after a really rolly night at least 50% of the boats had already left and we were close to follow.

We didn’t go far the wind was on the nose and increasing so after 5-6 miles we headed into Cala Portinatx knowing we could always move on later. The Cala was surrounded by small hotels and bars, after a quick dip to cool off we headed ashore. Restaurants all looked quite nice; beach was clean and filled with families. We attempted a bit of shopping but very limited unless you want a lilo, postcard, holiday souvenir – which we didn’t! Also very over priced but we made do. In the evening we were treated to Grease (the musical) from one of the hotels, we expected everyone to be joining in from their boats but think that was only us!

Next day we decided to head around the north coast and head south, we were really lucky as a breeze picked up and we were actually able to have a good sail. The scenery really nice with rocky cliffs and green pines over the hills just will a small scattering of white houses. We past round yet another small Island, Isla Tagomago really pretty and continued down the coast to Cala Cana; this is just by the resort Es Cañar. We crept into the anchorage avoiding the dark patches as we were now getting used to the rocks. We anchored in sand but we already knew there was too much swell and we were not very sheltered but looked so lovely we decided to stay for a quick swim. Once we got in we realised how lucky we had been the pilot book had not warned that the rocks were so large on either side that we could have easily run around. So off we set to find somewhere safer.

Isla Tagomago

We headed back north knowing southerlies were forecasted and we would not be able to find many places to shelter on this side of the coast, the night was spent at Cala LLeo. Rocky but sheltered from the wind. It was actually so full of rocks that as soon as we went down into the boat we could hear the crackling of the corals all over the rock, very strange sound to fall asleep to. Mark jumped in for a swim in the morning and after just one jellyfish sighting it was time to move on.

Sea and sun battered hair at sunset!

We headed towards Cala De San Vincente hoping it may have just been sheltered from the southerlies but unfortunately not so the anchor did not even hit the ground. Even further north and we headed into Cala Serra and found the most stunning Cala of all we had visited. Only really big enough for two boats with 2 tiny beaches, 1 with tiny little beach bar. Beautiful clear waters over sand for the anchor but enough rocks that fish were everywhere. We spent 2 relaxing days’ snorkelling and swimming; we did manage to dingy off the boat and walk up the hill to admire the view. We could have stayed for another week but the weather wouldn’t let as we had a deadline to get to Mallorca!