The Mar Menor

Our new diving tanks

SUNDAY 21 JULY 2008

After a very leisurely breakfast, Elaine gave us a lift back to Santiago de la Ribera and where we had lunch at a café on the beach and then canoed back to the boat.

When Roger did his engine check, the water filler cap came apart in his hands. He managed to put it back together, but we will have to try and get one as soon as possible.


We sailed back to Puerto de Tomas Maestre where we anchored and cleaned the decks with seawater, and Roger cleaned the hull from the canoe. Mervyn and Janice from LaManga Dive School delivered our new diving gear, including two tanks, in their rib. As the tanks need to be securely stored upright, we decided the best place for them was the bottom of my wardrobe, secured with cord and a webbing strap. During this process Roger had to re-position some wires in the wardrobe and when cutting one of the cable ties managed to cut through the wire to our brand new 2000 euro autopilot! When he looked at the wires they seemed more complicated than normal. I wanted to get an autopilot engineer to sort it as I was convinced Roger would blow the whole unit but after a long time he eventually managed to reconnect the wires and it worked! By the time we had replaced all our clothes in the lockers it was gone midnight.

The Mar Menor

Elaine and John's Villa

SATURDAY 20 JULY 2008

Roger and I still had our last two sea dives to do to gain our Open Water PADI qualification, so we canoed to the Dive School at Puerto de Tomas Maestre and then went in a rib with Mervyn and Eddy to the dive site between two islands. We dived to 18 metres and saw some beautiful fish and a moray eel who watched us from his crack in the rock and snapped his jaws!

We canoed back to the Susannah and sailed to Santiago de la Ribera on the other side of the Mar Menor. We canoed ashore and John came to collect us and take us to their lovely villa near Torremendo, which is in a remote area inland from Torrevieja.  We had met John and Elaine in Getaria last year.  About 60 people came to John and Elaine’s party where there was great dancing music and the food was superb. We went to bed about 1.15 a.m. leaving the party to wind down about 2.00 a.m. – early by Spanish standards where parties usually start about midnight and go on until 6.00 a.m.!

Cartagena to The Mar Menor - 37 MILES

Entering the Mar Menor

FRIDAY 19 JULY 2008

We finally left Cartagena and motor-sailed to the Mar Menor. The wind was on the nose and we were only doing about 3 – 4 knots until we rounded Cabo de Palos, when we were able to sail at 6 knots. We entered the Mar Menor through the narrow canal - a road bridge lifts every two hours to allow boats through. The Mar Menor is an inland sea about 12 miles long and 6 miles wide, and because it only reaches depths of about 5 – 6 metres, it is about 4 degrees warmer than the Mediterranean. The Med is about 25 - 26 degrees at the moment which makes the Mar Menor almost bath temperature – even warm enough for Roger.



We had previously enquired about marina prices at Puerto de Tomas Maestre but as it was 60 euros a night we anchored just outside the marina.

Cartagena

Submarine leaving Cartagena

6 - 17 JULY 2008

We have been in Cartagena for nearly two weeks sorting out the engine problems. We have had a new oil pressure guage, reconditioned injectors and a new injection pump. We also had our faulty autopilot replaced while we were waiting. The staff in Equi Naut, the Chandlery which arranged for the engine repairs and autopilot were extremely helpful and got things moving as quick as possible during their busiest time.

Although we had not intended coming into Cartagena, we have been very impressed with the place. There are some beautiful buildings, several forts and roman ruins. During our stay the Roman Theatre and Museum was opened to the public for the first time. It was only discovered about 20 years ago!

Cartagena is a large naval port where Spanish navy boats are repaired and Roger was very excited to see a submarine leave and half submerge as it made its way out of the port.

We made use of the time by doing a PADI Diving course. Although we both did the BSAC course about 4 years ago, we haven’t dived for three years and felt we needed to start from scratch. The diving school is run very professionally by a British couple in La Manga, about an hour’s bus ride away. We had to have medicals before we could dive, and Roger had to have a piece of wax removed that was larger than the pea that came out of the old man’s ear in Captain Correlli’s Mandolin! He reminded me that the old man went back to the doctor a week later and asked for the pea to be put back in because now he could hear his wife nagging!

The Marina is excellent with very friendly staff, the best showers we have had in Spain, free WiFi, a lovely yacht club with swimming pool – all at a reasonable price. We think Cartagena will make an excellent winter berth for us.

La Subida to Cartagena - 13 Miles

Cabo Tinoso, Murcia

SATURDAY 5 JULY 2008

We left about 7.15 a.m. as we wanted to get to the Mar Menor before 5 p.m. in order to get through the swing bridge. It was a lovely flat sea with no wind so we motored. After about 6 miles, the engine lost power and there was black smoke in the engine compartment and coming out of the exhaust. We turned everything off and drifted for a while - we couldn’t sail because there was no wind. When we turned the engine on again everything seemed to work properly at 1500 revs, so we decided to continue to the Mar Menor. However, when we put the revs up to 2000 smoke started appearing again. We decided to head to Cartagena, about 5 miles away, where there is a marina and mechanics.

We arrived about 10.30 a.m. but because it was Saturday, the Engineer won’t be in work until Monday.

On Monday we went to the Chandlers to enquire about the Engineer, but he can’t fit us in for over a week! The helpful woman then arranged for another engineer to come and look at the boat on Wednesday. As we are stuck here for a while we ordered a new autopilot which will be fitted on Wednesday. We had been about to book Jessica’s flights so she could visit us early August in Majorca but now we can’t make any plans until we know how long it will take to fix the engine. Roger is worried it is as a result of the oil pressure and it may be serious!

Marina: 21 euros per night; WiFi; Excellent showers; Very friendly staff

Cala de San Pedro - Garucha - Cama de los Novios - La Subida, Murcia

La Subida, Murcia

WEDNESDAY 2 - FRIDAY 4 JULY 2008

On Wednesday we sailed to Garucha where we stayed in the Marina. Garucha is a seaside town which has everything you need, including a Mercadona within easy walking distance and excellent Feretarias.

Garucha Marina: 30euros, no WiFi; Fuel: 109 euros - 1.36 euros per litre.

The next day we tacked for about 20 miles to a small bay called Cama de los Novios which seemed quite sheltered, although the wind was blowing about a Force 4. However, after a magical evening with a BBQ, wine, music and star watching, we were woken about 4 a.m. because the boat had began to roll very badly.

We left about 8 a.m. and sailed the 26 miles to La Subida in Murcia. The wind was blowing a strong Force 5 by the time we arrived and we had to pick our way through the tunny fish traps, fishing buoys and mooring buoys, but once anchored in Ensenada de Mazarron we were very sheltered. After lunch and a siesta we swam ashore and went to the café where we were served by an Irishman from Dublin who lives in the village with his wife. Another lovely evening with a BBQ and watching the sun set over the hills.

Saidia, Morocco to Cala de San Pedro, Spain - 124 Miles

Roger cutting the fishing net

MONDAY - 30 JUNE - TUESDAY 1 JULY 2008

After Mohamed had taken our passports to Saidia to be stamped, and we’d completed formalities with customs, Mohamed waved us off and the Marineros released our lines. We have now got ten entry and exit stamps in our passports! We were sad to be leaving Morocco, where we have been for five weeks now, but are looking forward to the next stage and getting to the Balearics.

The autohelm was not very stable and the hydrovane did not always hold the course when there wasn’t enough wind. About 30 miles from Morocco and 70 from Spain a light aircraft flew buzzed us, did a circle and flew back to Morocco.

The wind got up to a Force 4 – 5 and we managed to sail for a couple of hours but the course was taking us to Mottril, about 90 miles west of where we wanted to go, so we had to motor-sail. I went for a sleep about 8.30 p.m. as I was doing the 10 – 2 watch, and heard Roger yelling for help. We had hooked up a fishing net which was about 3 miles long with very few buoys on it and no flags on the buoys. We were about 33 miles from the Moroccan coast and 67 from Spain. We could see the fishing boat still laying out the net. We tried radioing him several times but there was no response and the sea was too bouncy to go in and have a look. In the end, there was no alternative but to cut the net, which luckily was not wound around the prop as Roger had just cut the engine in order to sail.

We had to put the clocks forward again now we were back in Spain. I’ve lost count how many times we’ve changed our clocks over the last five weeks!

I was on watch from 10 p.m. and the wind got up so I sailed for a while, but holding a course was difficult. I was feeling a little seasick from when we were trying to sort the net out and the boat was wallowing in the sea. The wind changed direction and was coming from behind the boat, which meant the boat was liable to jibe and was rolling. This always has a bad effect on me and I was very sick. I carried on for a while but needed to put the engine on to get the headsail in to make the boat more comfortable and steer our course, so I called Roger up about 12.30 a.m. As we were sorting out the sails we both saw a shooting star, and when Roger was on watch he said he saw the most spectacular comet he’s ever seen.

We hear some appalling radio use in Spain but tonight seemed to be particularly bad. There was very loud music being played down the microphone, whistling, people putting on silly voices and some swearing. Some of it just for the sake of swearing down the microphone, but there was one conversation between two merchant vessels discussing whether to pass port to port which one misunderstood and the language of the other one is not repeatable!

Roger woke me up about 8.00 a.m. to come and see the dolphins who were welcoming us to Spain. These were larger than the dolphins we had seen before. We passed the beautiful Cabo de Gato and went to Puerto de San Jose, a small marina. We asked how much for the night and were told 50 euros, so we said, ‘No gracias, adios!” The wind was coming from the East, which doesn’t give much protection along the Spanish coast, but it wasn’t very strong so we decided to try an anchorage.

We headed for Cala de San Pedro, about 8 miles further on, a beautiful bay with high hills behind it. The only way to get there is by boat or a long cliff hugging walk. The wind got up to about a Force 4 making the sea a little too rough to swim ashore, although the boat was quite comfortable. On the beach a little nudist community had grown up with a small café and people camping or living in ruined buildings. Boats came and went from the Las Negras, the village around the corner, including a water taxi. The water was lovely and warm and very clear so I swam round the boat to check the anchor was dug in while Roger had a siesta.

Saidia

Saidia beach looking towards Algeria

SUNDAY 29 JUNE 2008

At present there is only one shower and toilet which is in the Marina Office building - presumably the shower block hasn’t been built yet. The drainage for the shower doesn’t work properly and floods the floor of the store room outside!

Mohamed took us to Saidia in his car and when we asked when all the buildings in the Marina would be completed and the restaurants operational, he told us most of them were opening on 15 July! It seems incredible that so much work can be completed in just over two weeks. The development also includes a new Medina, holiday flats and apartments, and about four five star hotels with golf courses. The season in Morocco only lasts for July and August, but the new young King is keen for Morocco to develop.

The town of Saidia is about 5 kilometers from the Marina, close to the Algerian border. Mohamed said it wasn’t possible to cross into Algeria by foot or car – only to fly from Casablanca. We didn’t tell him that we had sailed over the border yesterday! He also told us that there is a healthy black market trade between Algeria and Morocco.

We went to the souk which sold household items and second hand and new clothes and shoes, but there didn’t seem to be any handicrafts. We had an excellent lunch in the Hotel Atlal, which Mohamed had told us was the best one for foreigners. Although we are quite happy to eat in Moroccan restaurants, he had also said this was the only one that served alcohol, although they were challenged when we chose a white wine from their list and had to settle for a rose as they didn’t have any white wine. When I tried to pay with my card, it was declined because the minimum the hotel’s machine would accept was 600 Dirhams (about £40) and the meal was 554 Dirhams. I didn’t want an excess of Dirhams as we are going back to Spain tomorrow and Dirhams can only be changed in Morocco, so the waiter took me to a cash machine to take out what I needed.

It was very hot again – 37 degrees in the sun, 30 degrees in the shade, but a Force 4 wind got up in the afternoon. We walked along the sea front where the beach was very crowded, with hundreds of people in the water. As the Marina is nearly empty, the water quality should be quite good and I went for a swim from the boat.

Melilla to Saidia - 45 Miles (Accidentally via Algeria!)

Border with Morocco and Algeria

SATURDAY 28 JUNE 2008

We had intended going to the small fishing port of Ras el Ma 25 miles away, but David’s wife told us that because it wasn’t a port of entry, last year people had to go back to Nador in a taxi to do the clearance. Some of the ports we have visited in Morocco were not ports of entry and there was no problem, but we didn’t feel like having to get in a taxi at the end of a sail, so decided to head straight for Saidia, 35 miles away near the Algerian border.

It was very hot again, although hazy, but once we were out at sea there was a lovely temperature. We motor-sailed for a couple of hours and filled our water tanks and put the fridge back on – cold drinks again! We tentatively tried the autohelm but it was having a problem holding the position because there was bit of a breeze so we used the wind vane. We were able to sail most of the way, listening to Bob Marley, Bridge Over Trouble Water, Leonard Cohen and Tina Turner. We had to tack past Islas Chafarinas, another group of three islands that are owned by the Spanish – we could see the Spanish flag on top. The Spanish seem to own rocks and enclaves all along the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, which makes their arguments about Gibraltar rather weak. Once past the rocks we dropped the Spanish courtesy flag and hoisted the “Q” flag.

The chart plotter and the pilot showed Saidia Marina at position 35o07’N 02o11 W. Looking at the charts, this seemed to be over the border in Algeria and it is not possible to go to Algeria without Visas. The 2005 pilot also includes a warning note about the civil war in Algeria. We passed a port at 35o06,N 02o17’W that was not marked on the chart or the chart plotter, about 5 miles from west from one on the chart plotter, but decided to continue on to see if the chart plotter was correct. As we neared the position, we could see people on the beach and a couple of jet skiers came out to say hello but we eventually realized it was definitely wrong when we saw a river running into the sea and the Moroccan flag on one side and a lot of Algerian flags on the other! We could see something that looked like a port wall with cranes inside it but as we continued on to have a look a friendly jet skier came out and told us we were now in Algeria! We turned around and motored back the 5 miles we had just come. 

By now the sun was starting to go down and we didn’t want to arrive at an uncharted port in the dark. When we arrived, a dinghy came out to us and told us to follow him. I’m glad he did as the depths here are very low in places – down to 2 meters and we drawn 1.7. The route is buoyed with small green and red buoys, rather like mooring buoys, but it would still be quite difficult without guidance.

Saidia is a massive development with space for hundreds of boats, but apart from a few small boats, there were only two other yachts, a large catamaran and about three motor boats. There are buildings all the way round for shops, cafes, supermarkets – all empty. We were almost treated like royalty when we arrived – the young Port Captain, Mohamed, welcomed us and made sure his two Marineros helped us with our lines and ensured we had electricity – not all the electric points were working. 

We then went to the office to do the inevitable paperwork and the gendarmerie welcomed us before proceeding. This time he wanted to know how many children we had and what our parents’ names were – he wanted the family history! I told him I could let him have information back to 16th century if he wanted. The Port Captain said the passports had to go to the police in Saidia but he would take them for us. He would give us a lift if we wanted to go, but it was late and we were hungry so went back to the boat to cook a tinned Confit de Canard and sautéed potatoes. We were in the middle of preparing this, when one of the Marineros said the Customs wanted to see us. This one was extremely slow and wanted the same information as the others but seemed incapable of just copying the information. The passports had been photocopied but were so bad they were illegible. My sense of humour was diminishing as my hunger was increasing! It was 9.45 p.m. (10.45 p.m. Spanish time) by the time I got back to the boat, over an hour since we had arrived. My sense of humour returned as Roger had set the table in the cockpit, the wine was open and the dinner was ready.

Marina: 15 euros, including water, electricity and showers. Compared to Melilla (8 euros) and Marina Smir (18 euros but fully operational) this seemed expensive for a Marina that wasn’t even finished, is silting up fast and is a long way from town.