15th May - Marbella

Soundtrack: Harry has creaked all day while he’s kept us on course to get here. There are a couple of blocks on the Aries that are crying out for a thorough oiling.

High Point: It’s my birthday today and we are in the Med as we planned! Honor has given me two books which are going to be much more enjoyable to read than the ones onboard which came from the Ayamonte book-swap and Bovey’s charity shop – thank you Hons!

Low Point: Yesterday’s passage from Barbate round Tarifa and up the Strait of Gibraltar – in drizzle, poor visibility and (how surprising) a good dose of wind.

We spent last night in the new yacht marina in Algeciras, which Colin’s Gibraltar pilot states has little to offer the passing yachtsman. He’s right! We moored up alongside the wall ahead of another English yacht, told by the marinero that it was OK (and free!) to stay there the night. There are no facilities but with the commercial port out of sight and hearing, and a good view across the bay to the Rock in the evening light, we’re happy. Two port police officers tried to spoil it later by saying we couldn’t stay after all, but after some discussion – and some strong words from the Spanish speaker in the English boat – they relented and left us in peace.

We make an early start to weave our way through the anchored ships in Gibraltar harbour and around Europa Point tight inshore. The wreck of a large ship is lying on the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse with only its superstructure visible and we wonder how it managed to wind up there. Then we are past the Rock and in the Med! Belfield is redundant, the tidal clock can go into a locker, the sun is out and we are making good progress under the trusty yankee downwind to Marbella.

By lunchtime the wind has got up to 25 knots and the swell has increased a good deal. It’s not long before we find ourselves slaloming down the surf off the entrance to Marbella marina to come to a crash stop alongside the reception pontoon just inside. The marinero observes that even more wind is forecast for later!

Going ashore in the evening to celebrate my birthday, we are struck by the noise of traffic and the crowds of people out enjoying themselves. We feel strangely detached as if living in our little secluded world has set us apart somehow. However it doesn’t stop us enjoying some delicious seafood in the delightful little Plaza Altamirana, with purple bougainvillia flowers tumbling from the balcony above us.