Archiv

CW35 2001

26.08.2001 - 01.09.2001

Today is Sunday, August 26, and we're back in Denia, and back aboard. That's right, back in Denia. It's about time for an explanation, since the announced service was a little white lie.

Background is Bernd Schierlohs 40th birthday! Since Bernd actually didn't want to celebrate this birthday at all his wife Christina organised a surprise-party for him and we, that is Birgit and Ziggy, Sabine and Tim, Thomas and myself, surprised the just-became-Mr.40. And since all that was took place in Bavaria, and since we had to keep it secret we kind of needed an alibi to get there and that was the alleged service. Although … there was a small "service", but for the two of us: the last vaccinations, a visit to the dentist and such stuff. When the service for the ship really is done in October / November we'll hopefully also be able to finish with our personal service and then be ready for the big toern. So at this point we'd like to say sorry and we hope you don't hold a grudge against us because of this little deceit. After all, it was for a good course!

From today on everything will be as usual again, and no swindling or cheating any more. Promised!


Monday is shopping day. The aim is to refill the fridge and the freezer, simply to get supplies for the coming weeks. By the time all supplies are put away and stored the day is over and we're looking forward to a tasty wood-fire pizza at El Golos, a little ways out of Denia. Arriving there we unfortunately have to realise that they are closed for today. On our way back we hop into another pizza place and just manage to get something to eat, since it's already on hour to midnight.


Tuesday is also packed with work and activities. The ship needs to be cleaned from the outside, the water tanks need to be filled, the rented car needs to be returned and a few other little things need to be done. After all, we're finally taking off again tomorrow.


Wednesday and our departure gets delayed since we are visited by the director of the marina. During our first visit to the Marina de Denia our ship's hulls were, as we reported, badly scratched by the rotten moorings. Needless to say we reported this at the marinas' office and asked those people to kindly get that fixed and back in order during our absence. Since this was mentioned while paying for the demurrage, an appointment with the marina's director was made, so that he could take a look at the damage. Using his bad knowledge of the English language as an excuse another appointment, for just half an hour later, was made.
But "Mr. Director" didn't find it necessary to make a statement himself. He sent two of his employees who were supposed to make us understand, that it was our own fault since we weren't forced to use those moorings. Fact is, that those moorings are simply not maintained properly and are totally dirty, and have probably been like that since the marina was built. And you don't get to choose your mooring place in a marina, it is assigned to you.
Well, if the management of such an establishment doesn't see that as part of the marinas responsibility one can only hope that not just the marina, but also the management there gets a little restructuring and a few renovations. After all, with such arrogance and ignorance there is a lot to do for that place.
The Marina de Denia claims to be in the process of outbuilding itself to a luxury marina. With this kind of service and attitude it should be rather difficult to ever live up to such standards.
It's 12 o'clock, noon, and time to untie the ropes and leave this marina behind us once and for all.
We set course for Calpe and after 20 miles we drop anchor in Rada de Levante de Calpe.
On our arrival there are still about 15 other boats here, but in the evening we have the bay all to ourselves.


Thursday morning and most delightful weather. After travelling for less than an hour we set the genaker and continue like that for the next 6 hours.
Since about 12 O'clock we're already in the Western Hemisphere.
Our course continues along the Costa Blanca, past Benidorm, towards Alicante. The view we are offered unfortunately has absolutely nothing to do with "Mediterranean". Only skyscrapers and one hotel complex next to the other, side by side, and anything but beautiful. On the contrary there's hardly any traffic on the water, nice and quiet, and that's also worth something.
After starting the engine and bringing in the genaker there's a bang from underneath the starboard keel and the engine doesn't run properly any more. Now, what's that for?
Probably something got stuck in the screw. So we only use one engine for the next 5 miles and then take a closer look at what happened there.
Ensenada de Albufereta is the name of a bay close to Alicante and we drop anchor there. The anchor has hardly dropped and Tom's already in the water to see what happened with the screw. A nylon bag got caught in it. The Mediterranean Sea, a rubbish dump! All the stuff drifting around here, lots of plastic waste. Actually a pity!


Friday, and, just for a change, we'll do a few more nautical miles than usually, after all we want to get to Mar Menor and that's almost 50 n m away.
At this point I'd just quickly like to mention that a nautical mile is 1.8 km long.
Even though we can't be under sail the whole way, our progress is quite good. We also want to try our anglers luck again today, but we don't come up with a catch (yet). That'll also change again.
We arrive in Mar Menor at about 6 p.m. Mar Menor is a kind of inland water and, quite extraordinary, 12 N.M. long a 6 N.M. across.
A sandbank divides this part from the Mediterranean Sea and it is only accessible by 3 ways. Within those waters are 5 islands, some of which aren't exactly small.

To get to the inner part of this world we choose a route that takes us through a channel of a special kind. To allow one to pass through this channel a bridge has to be opened. This bridge is usually for cars and in the summer months it is only opened for 10 to 15 minutes every full hour to let ships pass in and out - and us. There is a lot of traffic on this channel and things do get rather tight. The above mentioned bridge is one of the kind that swings around 90° to let one pass. Going through the bridge and channel we're in Mar Menor relatively fast. An interesting sight, but what we discover on a closer look is pure madness.

Jellyfish! At first there are only a few drifting past us. But within minutes we're in the middle of a sea made from thousands of yellow, wobbly jelly-fish. You can't see to the bottom, herds of them form huge yellow layers in the water, and in all depths. From directly on the surface to the deepest layers - as deep as one can see. Jellyfish, as far as the eye can see! Taking into consideration what a huge area this is and how much of it we can actually see, imagining how many of these creatures are drifting around gives me the creeps. Actually it's difficult to put in word what a sight this is. But one thing is for sure, we're not going swimming here!

Well, and therefore we'll just spend the night here and leave this place again tomorrow.


Today is Saturday, September 1 and on the full hour we leave the "sea of jelly-fish" through the channel and through the bridge.
Our route for today follows a very historical course, namely that of Christopher Columbus. We're still headed South and after approximately 10 N.M. we pass by Cabo de Palos.
This is from where Columbus is said to have left for his first expedition on August 3 1492, to try and find the western sea passage to India.
And since we're on this historical expedition we'll let the culinary one follow immediately.
Today we're having prawn-Frittata with zucchini (serves 4)

8 eggs
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Zucchini, cut into strips, lengthways
freshly ground pepper
curry powder
sweet pepper powder
1 onion, diced finely
170g peeled prawns
1 bunch parsley, chopped
100g cocktail tomatoes, in halves

Pre-heat the oven to 175°C. Open the eggs into a bowl and stir lightly with a fork. Let one tablespoonful of butter melt in an ovenproof dish.
First the eggs and zucchini, then add lots of pepper, the diced onion and curry. Lay the prawns with salt on top and over that the tomatoes and the parsley.
Finally sprinkle sweet pepper powder over everything.
Bake the Frittata in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, until the volume has doubled. Slice and serve hot.

Enjoy!
Tip: the Frittata also tastes very nice when cold!

Our culinary tip can also be made with fish - even if our anglers luck isn't with us yet.
After a total of 30 N.M. were right in front of our chosen destination, so the fishing rod might as well come back inside.
Cala Cortina, this is where we want to drop anchor. But unfortunately this bay close to Cartagena seemed a lot prettier and more interesting on the map then it is in reality. So we simply decide to drive on and we do find a really nice bay, Ensenada de Mazarron, close to La Subida. At last there is a real landscape again, a beautiful, Mediterranean countryside with small houses, palm trees and sand beaches.
7 p.m. and the anchor drops to the ground. We're staying here and that's it for today and this week.


To see what the next week has brought us...... see us here next week, same place same wave!

So long