Nocturne

1^st September 2008

After completing only 5 miles, drifting around for the last 8 hours the previous night, Reluctantly the engine was started at 08.00, Vicki had a call from a passing yacht asking if there was any wind as he had motored the last 150 miles from Sardinia,

A few puffs of wind finally arrived at about lunchtime. We pressed on through the afternoon and eventually got a good sailing wind. Strange how your perspective of speed changes from driving a car to being on a boat. We had drifted around all night for 8 hours and made only about 3 miles. After that, sailing in the right direction at 5kns was very fast.

A fish took our plastic squid but unfortunately broke the line (Big one?) So a different system of securing the lure was employed and a new squid chucked back over the side.

Vicki decided to do some baking while I was off watch and I was pleasantly awoken by the smell of fresh bread, We enjoyed a lasagne with her bread and a glass of wine.

Our plea to the gods for wind the previous night, must have been misunderstood as with the onset of darkness we had 30kns of wind right on the nose! With 2 reefs in the main and the Jib up we were slamming into short steep seas doing over 7kns, Nocturne was falling very hard off the back of the steep seas, making horrible noises we had never heard before. The wind backed through the night forcing us further off course and remained unsteady all night, keeping us on our toes with constant corrections to our course and trimming the sails. We pushed on doing 2-hour watches, trying our hardest not to be forced further away from the land. At one point we were 30 miles off course and heading due North away from Sardinia in strong winds with a thunderstorm in the distance to starboard

2^nd September 2008

The wind did settle after a while and at 05.00hrs we managed to tack back onto course, We could only just keep on course so the motor was woken from its long rest as the wind started to drop. After I came off watch, Vicki made some scrambled eggs on toast, and we sat in the cockpit in the morning sunlight discussing where to anchor. My attempt to re fill the day tank brought up a problem. When I checked the tank was not filling. Further checks revealed the secondary filter between the main tank and the pump was blocked. We have had a problem with a small quantity of diesel bug (An organism that lives in diesel that creates filter blocking sludge) in the past, having to clean out the filter about every 4 months but the filter was only cleaned 3 weeks ago.

Having decided Villasimius was going to be sheltered we rounded Capo Cabonara on the south west corner, motoring the last few miles to the anchorage.

The anchor was dropped at 14.00hrs after the hardest passage we have ever completed. We had a beer and a swim, then went back to bed.

The local coast guard then visited us at 19.30 hours on their way back from guarding the nature reserve around the corner. They told us that we were not allowed to anchor within 300 meters of the port and would have to move. Not to be a pessimist but as there was a really large swell outside and the expensive marina was the only other option I think that they were getting kickbacks of the marina.

So in true Nocturne style we upped anchor and motored the 18 miles to another anchorage (Within 300 meters of the harbour) in the darkness and had a really good nights sleep. 

3^rd September 2008

We were up and off early as we were slightly worried that we had anchored in a forbidden place again. A short motor later we were back in Cagliari. After a fruitless search for the free pontoon we had been told about we gave up and headed to Marina Del Sole. It was strange to be back in a marina, especially since this was the last marina we had been in. Back in April.

There were a few familiar faces still kicking around and the boat enjoyed a fresh water wash down for the first time in months. The encrusted salt took a bit of getting rid of.

We set to and took out our diesel tank. This was after spending ages filling up empty containers and water bottles with the remainder in the tanks. Although we thought we were nearly empty we managed to get quite a bit out. After manhandling the tank out and onto the pontoon it was given a serious swill out and put back in with a gallon of petrol in the bottom. We had been told this would dissolve the remaining diesel bug. Fingers crossed. The heartbreaking aspect is the price of diesel at the moment. A full tank at 1 Euro 67 is going to hurt badly.

We found our free internet spot on the wall to call home and then retired to the bar for a bevvy or three.

4^th September 2008

A bit of a wasted day really spent recovering from hangovers and the effects of quite a long period of travel and not much sleep. Greece, we discovered has made us very unfit. Other than swimming it was impossible to have the long walks we were used to as it was just too hot!! We need to get back into shape.

5^th- 6^th September 2008

More maintenance. Darren spent ages readjusting the rig, which has seemed quite loose on our last trip, he also went up the mast to repair the steaming light. I enjoyed the luxury of washing all our clothes in as much fresh water as I wanted and we stocked up on some supplies.

We are eager to move on now but the weather is very unsettled and has a tendency to change daily. It feels like a thunderstorm is long overdue as we are both wishing that it would get it over with so we could have good period of settled sailing winds.

We have spent a long time looking and listening to the weather, trying to track what is going on at the moment.

On a strange note we found out that the Pope is due to visit Cagliari tomorrow, a few minutes from where we are, so if we’re still around that will certainly be an experience we never expected to have.

7^th September 2008

We were woken by hymns and organ music, which was quite surreal. After a few hours the curiosity was too much for us so we had a wander up the church which was close to the marina. The crowds were all in high spirits and we watched on the big screen as the Pope’s plane landed, a cheer from the crowd as His Holiness himself disembarked.

Wandering about trying to find a vantage point to see the newly erected outside alter was difficult in the crowds who looked as if they were staying for the week. Very soon there was another cheer and everything went quiet as the pope addressed the crowd with a prayer.

After meandering around for a while we headed back to Nocturne to finish tidying and we spent the rest of the day modifying the wind steering gear and servicing it.

8^th September 2008

Boat rage!

A quick trip to the shops for last minute provisioning and we were off. We motored around to the fuel berth on the other side of the harbour and were soon followed and overtaken by a 60-meter superyacht that had just entered the harbour from the sea. As we approached the pontoon the superyacht signalled that they wanted us to move out of the way so they could turn around and go on the pontoon. So we of course ignored them and I put Nocturne in position to stop them doing so! We approached the pontoon and were met by the ships agent who informed us that they had reserved the pontoon and we would have to wait.

A bit of negotiation followed as we hovered over the pontoon. We were late leaving and didn’t want to wait for 3 hours for the monster to refuel. Eventually the agent said the captain had allowed us to go first (Not that he had been given much choice).

10 minutes later and we were gone, we waved and smiled at the bridge deck of the ship and muttered under our breath ‘pratt’s’.

We were soon out to sea, wind increased, sails were set and we were on our way to Menorca. Later I realised that my bounty of duty free tobacco from Gibraltar was all gone and after a comprehensive search of Nocturne nothing was found. I possibly had enough to make land but not enough for emergencies.

Conditions had also changed with a drop in wind and a large swell from the direction in which we were heading. After checking all possibilities we reluctantly pulled into the commercial port of Porto Ponte Romano on the south west tip of the island. Finally turning the motor off at midnight.

9^th September 2008

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY MICHAEL !!!

A long walk to the town at 07.00hrs was rewarded with enough tobacco to last a week. Satisfied I returned to Nocturne to find Vicki up and everything ready so we cast off the lines and were soon motoring out of the harbour into a flat calm. As we left the bay the swell started to increase, we turned the corner out of the bay and were hit by force 7 winds from behind. We quickly reduced sail and turned west onto our course to the Balearics. The wind continued to increase and the seas were very steep. Hand steering Nocturne we continued on course, surfing down the waves trying to decide if this was a cape effect (wind increases sometimes around big headlands) or the forecast of force 4 Easterly winds was slightly incorrect.

Sails were tweaked and Nocturne was soon settled, but helming her was very hard, as we reached speeds of 9knots surfing down the steep waves and on one very large wave 10.5knts was recorded.

Having just serviced Dolly (our wind vane self steering) I reluctantly set it up and engaged the system, expecting it to be unable to cope. But to our surprise it engaged and we both watched dumbstruck as the finicky unreliable wind driven autopilot took control of Nocturne like an Olympic sailor. Sensing the big waves approaching and forcing the helm hard down to stop her broaching (falling sideways of a big wave and laying with the mast in the water).

Deciding that the strong winds and steep seas were caused by the cape effect we continued on averaging over 7 knots with 2 reefs in the main and a small amount of foresail poled out.

The seas calmed after a few hours but the wind stayed, but with Dolly on the helm all we had to do was hold on as we continued towards Menorca at great speed.

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10^thSeptember 2008

A few adjustments to Dolly were all that were needed through the night as the wind changed direction a bit. Morning brought a cloudy dull day with an unexpected colour change as Nocturne’s decks and equipment were covered in sand and were now yellow. Removing this was not so easy as we were rolling around in the big sea, made worse when the wind started to drop. By lunchtime the wind had gone, but the decks were finally clean.

Changing the sails and the pole several times left us tired and frustrated so reluctantly the motor was started. Around 19.00hrs we were still 20 miles away and our phone signal returned, so a few texts later and we were furnished with a new forecast from my Dad. This conflicted with our previous 7 day forecast but as the winds were light a decision was made to continue on for the night, changing course to south-westerly in the direction of Palma Nova in Mallorca. The motor was turned off and by the time the darkness was upon us we were sailing a good course at 6.5 knots with a freshening wind.

11^th September 2008

4 Years of Marital bliss (he he) ♥♥♥

The change of watches brought a quick kiss and we both congratulated each other as we have now been married for 4 years. We had 2 cards one from Vicki’s mum and dad and the other from my brother and sister in law, which we enjoyed opening.

The wind had backed through the night and we were now sailing in a

North westerly direction not making course for the bottom of the island. As we were considerably North of our rhumbline the big foresail was changed for the jib as we tried to make a better course, but it was not long when we had to call upon the assistance of the iron sail!

I was abruptly awoken at 05.30 to a bang followed by a reduction in engine revs. Vicki who was on watch at the time quickly took the engine out of gear and shouted me on deck. After gingerly testing the engine we could only manage 1 knot. A look over the side with the torch revealed a big white mess around the propeller. There was still a big swell running and it would have been unsafe to dive under the boat to clear the propeller, so we had to try and make for a safe landfall with a dying wind and no engine.

All hopes were lost on making a course to Palma Nova as we were now 30 miles North of our rhumbline. Vicki went for a sleep as it was now well into her off watch period, while I tried to encourage Nocturne to sail towards Alcudia bay, a safe haven some 25 miles away further to the north. Daylight approached and the wind reduced to nothing, After 2 hours of intensive sailing we were 6 miles further but were now just drifting around in circles.

Vicki reappeared from the cabin to relieve me of my watch. After a quick discussion it was decided it was calm enough for me to try using the boarding ladder to clear the propeller and after clipping on my harness to a suitable strong point, I was swinging off Nocturne’s stern trying to determine how bad the mess was. Thankfully the obstruction was only a big polypropylene sack. Vic passed me the boat hook and after a bit of cursing and a dunking by the boat pitching in the sea, the propeller was clear. With baited breath the engine was started and after a few checks the revs were increased and Nocturne was put back onto a southerly course.

Several very frustrating hours later we put into Porto Pedro on the Southwest corner. The southerly winds that had hounded us all night had returned and increased. After bashing into the heavy seas for 5 hours and making very little headway we were still 55 miles of our destination with only a few hours of daylight left.

Earlier we had found some money in the card from Vicki’s mum and dad so after a few drinks the inflating the dinghy, a quick cockpit shower and a change of clothes we headed for the shore. We decided the best way to spend the generous gift from Pauline and Harry, was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and arrival back on Spanish soil by treating ourselves to some seafood paella at one of Porto Pedros finest fish restaurants. The meal was excellent and a great treat as we both enjoy seafood and have not been able to afford any all summer as in Greece it is very expensive. We retired to Nocturne about midnight very happy but exhausted.

12^th September 2008

After recovering from hangovers, we had a trip to shore to check the Internet and get some more weather information. A early night was had after storing the dinghy and completing a few minor repairs. We both went to bed slightly apprehensive, as the forecast was not great for the next leg, a two-day trip to the mainland.

13^th September 2008

At 06.00 we were up, not looking to good, but determined to go. Pulling out of Porto Pedro we were both a little sad as of all the places in the Balearics, this was the best.

Clearing the headland the wind increased as we barrelled on towards Ibiza 80 miles away. Force 7 winds were predicted on the radio forecast, which we didn’t receive until we were 30 miles offshore! So 2 reefs were put in the main as the wind built.

Again we asked a lot of Dolly and she performed brilliantly, steering Nocturne into the wind as the big gust came and bearing off again once they passed, saving any damage to the sails. By 20.00hrs we were both a bit wet but in high spirits sailing in the lee of Ibiza in a flat sea. I decided that it was prudent to put in for the night as the Mistral winds (Strong winds from the North) that had been propelling us on all day could still increase to a force 8 through the night.

The anchor was dropped at 21.30hrs off the town of Ibiza. Having set a record after covering 90 miles in 14 hours and we retired to the cockpit for a quick nightcap and to reflect on a fantastic days sailing.

14^th September 2008

The anchor was pulled up at first light and we navigated our way through all the isolated rocks on our way to the narrow passage between Ibiza and Formentera. Soon we were on course and with the help of the Northerly winds, making good time. Within two hours the wind had dropped leaving us bouncing around in the large swells left over from the last few days of strong winds. The motor was called into action and Dolly swapped for the Autopilot and we both hung on as Nocturne wallowed in the swells.

We arrived in Torrevieja at 04.30 hrs and anchored in the outer harbour. Although we were both shattered we were in very high spirits after completing over 1200 sea miles in the last 3 weeks. This will allow us to rendezvous with Vic’s mum and dad, who have being having tough time at the moment and were due to have a week’s holiday with friends in the area. We had a quick drink to toast our successful trip.

15^th September 2008

Bleary eyed we were back in the cockpit by 11.00hrs and after a quick coffee the anchor was raised and we were motoring down to Mar Menor (Inland lake) as we thought it would be a good place to meet up with Vicki’s Mum and Dad. Vicki dropped the bombshell and sent her mum a text message, she was very shocked when we gave our location, as she thought we were stuck in Menorca with bad weather!

At 1400hrs we entered the shallow entrance to the inland lake wondering how long we would have to wait for the lifting bridge, by chance we arrived just as the bridge due to open. After filling the diesel tank we pulled onto the Marina waiting area and Vicki went to the office to find out what the bad news on the berthing charges would be. Unfortunately the office was closed, and after the helpful advice from another boat, we cast off our lines and motored to the southern end of the lake in a very strong breeze.

After running aground twice trying to negotiate the shallow entrance of Nietos harbour then getting pinned next to another boat while trying to execute a three point turn between a very tightly packed boats and pontoons, we were getting a bit stressed and fed up. Eventually we managed to attract the Marinaro, he paced the harbour wall for a long time while I was desperately trying to keep Nocturne from drifting onto parked boats. He eventually pointed to the outside of a fishing boat near the entrance, with a bit more manoeuvring we had a VERY precarious berth alongside for the night.

Pauline and Harry and their two friends Linda and Peter had just arrived as we went around to sign in to the marina. Vicki rushed over to hug mum and dad while I dealt with the formalities. We all returned to Nocturne for a bit of food, luckily as we had no fresh produce left it was provided by Vicki’s mum and Linda, who had shopped for their evening meal before we had contacted them. Sitting in the cockpit watching Vicki with her family, made the last few weeks worthwhile. I have also grown very fond of Pauline and Harry had a great time. We were sad when they had to leave as they were sharing a apartment with their friends and it was quite a drive back and getting late.

17^th September 2008

Sunsail day!!!

The sky was overcast and I had butterflies in my tummy. As the morning progressed we had a few spots of rain and the wind increased, so all the hard work tidying Nocturne the previous day seemed quite fruitless. We had invited Vicki’s Mum and Dad and their friends down for a sail around the lake. By the time they arrived, thankfully the sky appeared to be clearing. By 14.00 hours we had all had some lunch the wind had finally dropped, allowing us to safely negotiate the very narrow harbour entrance with less that 30cm of water under our keel!

We pulled out of the harbour and hoisted the sails. The helm was passed to Peter who had always fancied sailing and after some vague instructions from me, he was helming like a pro, taking Nocturne up to wind at 6.5 knots. Linda and Pauline were happily chatting on the seat at the back of the cockpit, only stopping occasionally so Pauline (Now an old hand) could explain how something worked to Linda.

We took them up the lake, around the island in the middle and after a bit of a downwind run we anchored up under sail (Me showing off). Most of us went for a swim, the rest watched a dirty big jellyfish which kept swimming back to join us. After a chat and another beer we hoisted the mainsail and sailed of the anchor, with Harry expertly conning Nocturne this time. We had a relaxing sail down wind, back to the harbour. We dropped the crew on the quayside and with a bit of tight manoeuvring, turned Nocturne back around and sailed out to the islands to anchor. We had a very relaxing night and were mightily impressed that our first hospitality day had been a success.

18^th September 2008

Back on the go again, we had the anchor stored by 07.00hrs and motored up to the swing bridge at the entrance to the lake. After drifting around for a bit, the bridge opened and we were back out to sea.

Eventually we got the mainsail up, after a frustrating hour of wallowing in a big swell, while untangling it from around the radar reflector. Once the mess was untangled we set course for Cartagena to meet up with the folks, as there was a festival due to start the next day.

19^th September 2008

Up early and after a bit of cleaning we got some of the food preparation done ready for our guests. Sooner than we expected they all arrived in good spirits and amazingly the gangplank phased no one, which was suspended under the pullpit (Front rail) and hanging unsupported at a great angle. We had a nice buffet type lunch with prawn cocktail, calamares fresh bread and other things.

Soon we were walking around Cartagena looking for the celebrations. All we found was a small group of people in roman dress with a donkey, I couldn’t resist a few ass jokes. As they decamped into one of the bars we approached the donkey, after offering my hand for it to sniff, which it decided was food and everybody else thought was very funny we all had a quick stroke and it even posed for pictures. We continued walking, and the ass jokes slowly ebbed away.

On our previous visit we had seen some roman ruins from a distance as they were under construction, by this time they were open, so we wandered around the top of the amphitheatre and discussed how to get down into it. A nice tourist explained that the entrance was at the other end of the site (A fair walk) and that it was 5 Euro each to enter. So in true northern style we all were content with walking around the top taking photos and enjoying the panoramic view of the city.

Very soon the day was over and as our guests had to travel back north to their apartment, we reluctantly had to say good bye to Vicki’s mum and dad and their friends. We stopped for a drink and then settled in for an early night. As we needed to be rested for our next sail, to Almerimar an overnight trip down onto the Costa del Sol with forecast strong winds so we could rendezvous with Trevor and Caroline.

21st September

After a good 18 hour motor in a flat calm, we pulled into Almerimar Harbour at 06.45hrs and after a bit of persuasion got parked on the sheltered fuel berth. We waited for a while for the office to open and got our directions to our berth. As soon as we had tied up and got the gangplank in place, Trevor and Caroline arrived. We spent the next three hours catching up on each other’s summers, as we had not seen them since April in Mallorca. Vicki went back to bed and I decided to go on one of my long walks. Returning a few hours, later we showered and as we had arranged earlier walked around to Balchis, and had a pleasant evening in the company of Trevor and Caroline and very much enjoyed our first chinese take away since March.