We really enjoyed our stopover in Cadiz. We had a lovely, calm mooring which had access to the port of the fishing club, and we could leave the dinghy there when we were visiting or doing our shopping. It's a charming town. Our passage past Gibraltar was done with the utmost care. It was a little lively when going by Tarifa, which is a well-known spot for windsurfers and kitesurfers. The current was reaching 3 knots with 12-13 knots of wind and gusts of up to 17 knots. We were safe though, with the reef that we had taken in by Tarifa, just in case! What a pleasure it was to see Spain to our left and Morocco to the right, and us on the "little road" (as Solveig called it) in between the two. After visiting Gibraltar and its rock, and following an encounter on a pontoon in Cadiz, we decided to head further into the Med than we had originally planned, and to make for the Balearic Islands. We sailed quickly from Almerimar towards Formentera, the first of the Balearics. Two days and nights of sailing. It had been a while! it was fabulous, and we managed to hold out for 24 hours under sail, despite the forecast for still conditions. We manoeuvered, changed sails and took in reefs. It was really good practice. We made the most of it and the nights were lit by the moon. We finally found the heat that had been missing so far on our journey, and the sweat ran down our faces from the evening to the morning. The sea is clear and warm, and the moorings are busy but calmer in the evening. That's the Balearics! Soon we will carry on our route towards Madeira, the Canaries and then Cape Verde…
Who : Alice Sébastien, Solveig (5), Owen (2), Naïa (one year old Alsatian)
Boat: Lagoon 42
Where : Between Cadiz and the Balearics
