After 3 weeks on Majorca (I got some things fixed on the boat, but mostly I waited out thunderstorms and rain – thunderstorms in this area can produce lots of rain and wind…)
it was now time to move on.
I was lying in the harbour most of the time:
On the sail out from Pollensa I met swells 1,5m from the north and a wind from NE, so it should be a good sail to SW, I thought. However, having rounded cape Fermentor, the swells stayed from N, but the wind was changing to SW! The wind was weak, but the resulting sea was like being in a washing machine… The best course I could do was due west.
I tried to stop and heave to for a few hours in the night, but the wind was so weak that the sails flapped and crashed violently. When I took the sails down, the boat rolled violently instead! Around 4am, the wind came back and I could set sail and get the vind vane to steer so I could get some sleep. Later in the morning, the wind died down, but also the waves, so I could motor and use the auto pilot. I spent most of the day asleep. By evening I was off Ibiza:
The second night I was feeling better, but slept much and used the radar to find the ships that came close. Next morning I was off cape de Nao:
There was no wind until lunch time and I spent all day following the coast down to Alicante, where I am now. It was a perfect summer day with 27 degrees late into the evening.
I have a calm spot in the middle of the marina (right in front of the city). I plan to stay 2 nights and then sail on south.