Cartegena

An impressive and historic city with a protected and safe port situated very close to the centre of the city. It felt very different to most places we have been as the history over 2000 years oozed from every street corner.  The Castilla and retored ramparts gave a most impressive 360 degree view of the city off to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.  The reconstructed Spanish civil war air raid shelters and the circular glass walled lift to the castle were all part of the representation of the broad history of the city from modern times right back to pre Roman.  The re-building of the roman theatre as is was in AD56 was for us the height of the historical tours. The city council has done a great job in the last 10 years of promoting Cartegena as a distinctive historical tourist attraction.  The Cathedral restaurant beside the Roman amphitheatre with its three levels of glass encased Roman remains is worth a table booking (which you need to do).  Consequently our planed two day stay in the cheapest marina for miles for winter lay ups, turned into four days.  Our friends Tony and Jane Dowsett joined us on the last evening. Next morning we bade farewell to Cartegena and sailed down the coat to Garrucha.

Maintenance Month

Garrucha is an odd sort of place.  A Junta de Andalucia run marina with recently extended pontoons with a capacity of 700 and next to zero boats, served by one porta cabin accommodating two loos and two showers.  So much for the standard J de A pricing structure, however well situated for a comfortable stop over and a swim off the beach in water of 31 degas. The picturesque and underwater sea life of our Cabo de Gata anchorage made up for it twice over. There were more varieties of fish than we have seen anywhere in the Med.  Even spotted a ray. Apparently a marine preservation area too, as the Guardia Civil fast boat patrol captain explained to us when trying to move us on. Fortunately we had anchored right on the boundary of the park and his will weakend quicker then ours.  Next morning we motored in light winds to Almerimar in preparation for our planned long maintenance stop.  Generator was duly inspected by the local Nauticomobil mechanic and pronounced suitable for in boat repair. Phew! So next day and four hours later he had removed the aluminium oil sump which had failed along the salt water channeling and off to the welder it went. Two days later everything refitted and the generator serviced and working again. Lucky because the day after we had booked flights to UK to sort out a number of administrative matters.  The British September weather was kind to us (the driest September on record??) and the introductory programme of Strictly Come Dancing series was a delight. A bit of normality in our lives. We returned to Spain on the 18th September to do battle with the water maker.  Our German engineer of many talents was able to strip the membrane housings down and find new replacements while we were away. Alas, when refitted and under high pressure it became obvious that one of the resin end caps was leaking slightly and having stripped it down again exposed a hairline crack. Sch...a he said! After five days and potentially another five for spare parts from Holland we decided on a complete refurbishment in UK to arrive for us in the Canaries at the end of October. The water maker saga will continue......  So, after 26 days in total in Almerimar we departed on Sunday the 28th September for Gibraltar. Two days behind schedule (not the adventure training schedule that is!).  We said a farewell to our German friends on Blue Bear and Zora completing final preparations for their winter out-of-water lay up.