On the move

Leaving Almerimar

The new season has begun!

Whilst we are in range you can monitor our whereabouts more or less real time using the site called Vessel Finder. For those with a tablet or phone, you should be able to download the app. Just search for Aztec Dream, and if we are in range and our instruments on, you will be able to track us. Very Big Brother!

Our internet dongle won't allow large file uploads so this will be a little out of date. 

We left Almerimar after a final clean, thanks Phill..

Phill helping with the chores

In the good company of Nautilus, with Phill on board, we left Almerimar in a fine mist and headed for a small anchorage just around the corner of Cabo de Gata, south of San Jose.

Lynne bringing up the fenders leaving Almerimar

Captain Phill takes us out

Of course the wind played fickle and we ended up motoring most of the way. 

Phill trying his hand with the new lure, no bites though

Still it was great to be back out on the water in brilliant sunshine and calm seas, with the occasional sighting of a dolphin or two in the distance. Our route took us across Almeria bay, so for the most part we were too far offshore to define buildings and landmarks and it was a little hazy for a while.

Given the benign conditions we opted to motor reasonably close to the headland and took some pictures of the contrasting white limestone encapsulated in the dark volcanic rock. A sight those on land are not privy to.

Cabo de Gata and white limestone folded into the rock

Having gone from almost no wind to a building gale, our well sheltered cove was free from swell and although noisey with the now high winds, proved remarkably comfortable. 

During an attempt to silence a flapping halyard at the mast, Steve noticed the the Mainsail halyard was slack above the clutch on the mast. This was not how it should be at all. What was worrying was that this halyard holds up the mainsail, and it had clearly become detached somehow.

Our options were limited, and having exhausted many scenarios it appeared the best plan was to turn back to Almerimar the next evening and rendezvous with Andy the rigger.

When the time came to leave, just after dusk, it was clear that it was going to be an uncomfortable 8 hour passage with big headsets and strong winds on the nose. It is never easy to turn back, but as it turned out we made a good call.

That night was especially uncomfortable for Phill who had the double whammy of his first night sail, albeit under engine, and the rough seas. It was with relief for Phill when we moored back in the comfort of the marina and he had a chance to get some sleep.

Andy met us soon after we arrived, and after a trip up the mast confirmed the the knot to which the shackle and sail should have been attached to had somehow come undone. It took over two hours to get the halyard moused, and the new knot is now stitched together for extra security. Andy then spent much of that day with us going over the rest of the rigging in fine detail, and it made sense to stay an extra night to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Unexpectedly back in Almerimar

And back off again, cracking sail up to Mazzaron Bay

The onward passages to catch back up with Ian and Stephanie on Nautilus went well without a hitch, and especially enjoyable was the day long one into Mazzaron bay when we tacked well offshore and were rewarded with a wind shift which took us on one long tack into the bay and our welcoming anchorage for the night. 

Courtesy of a wind shift we managed to sail all the way

 We did pop ashore to stretch our legs and made a short hike up to an old lookout post. We rewarded our hard work with a cold drink at a rather trendy beach side bar overlooking Azzy at anchor.

Phill relaxing overlooking Azzy at Anchor

Later that evening the wind picked up, and unbeknownst to us the drop pin must have come out of the drive shaft on our wind generator, leaving the blades to spin at a ferocious speed which completely ruined the plastic gear drive. We spent about an hour in the morning swapping the old drive gear for a new one we had on board, and replaced the drop pin this time using some wire to keep it captive. We will now need to order some more spares to replace the ones we used.

The next morning we upped anchor soon after 4am to head to the Mar Menor and past Cartagena. This is a passage we have made in darkness before, and spectacular to see the tankers at anchor and the lights of the busy commercial port. We even managed to take advantage of a favourable wind in both speed and direction for a while and sailed under main and genoa, keeping a good look out as this is a busy place not only for tankers and passenger ships, but also for a multitude of fishing vessels. By the time we started to approach the headland at Cabo de Palos the wind had died, and once again we were back under engine. We arrived a little early for the two hourly bridge opening into the Mar Menor, but it wasn't too long and we waved farewell for a short time to the Mediterranean sea, and hello to a remarkable salt water lagoon about 12 miles in length and 4 across. We anchored off the beach by Los Narejos and bade farewell to Phill as we dropped him ashore in the rib. It is fair to say he had a taste of life afloat but it is not for him, as indeed it is not always as glamorous as people think. Thank you Phill for making the effort to visit us and share the experiences. It's always great to have you on board, and hope to see you again in Gibraltar.

It is great to be back in the Mar Menor again.

Sunset in the Mar Menor

On the next update we sail with family, fly our cruising chute and asymmetric spinnaker, take the helm of Nautilus with the Parasailor up, get greeted like long lost relatives in a gem of a yacht club, watch Mercedes screw up Lewis Hamilton's dead cert Monaco win, and catch up with old friends. We also go back to Almerimar again, this time a flying visit by car, why...