Do We Feel Old?

Boppin’ on Ibiza 

Keep the Crew Happy, OK.....

Two issues arose from our planned voyage to the Balearics.  Firstly, it was a 72 nautical mile journey lacking in coastal scenery – blue water and wide sky for at least 14 hours.  The other concern lay squarely with the somewhat late, rather too much, terribly more-ish tapas served to us at Club Nautico’s café the night before.  And did we mention the large glasses of house wine at €1.50 each?  Well, visions of sea urchins chased by baby octopus danced before (some of) the crew’s eyes.  They shall remain nameless.  However, let it be said that solace was not sought in a bucket at any stage of the trip…. And we made it to the island of Formentera in a speedy 10 hours to settle into a pleasant anchorage surrounded by at least 40 or so of our boating compatriots.  

Here at Espalmador we stayed – the second night on a mooring so as not to disturb the native seagrass with our anchor.  Oh, we know ALL about sea grass….  

Spying on bathing beauties in Cala Porroig

From Espalmador, we moved on, via Cala Porroig where we actually got our bathers wet for the first time this season, to the interesting Puerto San Antoni.  Despite imagining there would be little room to anchor, we found a decent spot backing on to a complex of resorts, full of noisy bars and alive with water craft of every imaginable persuasion.  Oh well, Lonely Planet did warn us of San An’s darker side. 

The town is full of young people.  We felt decrepit and certainly overdressed.  Nobody laughed when the Cap’n asked if there were any bars or nightclubs available for the over 60’s.  Hmmm, our generation gap is showing.  The town is full of young people (mostly Poms) on package tours.  Groups of sweet young things in bikinis, young men with oiled pecks admiring the “scenery”, rappers with hairstyles I bet their mothers don’t know about.  And there’s plenty more.  Raves or dance clubs pump up the music at 10pm; skinny blonde disco chicks parade in “costumes tres original” along beachfront promenades to advertise them.  We haven’t had so much fun since Provincetown days.

Eivissa's defensive walls

We did manage to tear ourselves away however, for a 15 minute bus ride to Eivissa, the island’s capital.  Here the cruise ships set a more upmarket tone, with our crumpled cruising gear getting a few curious glances.  Eivissa, non-the-less offers an interesting selection for people-watching purposes.  Still duty called and we headed off to find the two recommended attractions – the old town, Dalt Vila, and its amazing fortifications and necropolis, Puig des Molins, an ancient burial site dating from Phoenician times (7^th c BC).  Sadly, Spanish time had defeated us and the necropolis closed at 2 for lunch; re-opening at 6pm.  We caught the bus back to San An, ordered a beer at the nearest bar and watched the free entertainment.  Eventually, the old boys’ eyes could no longer cope, but that’s another story.

From:  Altea, Spain Lat/Long: 38:35.313N 0:03.297E  Date/Time: 25/06/13: 1010

To: San Antonio, Ibiza Lat/Long: 38:58.264N 01:18.016E Date/Time: 28/06/13: 1400
Time Taken: 98nm (15hrs) Distance (this year): 651.5nm (103hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 11476.5nm   Weather: NE generally 6-10kts; calm & flat;
Fastest Speed: Had a decent sail to Espalmador, Formentera (at last!) 7kts