Tuesday 28 July – Tuesday 4 August
On another hot, sunny morning, cabin thermometer reading 32˚C at 1100, we set off for Majorca, soon swapping our faithful Trevver for full main and staysail in a steady Southeasterly F3-4. We added the genoa when it became apparent the wind wasn’t going to build with any afternoon thermal breezes – maybe it’s just too hot to be bothered up there as well. In the first two hours, we’d covered an unremarkable 9 Miles, but by 1600 the sea had lost its earlier lumpiness, and sailing became comfortable.
As Ibiza faded into the haze behind us, by 1800 Majorca was clearly discernible through the haze ahead. The wind died completely, the engine went back on instead of a foresail, and at 1900 sailing was re-established…for all of twenty minutes. We motored through the night, along the North coast of Majorca, at a steady pace, enjoying the canopy of stars and dozing in the cockpit as it was far too hot to sleep below, especially with the engine’s noise and additional heat.
It wasn’t the first night sail in Mediterranean waters during which a few irresponsible folk entertain themselves by singing and carrying on mindless conversations over VHF Channel 16. In the UK the Coastguard would never let this continue, as it clogs the International Distress Channel, but hereabouts it seems to pass unnoticed and unchallenged. By 0330 the moon had set and the sky was very dark, allowing Mate to spot a comet, and the odd shooting star or two.
Watching daybreak behind the Eastern mountains of Majorca was a beautiful sight, followed by a stunning sunrise and by 0800 we were anchored just behind Punta Deyà, below high crags, stubby pine trees and stone-coloured buildings that blend into the hillside. Unfortunately a rolling swell made the spot untenable, and after breakfast we moved along another four Miles to Port Sóller, a sheltered horseshoe bay, where we hoped to find calmer water if a little less cool air. Our passage amounted to 79 Miles over about 22 hours – not earth-shattering but not uncomfortable either, until we first landed anyway.
de Penyafort, Port Sóller
On Friday, the last day of July, we landed the tender on the beach to explore the small town, finding a well-stocked gift shop and an interesting little church as well as provisions and delicious chilled freshly squeezed orange juice – the fruit grown just up the valley near the town of Sóller. We wandered the shoreline right around the bay and marina, glad to have found a free space to anchor rather than struggle to squeeze into a berth there. We enjoyed relaxing and watching the comings and goings of charter and private vessels from the quiet comfort of our cockpit.
On Sunday 2 August we played tourists, and went ashore early to catch the first Victorian tram of the day. This was a pleasant ride up the valley to Sóller, where we transferred onto another Victorian transport, a beautifully-maintained train, that took us into and through the mountain across the island to the main port and capital city of Palma. A pleasant breeze kept us relatively cool as we strolled the narrow cobbled streets, admired the architecture and peeped into courtyards. The city was pleasantly quiet, with few tourists around and most shops closed. Trying to make sense of the fragmented sections of marina, we found an expensive lunch amidst the expensive superyachts, but were disappointed not to be able to visit the interior of the magnificent cathedral.
That night it rained heavily, but dropped red sand all over the boat than washing away much of the salt. We’d intended to leave Sóller to make water at sea, then find a new anchorage, but there is very little shelter among the mountains of the North coast of Majorca, and after fighting a squally, difficult wind and up to two metres of swell, we gave up and went back in, covering 19 Miles in six hours. The anchorage was rolly from the swell outside, but on Tuesday morning space opened up further inshore, and we were able to find somewhere more sheltered, before going ashore once again for provisions in preparation for new horizons on the morrow.