Aug. 27, 2007 - What, you're still in Cadiz??
10th August
So what’s been happening this past while? Well, finally left Cadiz (but not for too long, going back before long). Went down coast to little place called Sancti Petri and spent night on a buoy in the river. Pretty little place, not much there. A load of boats, couple of bars and ruins of a deserted village. From there down a bit more and into Barbaty, smallish Spanish town with the usual perfect beach and seafood restaurants. And across the Straits we go to Morocco. Pretty windy but I decide to go for it anyway, after a stressy little while clearing tunny nets in what must have been a good F7 I get out into the straits, showing constant 30Kn plus on the little hand held wind meter I’ve got so must have been gusting 8 at times. Seas not huge but short and steep, 2 reefs in main with jib furled and staysail up, really must get that 3rd reef line in permanently, that was not the place to be fiddling about with bits of string on deck so a bit over canvassed. . But boat handling it all very well, fair bit of water over the deck and a few drenchings in the cockpit, one way give your boat a good wash I suppose. Once in the lee of morocco the seas went right down and the wind eased a bit, good 6 I suppose and we flew along down the coast. Rapido!!! Thought about going to Tanger but that would have meant closed hauled into the straits, no thanks! Asilah it is. No marina here, you tie up along with the fishing boats. Very friendly and helpful, I was given fresh fish every morning and countless cups of mint tea. Don’t think there are many yachts come through here and they seemed quietly impressed that I was single handing. What it does entail though is a bit of juggling every time a fishing boat comes in or leaves, not a place to be if you are overly precious about your boat. Got a few scratches but could be worse. What good timing, cultural festival started the day I arrived, lots of art and music around.
Some really dodgy mobile phone video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFVNoxWpxPM
And very few hustlers, nothing like Tanger. Think I only got approached once and even that was a half hearted attempt.
Kids fishing across the harbour in Asilah
Oh, watch me paint....
More mint tea anyone? My neighbors and purveyors of fine anchovies to any yachts nearby.
Just another street in Asilah
now, where's that shower block?
A typical day sailing. 7/8/07.
Wake about 6ish Moroccan time (2 hours behind Spain), usual early morning rush hour in the harbour. My friends from the bigger fishing boat (about 50’) which goes out each night have returned and are now getting into the raft inside of another 2 boats and me. Lots of waves and Ola’s but first I really must get out of the way a bit, my anchor isn’t really designed to fend off so many tonnes of timber fishing boat. So release a spring line a get Conachair back out of the way a bit. More lines are released and without too much trouble a raft of maybe 100 tons of boats is moved to let the night birds in. Before leaving I need to retrieve boat papers from customs office on the quay, several cups of mint tea later the office opens and papers retrieved, off I go. Happy smiles, Adios, Au revoir and waves see me off. Little swell coming in from the west but high water so no probs getting out between the quite narrow breakwaters, motor for maybe ¼ mile then get a bit of jib up in the southerly breeze and turn engine off, I’ll get off shore a bit and tidy the boat a little before getting the main up. Mile or so out I pass a little open boat with 3 Moroccans fishing. They recognise me, wave and shout. “Adios senor”. One of them points north and to his chest “Contigo, contigo!” I go with you! Sorry mate, can’t help you there. To far away to see his face but I know he’s laughing.
So am I.
Adios beautiful Asilah.
But now time to sail. A handful of clicks on the windvane gets the bow closer to the wind, main up and sheeted in, then clicks back again on the windvane control and she bears away slowly but deliberately in perfect control until the winds just off the port quarter. All without a hand touching the tiller. Beautiful. I adjust the sheets a little and watch the log as she settles into the days work. 4.5kn, 5kn, 5 1/2, 6, 6 1/2kn and settles between 6 and 7 knots. All in a lovely top end of a force 3 breeze. Beautiful. A short silent thank you is given to the gods of the winds. Course is a little too much east than I would like but that’s OK. Straight downwind in these light airs doesn’t really work so it’s better to keep the wind on the port quarter, jib slats now and again in the swell but nothing major. In the slight swell from the southerly wind there’s another swell coming in from the west so hopefully when I clear the northwest corner of Morocco the wind will get a bit more west in it. And sure enough, a few hours later I’m into the straits and the wind does veer just enough to steer for Barbaty. Was going to go to Tanger but only about 5 mile further to Spain (Morocco has recently declared an area prohibited to navigation around nw coast so would have to go out 5 miles then back in again). So across the shipping lanes again. Not as bad as going across channel to France but keeps you on your toes nevertheless. Wind dies slowly and eventually I give up and turn the engine on about 5 miles from Barbaty. Into same berth as a few days ago and thus ends another lovely days sailing.
27th August 2007
Well, Asilah seems an age ago now, will I ever leave Cadiz I wonder? Just too many excuses to stay a few more days. Some valid, new rigging arriving this week, leaky windows to fix etc etc. Next leg probably to Canaries so better get the boat watertight for that. And it’s just so easy to be in Cadiz. Fantastic food, met a load of new friends, both UK and Spanish. Music everywhere, final of Flamenco dance competition last night (thanks for ticket Nellie!!) . Amazing.
More ropey mobile phone footage. (Geedit? Footage? Ooooowwww)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I81FmWu163s
And last week a band not to miss if you ever see them advertised, Ojos De Brujo (lit. eyes of the wizard). Flamenco fusion and such a powerful sound. Most highly recommended.
Dodgy vid here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7gIC8PrFE
All in open air venues with the moon and the stars overhead.
So at least another week or so here then must get south before the weather starts to get a bit less predictable. But for now, I sit in a tree lined square sipping a cerveca and making use of Cadiz’s free wifi. Things really could be a whole lot worse.
Adios Amigos
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