November 29, 2022

Canaries Achieved

Bonus content: Types of Fun

Long story short: we made it to Tenerife, the largest island in the Canary Island archipelago! We anchored shortly after dawn following an epic four-day passage during which we experienced all three types of fun. What are the types of fun, you ask? The fun scale originated in the mountaineering community, but it applies to most outdoor activities. Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it is happening, and it is what we typically refer to as “fun.” Type 2 fun is uncomfortable or even unpleasant while it is happening, but fun in retrospect. Type 3 fun is not fun at all, even afterwards; an activity that was expected to be fun ends up stupid, dangerous, or disastrous in some way. Type 2 fun is arguably the best, as it provides the best memories and certainly the best stories. The key to any activity is to make sure you have the right proportions of fun: maximize Type 1, minimize or eliminate Type 3, and throw in just enough Type 2 to keep things interesting. The only problem is that the types of fun cannot always be accurately predicted and certainly not always planned. Outdoor activities are inherently more unpredictable than those of the indoor variety, and that is particularly true for sailing.

Let me give you some examples from our recently completed passage. We left Gibraltar at zero-dark-thirty and exited the harbor zigging and zagging around tankers both anchored and moving. We then spent the next 10 hours fighting a five-knot current to exit the Straights of Gibraltar and enter the Atlantic Ocean. So far, solid Type 2 fun: difficult, stressful, cold, but very satisfying. The next two days were solid Type 1 fun with excellent downwind sailing conditions heading south along the coast of Morocco. We watched the miles slide by and actually got a little bit overconfident. The weather reports were favorable, and we were flying! That was when Mother Nature smacked us in the mouth with heavy winds and gigantic following seas. Of course, this happened at night. We took down the gennaker and reefed the jib but left the full main up because we were afraid to reduce it since that would have required us to turn the boat around temporarily and plunge headfirst into the massive waves to perform the maneuver (this was a bad decision; we should have just done it, but fatigue leads to bad decision-making). This left the boat overpowered for the conditions, and we suffered through the entire night. The noise of the fiberglass hull repeatedly slamming into wave after wave was deafening and discouraging; why are we doing this? Once dawn finally arose, we felt a boost of encouragement which allowed clearer thinking. As a result, we reefed the main without difficulty and immediately converted the Type 3 fun to Type 1. With the boat finally under control, we had a blast jibing to the finish line. Once again, it pays to have a short memory! Arrival in the Canaries was a huge accomplishment with a short-handed crew, and we will always remember it!

November 24, 2022

In the Shadow of the Rock

Gibraltar is a fascinating place, dominated by the Rock, a massive upwelling of ancient limestone right at the southern tip of Spain. Geographically, Gibraltar is quite small, only 2.6 square miles in area but it is one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Despite its proximity to Spain, Gibraltar is a territory of Great Britain, and following Brexit, you need to cross a formal border for entry and exit.

We toured Gibraltar yesterday, with a local taxi driver as our guide. We learned much about the territory which is steeped in history, primarily military in nature. Gibraltar has been held by the British since the early 1700s, and has played a major role in innumerable military campaigns given its strategic location guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean. Gibraltar continues to play an important role in the world’s maritime industry supporting the refueling of much of the sea-trade passing through the Straits.

The top of the rock is attained via a steep and narrow winding road. A large population of Barbary macaques resides near the top and is the most popular tourist attraction in the territory. The apes were introduced from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and long preceded the arrival of the British. We explored natural caverns which were beautifully lit and wandered through a veritable nest of manmade tunnels which were carved out during wartime for military use. Back at street level, we could have been in London and not known the difference.

After our tour, we returned to Leviathan which is not actually located in Gibraltar proper. We are in the Spanish border town of La Linea and we are literally 100 meters from the border. We have enjoyed shopping and dining in town, and we were surprised to read that La Linea is the “Criminal Capital of Spain” and is also called “Narcoville.” In fact, there is a Netflix series entitled “La Linea, Shadow of Narco.” I won’t try to dispute this, but our experience here has been very positive; the people have been very friendly and we have seen no evidence of gangs or criminal activity.

Tonight, we enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner in La Linea at a tapas bar (not a topless bar). Tapas are Spanish appetizers, and we feasted on 10 different dishes ranging from clams in garlic to pasta with meatballs that were all fantastic.

We have assessed the weather forecast, and we have decided to depart Gibraltar for the Canary Islands tonight at 0230 in order to catch a favorable tide and winds to exit the Straits of Gibraltar. We should make it to Tenerife in about four days.

November 21, 2022

Midnight Run

Scramble to Gibraltar

We left Almeria at midnight after saying goodbye to Vicky and Diane who will be flying out. We will miss them! We will see Diane again in Martinique. We took advantage of a narrow window to race to Gibraltar before the onset of the predicted heavy westerly winds. We expected a 24-hour run, and things were going smoothly until we reached the bay off the coast of Malaga around the halfway point. We came face-to-face with the Terral, a warm, heavy katabatic wind from the northwest that follows the river valley to the sea. We adjusted the sails and blast-reached across the bay. The winds soon normalized and we continued our forward progress.

As the hours ticked by on the voyage, night turned to day and back to night again as we crept closer to Gibraltar. As we admired a beautiful sunset, we were able to make out a block-like point of land in the distance westward. And, remarkably, there seemed to be land vaguely jutting out from the south (understand that in our Mediterranean adventure so far, we have never seen land jutting out from the south). After putting on our thinking caps, we realized that we were seeing the Rock of Gibraltar to the north and the continent of Africa to the south of the setting sun. We were elated by this revelation: our destination is in sight! I will never forget the giddiness I experienced as we approached the Rock, dodging huge tankers (and nearly getting run over by one), rounding the Rock, and entering the Bay of Gibraltar, where we continued to dodge tankers until we reached our anchorage. Once settled and high-fives exchanged, we felt the need for a drink, but we found that we were out of alcohol! So, we went to sleep instead. The next morning, we entered the nearby Alcaidesa Marina, fueled up with diesel, and secured our boat to our slip just as the wicked predicted heavy winds began. We were settled just in the nick of time. Another catamaran then docked next to us, having just arrived in Gibraltar five hours after us. They described a horror show of heavy winds in their approach, which on one occasion spun their 42-foot vessel 360 degrees atop a rogue wave! We are happy to have avoided that!

First things first, we tidied up the boat then took off to find the first available bar for a celebratory drink. Once that mission was complete, we stopped at the local supermarket for provisions and returned to Leviathan with all the major food groups: vegetables, meat, alcohol, and snacks. After another excellent meal prepared by Yong (even the leftovers are spectacular), we collapsed in our bunks. Tomorrow we will try to rent a car and do some sightseeing.

November 19, 2022

Upwind Struggle

Isn't this supposed to be fun?

Sailing is relatively straightforward with only a few simple rules: (1) you can’t sail directly into the wind; (2) if the wind is light, you need more sail area (put up a bigger sail); and (3) if the wind is heavy, you need less sail area (change to smaller sails or reduce the size of a sail by “reefing”). I guess there is one more rule: (4) the weather forecast is always wrong. We were expecting a lively 160-mile upwind sail back to the mainland from Ibiza. Normally this should take about a day. Unfortunately, we were faced with heavy winds right on our nose the whole way with jaw breaking waves which made forward progress excruciating. We finally made it to Cartagena, Spain after two grueling days. Luckily, our intrepid crew all have short memories, and we swiftly changed gears to enjoy the current anchorage. A short dinghy ride to the nearby beach afforded hiking in a national park and beachcombing opportunities. Wine, music, and spaghetti with meatballs further soothed our wounds. We are ready for another challenge!

We next consulted the weather oracle to plan our next steps. Our goal is Gibraltar for Thanksgiving. We need to be in Gibraltar by then in order to take advantage of a “weather window” that will allow us to exit the Mediterranean for the Canary Islands in the Atlantic in the easiest possible fashion. That window opens on the day after Thanksgiving. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it will continue to be difficult upwind sailing to get to Gibraltar in time. No worries! It will be easy! Famous last words.

We left Cartagena for Almeria with beautiful skies and a favorable weather forecast. This quickly transformed into rain, squalls, and sustained 30-knot winds (with gusts to 35). Multiple reefs, sail changes, drenching downpours, wintry temperatures, and a near-disastrous spinnaker takedown contributed to the frivolity. We limped into the anchorage before dawn, capping off a 100-mile day that will be long-remembered. We will recover for a day in Almeria before we attempt our final leg to Gibraltar.

November 13, 2022

Party in Ibiza

The Balearic Islands are a Spanish archipelago in the western Mediterranean. The major islands are named Menorca, Mallorca, and Ibiza. Our destination in the Balearics was Ibiza, the westernmost of the group. Ibiza is famous for being a party island with hordes of hard-drinking and dancing visitors. Apparently, the government doesn’t like this reputation and is actively lobbying to make the island more family-friendly. Kind of like when Las Vegas tried to do the same thing. The reality of Ibiza is that it is another stunningly beautiful jewel in the Mediterranean. We were not in a partying mood, so we anchored in a remote and beautiful cove that could have been an on-location set from a James Bond movie with a castle, a villa with a meticulously groomed property, and water access via brick-enclosed boat garages.

We had some excitement just before we anchored. We caught our first fish, a tuna! It was not very big, probably only eight pounds or so, but we kissed it, cleaned it, and ate it for lunch!

No rest for the weary; we are leaving Ibiza tomorrow for a passage back to the mainland. Our destination is near Cartagena, Spain. We are expecting a difficult upwind passage. Stay tuned.

November 12, 2022

Superyachts and Statues

24 Hours in Barcelona

After a lethargic start, our week of servicing finished with a flurry of activity, and we were able to finally leave LGM on the afternoon of November 10th and head west. After a quick overnight downwind sail, we made it to Barcelona.

Since there weren’t any protected anchorages in the area, we decided to cough up some Euros to spend a night in Marina Vela in the heart of the Ciutat Vella, or “Old City.” The marinas in this part of town were pretty ritzy and Leviathan was dwarfed by endless rows of superyachts. We also spotted the 125-foot racing sloop Skorpios, which has been dubbed the fastest sailing monohull in the world.

A short walk from our slip took us into the Sant Pere neighborhood crowded with shops, restaurants, bars, a pristine train station, and the Barcelona Zoo. Statues and historic sites were embedded throughout. Barcelona is now my favorite city. My previous favorite cities include Washington, D.C., in the 70’s, L.A. in the 80’s, San Francisco in the 90’s, and San Diego most recently. I would love to spend more time here, but we have to get moving. We picked up our next intrepid crew member Vicky (recall that we previously visited Vicky in Biela, Italy) and shoved off for our next destination: Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands.

November 5, 2022

Down Time

The weather has chilled down in LGM, and it suddenly feels like early November with temperatures in the 50s. As mentioned, we are here for post-sale servicing which involves fixing and adjusting anything that is not up to spec and installation of a couple additional items which were backordered previously. It is hard for us to run errands when we are waiting around for subcontractors to show up for repairs. In France, the work day starts late, ends early (“I will be back on Monday, I am going kite-boarding this afternoon”), and the two-hour lunch break is religious. We are a little antsy as the boat handover was already delayed nearly an entire month, and we need to get moving to Gibraltar and then to the Canary Islands to ultimately make landfall in Martinique in the Caribbean by Christmas. Who knew retirement would be so stressful?

Today is Saturday, so no work will be done on the boat. As a result, we are free to do some shopping and a little sightseeing. Bob and Diane are exploring eastward toward Barcelona and will return next week. After a few stops in nearby Montpellier, we journeyed to the harbor town of Sete, about thirty minutes away. Sete is at least a couple thousand years old. The town is located on a large harbor which feeds into multiple canals which connect with a massive lagoon. We parked, wandered around the old part of town, and enjoyed the local specialty, moules mariniere (mussels steamed with garlic and onions). We noted that just like every possible parking spot along the narrow streets was occupied by a vehicle, every square foot of waterfront had a boat tied up to it. We made it back to Leviathan in time for another beautiful sunset.