Yacht Cara Mara 2015: 13th to 20th June Aguilas to Alicante

Leaving Aguilas we spent a night at anchor in a quiet bay before visiting Cartagena, where Biddy joined us for a week. Several people we had met loved Cartagena, which had been an important harbour since being captured and settled by the Carthaginian’s in 223 BC. The Romans and Moor’s made use of the natural harbour, mined lead and other minerals and created elaborate defences and some wonderful buildings. The town remains an important naval and commercial harbour.

Magnificent Roman amphitheatre at Cartagena

The natural harbour has been in use for over 2000 years

The museum of underwater archaeology tells the story of maritime trade in the Mediterranean through discoveries like this Phoenician ship, loaded with lead ingots

Biddy’s arrival signalled a change in the weather, temperatures dropped from the low 30’s to mid 20,s and at last we got some wind and turned off the engine. Our next stop was Mar Menor, an “inland sea”, 6 miles long, and only 6 metres deep, separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow strip of land a few hundred meters metres wide. Heavily developed, this strip does look like Miami but once you are inside Mar Menor is almost deserted and we spent a lovely night at anchor off of a small island. A night at Torrevieja Marina to pick up supplies and then one last night at anchor with Biddy, before we sailed into Alicante marina to say goodbye and meet Mary, Elizabeth and Emma.