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.

Biddy relaxing on deck

Wonderful sunset, anchored off the beach and salt lagoon

We took the tender to the beach for another sighting of flamingos

We just love sailing with our big colourful cruising shute

11th and 12 June, Lorca and Aguilas

Yesterday we took the bus inland to Lorca, a smallish unspectacular town about 45 minute’s drive from the coast. Like many of the towns in the region it has a Moorish fortress which is worth a visit, and a rich history dating back to the Romans, but we were completely astonished when we visited the towns two “Embroidery Museums”. (Stay with me, those of you who are already falling asleep!). In the 17^th Century, two religious societies in the town were granted Papal authority to walk their “Madonna’s” through the town over the Easter weekend. The “White” and “Blue” Societies are still competing to hold the most amazing spectacle today and the stands created along the town’s main streets seat 24,000 people. The religious theme of the pageants has expanded to include a bit of Roman and Egyptian (???), which means there are huge floats, (carried by up the 120 people), exhibitions of horsemanship and four horse chariots are driven through the town at full speed. If its anything like as good as the video it must be amazing! Oh and back to embroidery, everyone who takes part are dressed the most astonishing hand embroidered costumes, some up to 80 years old. The societies still employ people today to keep the skills alive and the costumes coming.

Today has been quite boring by comparison, cleaning and doing jobs like making a boarding ladder to make it easier to get off the back of the boat.

More from the "Blue" exhibition, the hood of the costume represents the church spire.

More from the "Blue" exhibition, the hood of the costume, though rather scary to look at, represents the church spire.

The "white" costumes are supposed to reflect church different architectural styles

The societies have their own churches, each with a huge amount of gold leaf.

In the Mediterranean you have to moor stern or bow to the pontoon. Getting on and off has been a bit of a challenge for Wendy at times. We finally found a hardware shop selling ladders and got a few odd looks carrying our prize back to the boat. It will be OK when it's finished, all we need now is some wood to fill in the gaps.

7th to 10th June San Jose to Aguilas

The ongoing story of our time on the coast of Andalucia has been too much wind (rare), no wind (all too common), wind in the wrong direction (yep thats the rest of the time). With only 11 miles from an overnight anchorage to the port of Garrucha and with a good breeze in the wrong dirrection, we happily spent half a day sailing upwind, it made a change from the many hours of motoring. At least having days with no wind means we have enjoyed a couple of quiet nights at anchor and some lovely swims off the back of the boat.

This hotel, which looks like something from a James Bond film has apparently, like many properties in Spain been the subject of years of appeals in court; it was built without planning permission and now, all legal routes having been exhausted, will be demolished.

The beach at Garrucha, the very pleasant prom, like the beach goes on for miles.

This part of Spain is rich in minerals, lorries run non-stop to the dock at Garrucha to load these ships with what looks like gypsum and chrushed rock. Despite the noise and dust its still a pleasant town.

Wendy after a swim off the back of Cara Mara

Flat calm sunset after another day without wind.