The excited arrival in Gibraltar was described in a previous post. A sense of a landmark, achieving a first goal, and excitement about the future… The gateway to the big world!
Adding some some pictures of the entrance to Gibraltar:
Adding some some pictures of the entrance to Gibraltar:
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| Gibraltar can be reached comfortably on a huge passenger ship Which even provides an amusement park on the roof |
We arrived at a proper marina which we booked ahead of time, and changed the arrival time about ten times. No one is concerned, because you know it's like that when you're at sea. No determination is final, and yet the experts suggest reserving a place. I don't quite understand what the point is, whatever it may be…
The clerk in the marina office, takes details, fills out forms, all the usual procedures, and then asks: Seven nights ?? And we answer, no, no, two, three max, we will decide later… So probably what for us takes two days to find out, she already knows in advance…
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| Marina under the cliff |
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| Maybe you need to book a place in advance because of the seagulls on the empty piers๐ |
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| It is rare to meet a cat on a boat. It turns out that the guy also knows how to swim |
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| First evening, a sailboat enters the dock at sunset |
We arrived on Thursday, we did not drive the day before to the charming village on the mountain (see previous post) as the forecasts pointed to Saturday morning, as a window of departure from Gibraltar to the Canaries, and one should hurry to get there and get organised. When crossing from Gibraltar to the Canaries, we look for a 5 day window with comfortable winds that will push us with sails from north to south. The further away from the recommended season (June to August) the harder it is to find such a window. That's why we ran the Mediterranean. We left the house on 8/8 and exactly a month later (8/9) we arrived in Gibraltar.
Apart from the direction of the winds and their intensity, when crossing the straits, one must take into account the tidal hours, which directly affect the strength of the current in the strait. If you make a mistake in the calculation, the current combined with high and low tides, could lead to a state of zero progress and maybe even dragging backwards. Udi sits and studies, different sources claim different and sometimes even contradictory calculations. In the end, with the help of Boaz (a full partner to the journey, a telephone friend and a brother...) the right formula is found, which fits some of the sources that Udi has already memorised.
For the benefit of my scientists friends, a graph posted in the sailors' Facebook group:
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Udi devoutly follows the weather forecast, and after 24 hours, the forecast changes, Saturday morning is no longer a good enough option. so what are we doing? Waiting for the next window, which now appears early Thursday morning. And that's the beauty of going out indefinitely. Not late for flight / work and other known restrictions. So spend time in Gibraltar, Esther delivers endless projects, and we enjoy ourselves…
Gibraltar is a strange place. For those unfamiliar, in fact the great cliff, and some more space at its foot, remained under British control, and one can understand why. It is one of the most significant strategic points in the world. Most of the inhabited area, including the marina where we are anchored, belongs to Spain, and the city is called "La Linea", but no one has heard of it, even though it is located in exactly the same place. In the evening, we go out to sample one of the restaurants he clerk at the marina mentioned , an excuse to go out to the "big city". This turns out to be not so nice, later revealed as slums, making no appeal. When you get to the center, it is a little less depressing, some nice squares, lots of cafes and restaurants. It seems that the Spaniards, like the Greeks and Italians, are not giving up on life. In fact, we are like that, the Israelis, as soon as they give us a crack of permission to return to life, we do it big time. The restaurant we arrived at, like the city, was disappointing, but thanks to it we discovered the place really worth it in La Linea, where there was a queue of locals waiting for a table. I, without hesitation, went in to book a table for the next day. There is a waiting list, so we will wait…
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| A good reason to come to Spanish Gibraltar(La Lina) |
The next day we went out to sample the marine shop near the marina. This is our "shopping". We walk around these shops like kids in a toy store. Some things are necessary, some are half necessary, and sometimes just fun. This time we were spoiled with two toys, two folding bikes (we had such in the past, worn out, I dreamed of getting new ones), and two upholstered and portable sea chairs, which make sitting in the cockpit a healthy pleasure. So here's the justification for the spending: bikes for the gym, and chairs for the back ๐
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| Udi modelling the greatness of the new chairs can be sat facing each other filmed on the canary crossing. Udi is not worried, just tired ... more on the crossing in the next post |
In the evening we get a spectacular fireworks show, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, which lasts more than half an hour, without exaggerating (three hour with exaggerating - Udi's joke…). I'm happy, like a little girl, the excitement from fireworks has not diminished over the years… We are surprised, we have no idea what's going on, and it went on and on, until the neighbors from the boat nearby told us they were surprised to discover during the day that it was Gibraltar day! We thought it was a joke, but it turns out that the cliff is celebrating something, because they have no independence. Anyway, with a quick decision, and thanks to the two bikes we purchased today, we jumped into the British part to see how they celebrate, and were not disappointed…
5 minutes bike ride from the marina, a real border crossing, lucky we thought of taking our passports. These are stamped and another 10 minutes of riding brings us to the heart of England. The first thing we saw right after we tied up the bike, is of course an English pub, crowded and happy, drinking dancing and singing, and we join in the celebration. Suddenly I realize that the corona was left outside the pub doors… In the eyes of the corona era, we came to a mass infection lair. I remove the thought at the flick of an English beer, and hope the vaccine does the job…
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| Fireworks through masts |
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| Three dressed in Gibraltar Day colors all locals in red and white |
Giving respect to an 80-year-old boy who is a little drunk
surrounded by supportive young women
The next day we do projects on the boat. Udi spends 8 hours working on learning to weave a loop of rope into itself. After hours of frustration and failed attempts he succeeded!. Now the loop rises to the top of the mast and holds the main sail firmly. Unfortunately there is no picture because I was also very busy ... installing a pump that will collect the water from the two showers and pump it out of the boat. To this day, the water with the dirt has drained freely under the floorboards to the pool at the lowest point, where a pump is installed, which sounds an annoying buzz every time it pumps. The reason is that a leak inside the boat is considered improper, water coming in from the sea or dripping from one of the systems. I learn from a YouTube video about the pump and its installation, some tutorial from Udi, and "I myself" deal with plumbing and electricity until the work is perfect and the pump works! My Independence Day! Now no one hears when I am "stealing water" for a shower ๐ I am very proud…
And so another day passed for us pleasantly and with a sense of satisfaction.
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| One of the dozens of types of tapas ... |
The next day we plan to climb the famous cliff to meet the even more famous monkeys. But rain that keeps pouring for two and a half days keeps us in our little house, for another two days at ease. In the meantime we meet some Israelies , with us on the same pier. Very nice people: Odi (Oded) a veteran sailor, who owned several kinds of unusual boats, each with its own crazy history (a troop carrier he bought from the army, a boat made of concrete and more and more), founder and owner of the fish farms in Eilat, and who directed the establishment of the farms in Mikhmoret, Ashdod, Albania and more. There will be those who will smile to themselves, when I say that it turned out that we studied in those years in the Faculty of Agriculture (there are those who think I make up connections with people). With him Tzafrir, a member of a sailing competition team. The next day another Israeli boat arrives, new and well equipped (we did not see it but heared) with two, the owner Adoram (yes, as you heard) and with him Dan Torten. There is a chance that the old ones among you will remember the name: He and his brother, our representatives on sailing in the Seoul Olympics, were within touching distance of an Olympic medal, when they were returned to Israel under pressure from the ultra-Orthodox parties, as they competed in the semifinals on Yom Kippur. And so world fame passed. But the guy did not stop: he finished medicine studies before his army service, then decided he wanted to be a pilot, and completed a glorious career in the Air Force as commander of the Hazor base. In the evening we took everyone out to our in-house restaurant, and the conversation of course blossomed. Udi and Dan have quite a few acquaintances and stories in common, as the Israeli Air Force is not a big one.
The foggy day, ahead of tomorrow's departure, allows for a tour of a marine "toy store" on the British side (more professional and less indulgent), on the way encountering another of Gibraltar's wonders: because it is so small, Gibraltars' airport runway is crossed by the main road leading from the Spanish part to the colony . In this lane, cars traverse in considerable traffic, because every time a plane takes off, the road is blocked for long minutes. An unusual experience to see a plane take off within touching distance.
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| Crossing the runway |
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| Waiting for the plane to take off |
And some of the sights of the British part:
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We have arrived to England!
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The three Israeli boats plan to cross to the Canaries (otherwise they would not have reached this point), and we all come to the same conclusion, that early morning on Thursday is a good time for crossing the Gibraltar straights. A good time in terms of current, and the forecasts are consistent and predict a perfect wind for five days.
In the end we did not climbed up the cliff (rain and poor visibility) and also - we did not see the Gibraltar monkeys. The friends who visited them reported a dubious experience that I was happy to save myself. No more monkeys in the wild, but those accustomed to human presence, aggressive and spoiled. As in all kinds of areas in nature, that man manages to poop. And so we became the only tourists who came and did not go to the cliff top, and the truth is, I do not think I will return here in retirement B.
On the other hand, I took advantage of the breaks in the rain to get guidance on SAP from the experts, and free access to use it whenever I want :-)
Last night, right, we go out to the Tapas place, raise a glass and wish for a pleasant crossing and "fare winds", the usual blessing of sailors on going out to sea.
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| On the right is Odi (owner of the Northstar sailboat) and on the left is Tzafrir |
We are excited!!
Since I uploaded this post, you can guess that we arrived safely to the Canary Islands.
I add a picture ahead of the next post showing the baptism in the ocean, five days, two in one boat crossing to the Canary Islands.
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Veronica, Adorams' sailing boat, at sunrise in the Strait
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