Thru Gibraltar and into the Med !

Lagos Portugal

After 5,500 miles of cruising, it was comforting to be safely tied up to a calm dock for the winter. Lagos Marina is on the east side of the Bensafrim River in southern Portugal. Surrounded by condos and restaurants, it reminded me of being in a yacht resort.

Lagos Marina

Directly across the river is old Lagos, a Portugese port since Roman times. It is the closest harbor to Cabo de Sao Vicente, which is at the tip of the SW corner of Portugal on the Iberian peninsula. From there, the Portugese coast turns due north up toward the Bay of Biscay.

Before Vasco da Gama, Columbus and the other brave seafaring explorers, this marked the land's end and the start of the endless Atlantic Ocean and the edge of the known world.

River entrance to Lagos

Every town needed an old fortress and wall

Tiled walks

And tiled buildings

An old fishing harbor

And storks

This part of Portugal is home to many storks. I counted over 25 nests on various roof tops and chimneys from the boat. Portugal is also famous for it's cork. A cork tree is not very tall, but the trunk is a foot or more in diameter. It is shaved every 12 years and the cork bark is used for clothes, flooring and wine bottles.

Holidays back in the US

Palm trees in Los Angeles, not cork trees!

With the boat secure in Portugal, I returned to Los Angeles and spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family. It was warm and fuzzy to be on holiday and to be with my friends and kin. I do miss you all when away on the boat! 

For the 2 months I was in California, my friends Hans and Rosemarie from Goteborg, Sweden stayed on the boat... dodging the snow and cold of the Baltic winter. We swapped free rent and warm weather, for a wax and polish of No Regrets!

Golf on the Algarve? 

In February, my son Drake brought his clubs to Lagos for 2 weeks of golf on the Algarve Coast. This part of the Portugal is known for it's warm dry weather and the many golf courses. But bad weather luck made this winter the worst in 20 years, with rain seemingly every day and cold temperatures. 

After 2 days, Drake said, "Let's get out of here and go where the weather fits our clothes!"

So after researching the possible golfing alternatives, Jamaica looked to be the best solution. So we found air flights from Lisbon, Portugal to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and off we went!

From ski caps...

To golf hats!

From 55 degrees, to 85 degrees :))

What a fun time in Jamaica. Golf, swimming, naps on the beach, rum punches, red stripe beers, meat pies and warm sunny days. Thank you Drake for kidnapping me for such an unexpected and great holiday... 

Ya Mon!!!

On to Gibraltar

Returning to Lagos, it was time to get the boat ready to move again.

Hauled to anti-foul the bottom

Here is what a stabilizer fin looks like... A great "bit o kit"

After waiting around for winter to pass, now I was itching to get moving again. 

On April Fool's Day, David Wood joined me from Ramsgate, England, and we cast off east toward the Mediterranean Sea.

Care for a Cuppa?

Russian training ship outside the harbor of Rota, Spain

Getting ready to set sails on the yard arms

                                               Street Music in Cadiz, Spain

Gibraltar 

The Rock of Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a tiny self ruled British Colony and Sovereign territory with a population of some 30,000. It is not a part of the European Union, nor Schengen. Gibraltar has a large port, and is a great place to take on fuel, as there is no VAT Tax. 

The distance across to Morocco, Africa is about 10 miles. This was geographically very important during the days of cannon warfare, because the Rock could defend itself and the Straight of Gibraltar against ships entering or leaving the Mediterranean Sea.

The British gained possession of the Rock from Spain 300 years ago with the Treaty of Utrecht. Although Spain still wants it back, Gibraltar will remain British as long as the residents want it to be. Their last vote was 98% to remain.

There is about a knot and a half of current in the Straight of Gibraltar flowing in from the west and the Atlantic Ocean. This new water is needed every day to replace that which evaporates from the enclosed Mediterranean Sea.

The upper Rock is home to monkeys - actually Barbary Macaques. They were made famous by Winston Churchill's remark that "Gibraltar would cease to be British if the monkeys ever disappeared".

2 Barbary apes

The monkey population is stable, and Gibraltar is British

Guarding the Straight of Gibraltar, with Morocco, Africa in the background

The entry road crosses the airport runway, which also separates Spain from Gibraltar

Gibraltar is in the foreground... Spain is just beyond

There are over 40 miles of tunnels inside the Rock of Gibraltar. These were hewn out by the military or existed as natural caves.

They now hold concerts inside the caves inside the Rock

Mooring in the Med

Most of the marina docks in Europe, outside of the Med, consist of side-to floats or stone cays. These are easy and straight-forward with bumpers and dock lines needed on one side only, with an side gate, step off access.

Inside the Mediterranean, a Med Moor is common. This allows for more boats in a harbor, and is made possible because there is less than a meter of tide throughout this inland Sea.

To Med Moor, one needs to back up to the dock to attach the stern lines, then an underwater line with one end attached to the dock and the other to an underwater concrete block is pulled up to the bow on each side. When pulled taunt, this mooring line will hold the bow and boat stationary. Since this line is underwater when not being used, it is slimy, often with barnacles and other growth attached to it. Gloves are recommended to handle this line, which is appropriately nicknamed the "Slime Line".

With the stern secured to the dock and the bow held away from it by the slime lines, this Med Moor is akin to a man being stretched spread eagle, tied in 4 directions from his hands and feet. The boat rides stable like this, and the mooring itself is actually fairly easy to do with a little experience and improved backing up skills.

Getting ready ready to dive to clear the slime line that I wrapped around a prop :((

Variations of this technique are in Greece, where a bow anchor is used forward instead of existing slime lines, or in Sweden, where the stern anchor is dropped while motoring forward to tie the bow to the rocks or cay. Swedish boats have a ladder on the bow pulpit for access.

By adjusting the tension on the stern lines, the transom is held steady about 4 feet from the dock. A Passarell, or gangplank, spans that distance for going ashore. 

While some yachts have elaborite hydraulic systems, 

On No Regrets, our Passarell attaches to the stern rail on a swivel

Costa del Sol & Costa Blanca

Leaving Gibraltar, we cruised east into the Med passing along the Costa del Sol. Towns included Marbella, Malaga and Almeria. We stayed in the harbors of Benalmadena and Almerimar.

I like Spain. It is very chill and the people here are relaxed, without aggressive or bad agendas. The weather is sunny and warm. The food and tapas are tasty, and the prices are inexpensive.

From there, the Spanish coast turns north east and becomes the Costa Blanca, or White Coast. Cartagena is located here, and is super little Spanish port and town. It is the winter home for many cruising boats.

Cartagena buildings with

Exuberant Architecture

A Defensive Fort in Alicante

With great views over the harbor

Calpe Harbor with the Pinon de Ifach beyond

The Ballerca Islands

From Calpe, we sailed 75 miles offshore to Formentera, a small hippie-like island and the beginning of the Ballerca Islands. These Spanish islands are in the middle of the Med and include Mallorca and Minorca. 

Anchored out in Formentera

After several days, we cruised north to Ibiza, the next Island in this chain.

I liked Ibiza a lot more than I feared. It has a reputation for being expensive, loud and full of all night partying tourists. While that part was true, it also enjoyed charm, history and beauty not to be missed. 

Ibiza Town Harbor

With Medieval fortifications

And homes without a view?

David and I sailed on to San Antonio, a mid-sized town on the west coast of Ibiza Island. We said our goodbyes, and No Regrets welcomed aboard her new crew, two rookie ladies from LA.

But that is a story for the next episode.

Life is good!

Serendipity... Or How I Got My Life Back!

Schengen

Here I am in Ramsgate, England, licking my wounds!

I have been kicked out of Europe with a 2 year BAN for overstaying the 90 day Schengen Visa rules. My plans to winter in warm Lagos, Portugal for 4 months, with visits there from my son Drake and cousin Carina are scuttled. 

What a disastrous change of plans, with no control of the situation. And with the indignity of the Danish Immigration Police and Dutch Coast Guard stalking us across the German Bight in the North Sea, and back across the English Channel, all the way to the UK.

What a frustrating and embarrassing circumstance! This is almost as bad as watching Trump's daily assaults on my intelligence, values and civil rights!

Fuck the Danes... And Trump!

Even the British are getting tighter on Border Control!

2 depressing weeks passed in Ramsgate while I sorted out my options. The only bright spot was a train visit to London to see my son Drake.

Drake, Sean Steigemeier and Robert George between filming with Ewan McGregor

Options

1. Appeal the BAN

I talked with an Immigration attorney in Copenhagen about an appeal, but after reviewing my case, she could find no reason for an appeal. She also said that a 2 year BAN was the minimum sentence. "Find some non-European country to spend the next 2 years", was her coaching.

2. Go to Spain or Portugal? 

The Danes said that if I touched ashore anywhere in Schengen Europe, I would be put in Jail for 2 years. This includes Spain and Portugal. Serving out a 24 month sentence anywhere on No Regrets is a lot better than being behind bars!

After Jail... No Regrets!

3. Stay in England

I have 6 months available to stay in the UK, which is not a part of Schengen. But then I would need to get out of England for 6 months before I could come back here. There is no way I want to spend another winter in this cold, dark, gloomy and wet country. 

Ramsgate is only 25+ miles from France across the English Channel, and they have a saying, "If you can see France, it's going to rain! And if you can't see France, it's raining!" 

4. Sail across the Atlantic to the Caribbean? 

The Caribbean is 4,500 miles away, and I would need to re-fuel in the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands, both technically a part of Spain. And much of the Northern Caribbean has just been wiped out by the hurricanes. 

To miss out on cruising in the Mediterranean Sea? That would definitely be a Regret!

And I would need a water maker!

5. Find some non-Schengen countries in the Med for 2 years? 

I can sail to Gibraltar (not a Schengen country), then in February, after my yearly visit to Los Angeles for Thanksgiving and Christmas, travel east into the Med via Morocco and Tunisia in North Africa. Algeria and Lybia are not safe countries, but Tunisia has a very good reputation for solid cruising waters, and they welcome voyagers. I could then cross over to Croatia, without touching down in Italy or Malta. Overall, this is a 1,500 mile voyage, with two 550 mile passages. 

Croatia enjoys some of the best islands and cruising in the Med, and I had planned on staying there for a year+ anyway. Croatia is a member of the EU Community, but it hasn't been accepted yet into Schengen. The plan would be to stay in Croatia for 90 days, then go to Montenegro for 90 days, then back to Croatia, etc.

This 90 day rinse and repeat cycle would work fine until Croatia becomes a part of Schengen (Sometime in late 2018 or 2019?), then it too would be off limits as a part of the banned countries... This is a gamble, but it is a possibility!

At least I wouldn't have the regret of missing out on the Med!

And I would need a water maker!

This is my best option and choice!

Water Maker


Clearly, we need a water maker, if only to expand the options. Potable water has been readily available and drinkable in every country visited so far, but we would need more than a week's supply (300 gallons), to cross the Atlantic. And the water quality and supply in North Africa is dodgy at best.

So after pricing out the equipment, we are off to Lymington, a city on the Solent, in southern England. $12,000 will solve this problem!

Ralph Fiennes installs the water maker under David Wood's supervision

Now ready to make fresh water!

This machinery uses reverse osmosis to push salty sea water, under high pressure, through a series of filters and screens that trap the impurities and salts and leaves them behind. 40 gallons per hour of pure fresh water go into the tanks, while the filtered out brine is flushed overboard.

We now have the freedom to anchor out for weeks at a time, sail across the Atlantic, and venture into 3rd or 4th world countries and harbors.

Hanging out in Cowes

Beachy Head on the way to Lymington

Having several weeks to kill in England before David is finished with his To Dos and Chris joins us from Ojai, California, I ponder where to hang out in the Solent. I've been to the Hamble River, Portsmouth, Southampton, Lymington and Yarmouth, but my favorite English harbor by far is Cowes, on the Island of Wight!

Cowes is the Sandhamn of England, just as Sandhamn is the Cowes of Sweden!

Royal Yacht Squadron

The Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes is the oldest Yacht Club in the world. It sponsored the initial 100 Guinea Race around the Island of Wight, which was won by the schooner America. This was the beginning of the America's Cup. Now, the Fasnet Race starts from here each year, and Cowes Week is a world renown sailing regatta!

No Regrets, when it was named Farragon, was the flagship of the Commodore of the RYS. So we are actually returning to her previous home.

Cowes Guest Harbor

From our slip in the harbor, every day I watched ferries, tankers, world cruisers, wooden ships, sailing students and racing sail boats come and go by.


Cowes reminded me of when in college, I raced Flying Dutchmen, an Olympic class sailboat, in Annapolis, Maryland. Both sailing towns were foreign, authentic, fascinating, charming and brimming over with marine history.

The Fast 40+ one design sailboat

For an entire week, a fleet of Fast 40+s, 12 boats strong, went to the starting line each day. These are very high tech, carbon fiber, 40 foot lightweight boats with a coffee grinder winch and a crew of 12. They would race all day, and return in the late afternoon to fold sails, have crew meetings, tune the rig and prepare for the next day's competition. I watched several races from start and finish right there from No Regret's docked comfort. Where else in the world could one do that?   What fun!!!

 Just a 100 meters walk from the slip, and one is in the center of Cowes

A most cozy yachting town!

The Isle of Wight Music Festival is only minutes away from Cowes

In 1970, this was the 3rd Music Festival after Woodstock

And was the largest ever at 600,000 people

Smaller than the Festival, nightly music is in a pub

Yarmouth is only a short bus ride away

Channel Islands

David Wood and new friend John Jameson finally joined me in Cowes, and we prepared to cross the English Channel to Aldernary and then on to Guernsey. Chris Bea will fly in and join us there in a few days. It will take the 4 of us to sail the 1,050 miles in 5 days and 5 nights non-stop to Gibraltar.

Approaching Aldernary, the chart plotter shows a picket fence of traffic in the shipping lane

In the "Race of Aldernary", the SOG (Speed over Ground) on the left at 12.8 knots,

illustrates the 4 knots of tidal current pushing us over our 8.9 knots thru the water

Safely docked in St Peter Port, the Capital of Guernsey

Besides not being a part of the European Union or Schengen, another compelling reason for us to visit Guernsey is a refund of the 3,000 pounds of VAT taxes paid for the water maker and other gear. And we can fill up with VAT free fuel. The 1,000 gallons of diesel only cost about 2,000 pounds here, and will take us all the way to Gibraltar!

Filling up with diesel from a tanker truck

3 amigos exploring the island by bus

Yes, these are genuine Guernsey cows!

The Guiness World Record holder for the closest pub to a church, at 3 feet

At low tide, a boat can't get out of the harbor until at least 2 meters of water cover this sill

The sill at low tide. The tide this day was over 9 meters, or 28 vertical feet!

Chris Bea arrives from Los Angeles, via Nova Scotia, Boston, Ireland, and London

Ready to Sail... And THEN

No Regrets is ready for the voyage. We have changed the engines' oil and filters, added a water maker, hauled the boat up and cleaned the bottom, repaired the awnings, scrubbed and cleaned the teak, filled the fuel tanks and have assembled a solid 4 man crew.

Weather is now our biggest challenge. I've been watching the forecasts for over 2 months, and picking the right weather window to cross the Bay of Biscay is vital. The forecasts predict that if we wait for 3 more days, then we will be good to go with winds of only 20 knots behind us, and seas of only 3 meters on our starboard beam. Our patience hopefully will be rewarded!

On day #2 of our wait, my Traveling Mailbox in Seattle, Washington received this letter:

The Danish Appeal Board just reversed my 2 year BAN !!!

 What just happened? Who made the Appeal? (It must have been Hans!) Am I a Free Man?

This means that we can now sail to Spain instead of Gibraltar! We can now winter in Portugal as originally planned? This means I can now cruise anywhere in the Med?

We are pinching ourselves... This is surreal !

Instead of a 1,050 mile, 5 day and 5 night voyage to Gibraltar bypassing Spain, Portugal and the Iberian Pennusala, the distance is now cut in half to 540 miles for the initial leg. And we can landfall at A Coruna, Spain, where we can rest after that 3 day and 2 night sail.

What Serendipity!  What a miracle!  What a life changing event!  

I have my life back!!!

Crossing the Biscay

It is 390 miles across the Bay of Biscay, with no place to stop. Timing the weather is critical.

For the past week, the winds in the Biscay have been 30+ knots from the NW, on the beam. Even more important than the wind however, are the waves that are generated from the wind. These have been running 5 to 6 meters high, also against the beam. A wall of water 18 feet high every 12 seconds is formidable!

If we are patient for 2 more days, the winds should decrease to only 18 knots and will be gradually moving aft. The waves are predicted to decrease to only 3 meters high. This we can easily handle!

Navigation, weather and passage planning are very challenging, fun and satisfying! This is exactly what I signed up for!

On Thursday, we had to wait until 10:00 am before the tide flooded in enough to cover the sill by 2 meters so that we could pass over it. This timing should put us into Spain just before dark in 54 hours if we average 10 knots over the bottom.

While we always begin and end a transit from the flybridge,

The pilothouse is where we mostly steer, navigate and keep a lookout!

The pilothouse is a very comfortable place to eat, hang out and make a passage

At night, we use the red lights so that our pupils are not affected for night vision

8 hours on watch, then 4 hours off allow for plenty of time to rest

The weather across the Biscay was exactly as forecasted. The waves were 10 to 12 feet high and the wind was 20 knots, both amidship on the starboard beam. The seas came directly from the Atlantic, without any land getting in the way. The waves had a long, high and steady rhythm. Our hydraulic stabilizers kept the boat flat and comfortable, while the extended keel and "Otto", the auto pilot, kept her tracking straight and true and on course.

The beauty of being alone on the ocean with no land in sight!

Passage Making is what the Fleming 55 was designed to do. The pilot house separates those who are steering and navigating, from those who are cooking or resting. The galley is large and sports a full sized refrigerator, freezer and a dishwasher. Yet it is also small enough for the cook to brace against the motion of the sea, and not get tossed about.

No Regrets is very safe and comfortable. She is a Go Anywhere Boat!

The Iberian Peninsula 

Fortifications that protect the harbor in A Coruna, Spain

4 pirates celebrate the safe passage!

Spain is chill and very relaxed

Rounding Cape Finisterra, the end of the known world to the Romans 

Anchoring in the lee of the Cape

Jules Verne watched over us in Vigo

We dodged thousands of crab pots, some in water as deep as 400 meters!

Reflections from the sun... Not pots!

Porto, Portugal

Approaching the magical City of Porto

Very steep, very colorful, very special

On the way to wash the clothes 

The Laundry

 A communal clothes lines. What century are we in?

Ceramic tile is the facade material of choice

Tile inside the train station

Tile decorating the churches

Is this a Jesus kite, or a Prophet puppet?

Ceramic tile is everywhere in Porto!

Glorious Architecture, 

Elegant  churches,

And a medieval land plan!

With fun and whimsy!

Porto was never defeated nor captured by the Spanish or the Moors

Prince Henry, the Navigator, orchestrated Portugal's explorations from Lisbon

On a scale of 1 to 10, Lisbon is only an 8, while Porto is a 12 !

The End of a Voyage

We are now a very tight and efficient crew and ship. It was a luxury to have 4 of us to stand watches, and we were all thankful to be able to explore the coast of Spain and Portugal, instead of doing a death march sail to Gibraltar.

Thank God that I got the letter from the Appeal Board before we sailed from Guernsey... 2 days later, and we would have missed these marvelous sights and experiences!

John left the boat from Vigo, and Chris flew home from Lisbon. David and I sailed on to Lagos... No Regrets' new winter home.

Cabo de Sao Vicente, where Portugal turns east and the Algarve begins!

We arrive in Lagos, Portugal

What a huge difference it makes to have the Schengen BAN overturned!

We are now in Lagos, instead of Gibraltar! 

Instead of flying back to LA from Gibraltar with my tail between my legs, I can now return home with my head held high!

And Lagos is a really good place to spend the winter! And what a stupid nice place to come back to in January!

Only a dingy ride away...

Thank you lucky stars! Thank you Appeals Board!

I am now flying back to Los Angeles, California, for 2 months to be with my family and friends for Thanksgiving and the Holidays... So warm and fuzzy :))

I have a lot to be Thankful for!!!

Serendipity... Or How I Got my Life Back !!!

(This chapter was a lot more fun to write than the last blog!)