Costa Brava this August

Hurricane

Hurricane

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Many on here will know that we tried the Costa Brave this summer.
More specifically, we based ourselves in Roses.
It was a bit on an "eye opener" really.
The people were nice but there were loads of them.

Thankfully, DavidJ and our marina manager talked me out of berthing in Empuriabrava and suggested that we should use Roses instead.
That was good advice.
I believe that there are some 2000 boats based in Empuriabrava.
And from about 11:00 in the morning, they all seem to head for the sea.
The result is an uncomfortable man made swell.

So, after some careful planning and a recce in the dinghy, we selected a small bay on the Cap de Creus.
The idea was to leave the marina in Roses at 07:00 and beat the rush.
By tying ck to the rocks, we should be able to "bag" a spot.

The plan was a success.
We had intended to return to the marina at about midday but the swell didn't develop so we stayed much longer.

Anyway, here's a video with some drone footage that I've put together.
I hope you enjoy it.
I just wish we could do this kind of thing every day - this one took a lot of planning.



and here is a link to a full screen version of the clip
https://www.youtube.com/embed/7coisTW-9ks

Hopefully the audio track won't get it blocked.
 
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Excellent video. What day was that taken? Looking at the calm water at the Cap de Creus I am guessing it was Sunday! I was about 5 miles from you just off the Illa de Callaro fishing for tuna. It was a real scorcher of a day with no wind and a glassy sea. We were taking part in a tuna tagging exercise for the WWF to try and establish the migratory habits of the Atlantic blue fin tuna.
 
Hurricane said:
By tying ck to the rocks, we should be able to "bag" a spot.

The plan was a success.
.
Click to expand...

Mike, why did you tie to the rock? Is it not the case that once you have bagged your spot you are at the top of the anchoring pecking order anyway?
 
mikemcgregor said:
Excellent video. What day was that taken? Looking at the calm water at the Cap de Creus I am guessing it was Sunday! I was about 5 miles from you just off the Illa de Callaro fishing for tuna. It was a real scorcher of a day with no wind and a glassy sea. We were taking part in a tuna tagging exercise for the WWF to try and establish the migratory habits of the Atlantic blue fin tuna.
Click to expand...

From memory - it was Friday 18th Aug - I think.
So it probably wasn't the same day.
 
PEJ said:
Mike, why did you tie to the rock? Is it not the case that once you have bagged your spot you are at the top of the anchoring pecking order anyway?
Click to expand...

PEJ
You are correct - the norm (especially in Mallorca) is to just anchor.
Usually you do what everyone else does.
So, if you arrive in an anchorage and everyone is just anchoring, you really have to do the same.
Once, we did manage to set a kedge anchor in Cala Portals (Vells) - Palma Bay but that was late when all the Palma boats had gone home.

IMO, setting a kedge or tying back is preferable (especially if you can set the bows into any swell) but you can't do it if there are lots of other boats not tying/kedging back.

In this case, we were the first there and the and that particular anchorage, people tend to tie back anyway.

Of course, once set up, we had also "bagged" the space behind JW.
At the time, I did think of letting some more chain out and winding the stern line in a bit but it was all working well so I left it alone.
(There was plenty of depth - note the drone footage - I fitted a polarising filter so you can clearly see where the rocks are)
(From our recce in the dinghy, we noted that it was about 3m deep right up to the cliff edge.)
 
Deleted User said:
Yup I wondered the same. Extreme anchoring rivalry with MYAG;)
Click to expand...

Great teacher!!
I really love that kind of thing.

BTW
You know that silly locker that some boat builders fit in the bathing platforms.
You know - that locker that none of us know what to use it for?
Well, I now have a great use for it - thats where I keep our "tie back" rope.
Dead easy to use - SWMBO swims off to check the anchor and on her return, she is given the end of the rope and told to climb the rocks with it!!!
The rope then "pays out" smoothly from the bathing platform.
I bought my rope (120m of it) from the marina in Carloforte last summer - In fact, I thought that I'd bought the wrong stuff but this year, I cut it in half and it works really well.
SWMBO said it was dead easy to swim with - it is 25mm so definitely strong enough.
 
Hurricane said:
Great teacher!!
Click to expand...
Aaah, but!
He would have reversed towards the rocks up to having no more than 2 feet of water under the swim platform - and just because he must lower it to load/unload the Novu....! :D

Glad to hear that the technique works nicely, and that you are enjoying it.
Btw, I just found a new spot which is fantastic for this purpose.
I'm sure you'll like it, the next time you'll be around here! :encouragement:
 
MapisM said:
Aaah, but!
He would have reversed towards the rocks up to having no more than 2 feet of water under the swim platform - and just because he must lower it to load/unload the Novu....! :D
Click to expand...

As I said to PEJ, we did think of "backing up" a bit.
Probably a bit selfish but, by staying at that distance, we had created our own space for swimming and launching the Dinghy Go (sailing inflatable).

Glad to hear that the technique works nicely, and that you are enjoying it.
Btw, I just found a new spot which is fantastic for this purpose.
I'm sure you'll like it, the next time you'll be around here! :encouragement:
Click to expand...

That sounds very interesting.
The great thing about your area is "people" - well actually "very few people".
On my list for next year is a potential return visit to CF so any new anchorages would be interesting.
 
Hurricane said:
Dead easy to use - SWMBO swims off to check the anchor and on her return, she is given the end of the rope and told to climb the rocks with it!!!
Click to expand...
Count yourself lucky. My SWMBO refused to swim ashore with the ropes when we anchored like this in Croatia. Apparently the water was always too cold. So it was muggins here that had to do it all the time
 
While on a Costa Brava theme this is Cala Culip just around the corner from Mike's spot
2016-07-04%2014.42.46_zps7tukcfi1.jpg
 
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