Costa Del Sol ..... Get Me Out of Here

We have been to many, many ports we love as we say on the website blog.
The predicament we are in at the moment is this.. we live on a small daily budget which in most part is taken up by the marina. Hopefully we anchor where we can so saving a little more money.
The forcast over the next 4-5 days prevents anchoring and safe sailing so we are pretty much stuck here.
If we had been in some little village where no one spoke English we would have been far happier.
This is not the case however and as people have rightly pointed out we have to make the best of it.
Unfortunately we have to go out of town to do so.
So tomorrow it is a picnic, a local bus to some village and a day out of here.
I do appreciate your replies though.
 
Nostrodamus said:
Which nice places did we miss?
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Nope, this is t'inernet.
Coming from the Uk to the Med, I don't think you and I touched upon more than a couple of the same places! Amazing.
I absolutely loved the places, people, culture, sailing ( lots and lots of day sails too with local people on board my wee boat as a very small thank you, job, characters, cruising folk with real up to date advice...but if you use posh marinas you will never learn a different culture than that nor be offered anything other than marina-itis 'cruising' ideas, IMO (alright IME) and I bet each daily marina costs more than food and wine for everyone?

And that surely is the No 1 cardinal rule if you don't have an income nor a UK rental business.. Beer b4 marina groups. Surely?
The Costas area has well developed an impressive fleecing industry set at the lowest common denominator for people who don't ( but wont admit to this) actually like sailing..
( Well, you asked!) And you were warned too IIRC. And now....make the best of it?

'If in danger or in doubt, hoist the anchor and frick off out..."
 
Blueboatman ... you may be right in places but this trip is just not about me and just not about sailing.
I may not be the best sailor south of the North pole and a lot of the time we don't sail just for the sake of it.
We have no destination so the journey is what it is all about.
Like you we have met many many local friends and people of all nationalities. We go into the local village pubs and join in cards with them and interact where we can. That is why being in a place which is just a tourist trap is our worst nightmare.
 
Sandyman said:
Looks pretty good sailing Wx to me :D :D


http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=40&sty=m_menu
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You sail in what you think is right for you and I will do the same in what is right for us. I believe it is important to take all your crew members and their feelings into consideration. We don't do orange on passage weather and i have no doubt you are a far better sailor than I. (that is not meant to sound sarcastic)
 
Nostrodamus said:
You sail in what you think is right for you and I will do the same in what is right for us. I believe it is important to take all your crew members and their feelings into consideration. We don't do orange on passage weather and i have no doubt you are a far better sailor than I. (that is not meant to sound sarcastic)
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Agreed. Did you not notice the smillies :D :D
 
I too would suggest Ronda. I'd also suggest you quit moaning (tongue in cheek), as some of us would love to be where you are. I'd love nothing more than to pack up and head for the med. Unfortunately, my HWMBO does not share my aspirations.
 
I'm a big fan of threads like these as they provide me with much amusement.

They always remind me of my backpacking days where everyone's a traveller but DEFINITELY not a tourist because they just ruin it for the real travellers and drive up prices of banana pancakes and so on and before you know these miserable tourists have just ruined the WHOLE of India, Laos etc

I was never a tourist though. I wore the baggy pants indicative of the true traveller and the locals were like..hey wow, those pants are so sympathetic to my culture that we definitely wont charge you tourist rates and will be your friends forever.
 
Go to Ronda, Mijas (while you are in Mijas, free those poor tourist Donkeys) Get the rucksack on your backs, stay in some of the pensions, and walk your way through the villages, get pi$$ed on the draught Sherry, chill out.
 
This is a tricky one...the reality is what it is to find the coast of eastern Spain with boats drawn up on the beach and actual spanish people you will have to go back years.When I set off on my adventure(I didnt get far) I was slightly miffed that cornflakes where available and the tinned fish I had in the bilges actually came from the seaport I had washed up in.The reality of forign travel is that places are becoming all the same especially in europe and what has taken you a huge effort undersail can be reached by RYAN AIR in an afternoon.
 
Oh Nostro, I am so sorry - and so very surprised - to read of your predicament.

(Can't find the Pinnochio Nose Growing Smilie) :p

Seriously, get your anchoring sorted out toute suite. When you get to places like (parts of) the Balearics and Sardinia in the summer months they won't be relieving you of a days budget - more like a weeks. Start planning your passages based on the plentiful anchoring information provided on the plethora of Med Sailing blogs. Until you are habitually spending months on the hook you will continue to feel the pain.
 
May I start with "wow"? Firstly you're in major tourist areas so expect the beans on toast brigade. Possibly why we have always made a single hop (weather permitting) from wherever to Cartagena.
We had to stop in Fuengirola (halyard issues, too windy for me in a force 7 to go up the mast and sort), within a couple of hours I'd found the side streets and enjoyed a lovely lunch before finding out where the market etc was and all with Spanish people.
Goodness knows what you'll make of Mallorca, very touristy as the market demands but amazing anchorages and peaceful depending on where you are. Minorca is, for us, a lovely haven. No high rise buildings as such and you need to brush up on your Spanish there which is lovely.
Hope you'll enjoy the season, after all in Portugal 67% wear shell suits, in Gibraltar they speak gibberish that they don't even understand and the costa del sol is obviously pants?!
Puede habla mas, pero no point really.. At anchor for the past two weeks and loving it :)
 
chinita said:
Oh Nostro, I am so sorry - and so very surprised - to read of your predicament.

(Can't find the Pinnochio Nose Growing Smilie) :p

Seriously, get your anchoring sorted out toute suite. When you get to places like (parts of) the Balearics and Sardinia in the summer months they won't be relieving you of a days budget - more like a weeks. Start planning your passages based on the plentiful anchoring information provided on the plethora of Med Sailing blogs. Until you are habitually spending months on the hook you will continue to feel the pain.
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Haha, memories of being quoted between 300 to 500 euros per night in either Palma or Sardinia marinas last summer - we declined of course :). I only asked once or twice when we were picking up fuel and water, a girl can try but not when it's ridiculous!!
 
Wow,

Ok, well I think most of us agree if you don't like major tourist developments, don't go along the costa's and worse still anywhere near Malaga! Yes, the forecast is windy, but its behind you! which means a fast passage and you have the option to keep well inshore which means it should not be as windy as the gribs indicate inshore as the real wind will be offshore. The truth is, you should have made easting when you could. That being said, there are enough ports to go to to at least get out and take a look (If it was an onshore wind or anywhere forward of the beam I would agree with staying put, but its not, its behind you!).

Its too late now but from what I can see the forecasts last night and today where really good, either gentle on shore (last night) or moving to a westerly 15kt to 20kt tonight. I agree, you don't want to be out in really strong winds but had you kept an eye on what was happening and left yesterday early you would be closing Cartagena now. As it is you are pretty much stuck until the weekend as you clearly dont want to be anywhere near Capo da Gato in the next couple of days.

If you seriously want to get away from the Marinas and the cost of them you have to get east, that's why we have been happily sitting at anchor for the last week in Mallorca. We did a thirty hour passage from Fuengirola to Cartagena and a thirty six hour from there to Mallorca. (although I admit we did spend a packet on marina fees in Caratgena because we really love the place). This means doing the scary overnight thingy.

I think if I was in your position now I would consider leaving very late on Wednesday or at stupid oclock on thursday and carry on down the coast, keeping inshore until I felt the wind was too much then ducking into one of the many marinas there until probably Sunday. The lesson here is that you have to make serious easting when you can on that coast or you are forever stuck paying a fortune in marinas. We made that mistake a few years ago when sailing in company, wont make that one again.

Personally, I did not think Fuengerola was too bad, not compared with places like Malaga, Benidorm or Toromolinos (mind I can talk, we are currently anchored in Palma Nova, just by Magalluf!). I thought the old part of the town was quite sweet and certainly a lot of small bars and tapas places frequented by locals rather than holiday makers. I agree the marina itself is dire! but good security and very low cost compared with most of the others.

I agree with many of the comments here, there are good places but you wont get quiet anchorages until you get to the Balearics.
 
You should check out where we are! Prime champagne country! The mooring is fantastic, with an alongside walkashore berth, electric and water. Though the buggers haven't provided wifi! Who do I complain to? Or, maybe not, then they might actually ask for some money!
 
OK Nostro,

Here's a plan. Very similar to what I have done a few times.

Get yourself to Almerimar to catch your breath. One of the cheapest marinas on the Costas.

From there to Garrucha and anchor. Then on to Cartagena Marina for two nights. Cartagena probably being the best place to see. One of the few places worth paying marina fees for.

Then hop round Cabo de Palos to Isla de Horniga. Anchor between there and the remains of the proposed new marina or go into the Mar Menor for a couple of quiet nights. Don't be tempted by Cabo de Palos Harbour - you are probably too big and the entrance is frightening.

Pick your time for a crossing to Formentera. A nice full moon night is best.

Anchor in Formentera and pretend not to notice the eye candy there. Then on to San Antonio for a fat boy breakfast. Then Palma Bay (anchor off Puerto Portals and go walkies around the marina to have your eyes opened).

From there take the left hand side of the island and anchor in Soller, round the top to Pollenca and anchor there.

Pick favourable beam reach for a glorious sail over to Cala Son Saura, Menorca. Take the dinghy up to Cieutudella for a day out. Then downwards along the coast. Avoid Mahon as the only available anchorage is always crowded and a long way from town. Instead, carry on to Cala Fornells. Fab sheltered and huge anchorage. Go ashore and take the bus into Mahon.

Leave Fornells for Algherro on Sardinia before deciding whether to look at Corsica or not........

That should save a few pennies.
 
There has been some excellent advice on here and I thank you all.
I may leave the sailing bit until nearer the weekend when it is more settled as there are a couple of anchorages on the way.
Even though you may get very, very good advice it is sometimes difficult to sail past places when you can go in for a look.
We were told that this marina may be cheap but it was double the price others told us.
We did come in yesterday as there was no wind out there at all and so far we have had to motor from Gib via Estapona. I did not fancy motoring for another 20 or 30 hours. I know I am probably too fussy but doing what we are doing has got us all here safely.
Chinita,
Your plan is about what we had decided upon and makes very good sense.
Sometimes I am a bit tonge in cheek about what I say but hopefully it will give others travelling this way ideas and I can learn from all you who have done it before.
 
Truly lost now... Motoring in the Mediterranean is a fact and usually cannot be easily avoided, particularly if you want to get anywhere. Accepting that decent anchorages start closer to the Balearics (once you get around capo da gato really) then our objective is usually to get to at least there since you can hide either side if it an then use aquillas, Cartagena, mar menor etc; then we certainly would have motored to get east and to avoid the marina charges. I am assuming fuengirola have switched to their summer rates as (in April) we where paying just €26 a night, which we thought was pretty good for a 12.6mtr catamaran. Guess they are charging you now more like €50. Assuming you use about 4lts an hour and its around twenty five hours to Cartagena that's only €130 which is about two an a half marina nights, even somewhere cheap (and you just wait for the marina costs later in the summer). If you are going to simply wait until you have the perfect wind to travel, you will be there all summer! If you spend a week there the cost will be far than they would have been simply motoring to the Balearics over the weekend! Of course, it may be you prefer short sailing hops (not motoring) and then go into a marina, in which case stop complaining about the cost and environment.
 
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