Moving Moment

[Sea Devil]

After 6 years in Queensway Quay Gibraltar we have decided to move on. Love the Marina - Queensway is excellent, very comfortable and less expensive than La Linea for our 13m20 boat. Staffed by really nice people and the boat well looked after when we are away or at home here in Ronda.

Trouble is, we have been everywhere local, at least once, and want a different experience, so we have move Paw Paw to a new location near Barcelona - http://www.cnelbalis.com/es/ It should give us Gulf du Lion, Corsica, Sardinia and Italy as 'local' cruising grounds and the berthing cost will be, after a couple of years, less than anywhere in the Costa's. We cruised down to Malta and back a couple of years ago but found the area a bit underwhelming.

The Barcelona area has several well run marina's within a taxi ride from Barcelona airport which is a 'hub' for Veuling as as other low cost airlines from the UK...

Just mentioned this as it appears to be a little off the 'Brit Sailor' beaten track - but don't tell too many others!!

fair winds

Michael

 

[sailaboutvic]

Are you feeling lonely Michael? Looking for company .
Ok question , have you had a winter there yet and if so what's the weather been like ?
What are the monthly fees for winter month ?

 

[Sea Devil]

Are you feeling lonely Michael? Looking for company .
Ok question , have you had a winter there yet and if so what's the weather been like ?
What are the monthly fees for winter month ?

Home alone? To be fair i am no longer a liveaboard. We have a home in Spain but are so lucky to have Paw Paw as well because she is like a 2nd home and as well as providing sailing adventures and the principle pleasure of long distance cruising which is 'repairing boats in far away places she allows us to change cruising grounds every so often.

I really posted because I felt that the Barcelona area is not a 'fashionable' ex pat sailing area and is worth looking at if you want something different. Easy to sail to France (just around the corner) Corsica - day night day into Northern Sardinia and then Italy with Rome just across the way.

The Barcelona area including Ginesta and Tarragona etc is well served by low cost airlines and motorways. It will be colder in winter than the Costas and Gib as it is further north but we use the blow heater in Gib sometimes in mid winter when we are aboard.

As for cost - well the place we are at is priced like this: http://www.cnelbalis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Tarifas_Alquiler_Amarres_Transeuntes_2017.pdf . Most of the other local marinas seem to be about the same. We have actually joined the club which is not cheap up front but once you have been there for two years the premium diminishes and the rates are considerably lower than than the PDF example above.

For us it is a 1200KM drive from Ronda which really needs an overnight in an hotel but Spanish hotels are so inexpensive and comfortable compared to UK it is not a problem.

Only time will tell if it's a good move but I do like to be a bit off the beaten track and look forward to returning to the boat in September to cruise the French coast and next year Corsica and Italy

fair winds

Michael

 

[DownWest]

Hi Michael
Friend was thinking of buying a small hotel/restaurant in the Perpignon area, but backed off because of the strong winds that are common. Is this also a factor by Barcelona?
Rgs
Andrew

 

[Sea Devil]

Hi Michael
Friend was thinking of buying a small hotel/restaurant in the Perpignon area, but backed off because of the strong winds that are common. Is this also a factor by Barcelona?
Rgs
Andrew

I think because of Cape Bear the French mountain winds do not reach round the corner... It can be blowing 40k in the French region with only 5k off Barcelona. Very protected area

best wishes

Michael