The girls checking that the anchor has bedded in well.

My first fish…an historic moment

Just off Isla de Benidorm- awoke to a loads swimming….

8 – 21 September -Valencia Spain.

 

We take stock and get on with trying to fix the issues. Joe once again takes time out of his family time to assist Howard and I. He spends all day trying to get the split pipe from the rear shower out of its inaccessible space and then re fit a new one. Before that though there is the need to purchase a new mixer tap as the one on the rear does not work properly. It’s bought and it’s needs a much larger hole than the one there all ready. There is also a need to make an “inspection” hole in the mahogany back wall in the aft cabin to get to the pipe work.  Hole cutter at the ready and the new holes are made……inside one fits a plastic cover for any future issues with water pipes external one fingers crossed it fits the new unit. I am always nervous when making holes in a space that needs to be water tight but it’s like a glove. New shower unit installed now to fit the pipe in. Howard and joe try for the whole afternoon but are unsuccessful the blessed thing just won’t play ball. I get in and wiggle my hand into the small space. Your arms are trapped, unable to freely turn but you work blind trying to figure out why the pipe won’t thread through. I get hold of the connection of 2 pipes, shove one up and to the left whilst pushing the new pipe in from above. I then tell Howard to pull the pipe end which he has. It gives a bit but not a lot. More wiggling of the joint to the left a bit more and suddenly he can pull the new pipe through. Hurrah, only taken 10 hours for such a small job. We radio joe and he knows before we tell him that we managed to thread the pipe. Tomorrow we’ll finish up but for today we’re pleased to have it done this far and that the mattresses have been drying up on deck. They are still too damp to sleep on so I am in the saloon on the bunk there and Howard sleeps in the cockpit with the canopy up. Living the dream!

 

Shower gets finished, mattresses get dried, boat gets put back together and onto the wretched throttle issue but not before a nice hot shower in the marina block. Feels really odd being attached to a floating bit of wood which has such luxuries as easy flushing toilets ( the girls think they are great as you only have to push a lever) and powerful showers you don’t have to turn on and off for fear of using too much from the tank. It’s nice to stand under flowing water for a while letting the heat of the water ease some of the aches. Oh how I long to lay in a hot bath….

 

We decide to change the fuel pipes as it’s the only thing left that could be making the fuel black as it runs into the pre filter etc but forget that the shops close from 13:00 till 17:00 so have to wait to get the piping till later. We catch up on washing and get the towels that were soaked by the water leak freshened up in a washing machine that is much larger than our motorised bucket.  Such luxuries. Pipe installed and we find that arctic has magnets inline in the fuel lines. Not sure if they are still working. Looking into it they seem to be used for optimising fuel so perhaps we need to work out if they are indeed doing what they should be or changing them or even getting rid of them all together. For now we will leave well alone.

 

One reason for coming here was to collect an outboard that Charm had as extra. It’s a 5 horse power instead of our 3.5 so should be better when all 4 of us are in the dinghy. Howard collects it with joe from the shop they had it up for sale in. When Howard gets back to the boat, we are all excited by the new addition to our family but it’s short lived as realisation hits that Howard has lost his phone. So much for getting an outboard cheaply, we now need to buy a new phone and the hassle also of stopping the sim with the prepaid credit and getting it transferred. Great. Our luck surely has to change soon doesn’t it.

 

We spend some really great days here in Valencia with the family on charm. They know the city having wintered here so take us to lots of places directly. We go to the cinema, visit gullivers park ( find out more about this on the girls pages) see a triathlon taking place right outside our bow, enjoy the free entertainment put on by the marina for their 10 anniversary celebrations and lots more. The city has a lot to offer, it is cheap in the marina and it is a possible place for us to winter, but Cartagena has caught our hearts and the girls like the school so although it’s a good contention we shall return to our roots and head back down the coast for winter. Charm is heading to do the Arc and back to the USA so it will be very sad to see them leave us. The children have all been great friends and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company as we have enjoyed Joe and Lara’s. Distance will not stop us keeping in touch, hopefully one day when we are across the pond we can meet back up in person. We wish them the best of luck in their travels and much love goes with them from us all on Arctic Fern. If I ever wonder who is singing a song I’ll say ” it’s Tom Petty” …….

 

22 – 23 September -Denia Spain

 

We drop along the coast and anchor in the lee of the marinas wall at Denia, 4.5 mtrs over sand and weed bottom. No one else is here which is a little worrying but the marina is rammed so I guess they all have a bigger budget than us. We settle down for dinner and plan to get ashore tomorrow. The throttle has been fine so let’s hope that the final bit of changing the fuel pipe has fixed it. Who knows.

 

We motor round the dirque and into the marina. It’s a bit rocky but we now have our bigger outboard which helps within the larger waves. We tie up to the end of a concrete pier and attach half a ton of locks to the boat and outboard, you never know if it will be there when you come back and I don’t fancy the swim back to the boat with the provisions we are going for. Denia is a very pleasant surprise. It’s a lovely town with good provisions and is clean and friendly. We re stock at the mercadona, Howard treats us to a new grandma trolley to use for collecting provisions as our 2 old faithful ones are literally falling apart and we use it for the first time. The girls enjoy taking it in turns to pull/ push it along. We have long since figured out that the most cost effective way to have ice cream for all 4 of us is to carry plastic spoons in our bags and buy a tub of it from a supermarket. It was Jessica’s choice and she went for a double chocolate type. It was delicious and cooling in the sweltering heat as we sat and looked out to sea.

 

24 – 26 September – Cala Sardinera / Javea – Spain

 

We drop down another 10 miles into this Cala and anchor in 8.5 mtrs over sand. We are surprised at it was supposed to be a buoy field only to save the grass but lots of others are anchored and there are no buoys left to pick up. It’s very pretty and we relax enjoying the sun. We did not have any issues with the throttle so we are hopeful that it’s fixed. Lots of the day boats leave and we are left with only a few boats. We decide to pick up a buoy and choose one after Howard has checked out the gear holding hem to the floor. We attach to the buoy and enjoy the day. The evening however turned out to be a different story. The wind picked up, the sea got angry and the block got dragged along by the weight of Arctic. At 02:00 it was so worrying that we decide to move to the opposite side of the bay and re anchor. We had seen a French boat leave and drop to that side about an hour previous as well as a 54 foot moody. He however did not stay but turned and went down the coast, we do not know why.

 

We start engine, I go to the front of the boat in what can only be described as a  crab stance. The boat is lifting out of the art and slamming so hard it shakes your whole being. It’s pitch black and scary as heck. I try to undo the rope we have attached but it won’t give as the weight of arctic is slamming up and down on it causing the rope to be tight nearly all the time. I manage to get a little to move, all the time conscious of the rocks behind us. The nose gets buried in the waves, I get soaked and still the rope won’t give. Eventually I work out that if I heave on the down drop I can get a bit of line each time. After what seems like an eon we are free and we head over to Javea. The chart says no anchoring in the lee of the marina but we don’t like the look of the anchorage space and find the French boat is already anchored in the marina entrance. So we drop here and try to get some sleep. It’s much calmer now, but the whole boat is awake and it’s now 05:00. We all huddle up into the aft bedroom and get a few hours rest. Once we awaken, I radio the marina to se if they have space, they are full but give us the ok to remain in the entrance as long as we are off the channel. We stay all day and even head into town to get a stretch of legs. We buy a gaff for when we eventually catch a substantial fish and some other fishing parts to replace swivels that have seized. Arctic is still there when we get back so all is well.

 

 

27 -28 September -El Rinconet /Moraira – Spain

 

What a delightful find. This was a lovely bay. It had a fabulous beach and good protection from the swell as well as a sandy bottom and crystal clear water. We anchor in 6mtrs over sand and are met by loads of sea bream almost immediately. The girls drop into the water for a swim and spend hours playing on the old lilo from the 1970’s. It’s not had so much use since Howard was a little boy. We row to shore and amble into the town. Howard takes a call from a friend back home and we can hear him getting enthusiastic about the bike track days he used to do and his laughter is a lovely sound(if not a little loud). We find some charity shops and get new books and DVDs for the girls, Livvy gets some knitting needles as she wants to learn to knit and she and jess get new items of clothing to wear. Lots of British voices drift passed us and for once it’s nice to hear. Howard chats to a group of ladies and we meet them again when we walk back to the dinghy. We meet others on holiday with their children and take some time to talk about our experience so far. There are lots of British flagged boats in the anchorage but we have found that this does not necessarily mean they are British. Howard investigates with liv and comes back that there are actually uk people aboard.

29 September -Isla De Benidorm-Spain

We work down the coast a bit further and show the girls the mess that is Benidorm. There is nowhere to anchor along the huge stretch of bay as it’s taken up with tourist type development. A huge waterski park is set up in the chart area marked as anchorage and although it states it’s only set in summer the structure looks like it’s a permanent one with huge towers dragging a handle around on a motorised circuit. Not temporary at all. The rest of the bay is completely open to the swell and having experienced what that does to your nights sleep we try to think what to do. The Isla is only a few mile away so we motor across to see if it’s tenable for night. There are buoys here for you to pick up and one of the boats we met in the last bay us just readying to leave. They drop off the buoy and we pick it up just as a spanish vessel enters the area. We attach with no issues and settle down. However, we are out a way from the shoreline sitting in 25 mtrs of water and the swell is making undertaking dinner rather untenable. Howard takes the dinghy round the remaining buoys,  which look too small for arctic, to see if they are actually suitable. He picks out 2 and we move onto one of them. We quickly decide that we are likely to get caught up on one of the buoys remaining as we are a little big for the space between so move again. Having hooked the leader rope the boat swings before I get it on the cleat or the rope through it and I ask Howard to reverse a little to give the buoy a chance to swing back. Somehow I damage my fingers, there is lots of blood dripping into the water. I do hope there aren’t any sharks here. We secure the boat and I get nurse treatment from the girls. I’ve taken a large gouge from 3 of my fingers, I have no idea how but there we are , more war wounds to add to the many. The dinner can now be done without any issues. It’s 3c’s tonight, a new recipe from a book and Howard is cooking. It turns out to be quite nice but the girls don’t like the roux that was meant to go across the whole thing. Thank goodness he had the fore thought to put it on the side of their plates.

We all sleep soundly and awake to loads of swimmers entering the water to undertake a swim around the island and back to the shore. We allow the start boat to attach to arctic and have front row seats as it is started. We see a few poor people picked up by the Red Cross rescue boats as they struggle with the distance and the coolness of the water. Although the sun is out the water is pretty chilly, it’s only 08:00 so it’s not had chance to warm up yet. We move on again down the coast once all the swimmers are out of our way.

 

30 September -1 October – San Juan nr Alicante -Spain

Howard made history today, he caught a fish. Livvy heard the reel running and ran up on deck shouting “daddy daddy you’ve got a fish”. He works the rod and Jessie is ready with the net at the rear. She gets too worried and passes the job across to me. We land a nice bonito. They are beautiful looking fish with iridescent blue marking along their backs, unfortunately the hook has penetrated the poor thing eye which is no so great. I fill it’s gills with alcohol but it won’t stop breathing. Next I try to pierce it’s brain but it’s still alive. I resort to hitting it hard with the winch handle, this has the desired effect. Poor thing. Now the gutting and filleting. Jessica is now nowhere to be seen, Olivia on the other hand is right next to me. She tells me she stays so that when one of her children catches a fish she will know how to kill it and gut it. She watches the whole thing telling me that although it’s pretty gross she wants to know how to do it. She helps me to bone it and fillet it. I now won’t eat it having done all this but Howard will get it all. He has though decided that he doesn’t want to catch anything else as it’s too traumatic to kill it and cut it up. I decide we need to have a table up higher than the deck as it kills my back doing it this low down. Something more to add to the wish list for the stainless solar panel arch we shall be getting at the end of this season.

Excitement over and we drop into a sleepy rather run down place near Alicante. We drop into 3.5 mtrs over a weedy muddy looking bottom. We have shelter from the swell here and hope to be comfortable. The jaunt into shore is a little hairy as it’s pretty rocky and Howard is rowing. We find a supermarket so we can have a Sunday dinner with full roast potatoes cooked in dripping etc. looking forward to cooking it later today. It’s grandmas 70th birthday tomorrow so lots of work has been done today by the girls to get ready for it. Let’s hope someone back home is going to make it special for her.

This is Valencia – another fabulous city

 

The Volvo Ocean Race – trophy

The actual “Volvo ocean race” control room for this year which starts soon here in Alicante

Previous trophies

The girls with the Spanish football team

The real football trophies…Not sure what ones but there was a big queue to have a photo with them…