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Doteyboaty
  • Margaret Meade
  • Ronan O'Driscoll
  • Ruby O'Driscoll
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jul. 2021 – sept. 2025

Doteyboaty

Family sailing around Europe Leer más
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  • Doteyboaty
    1
    Cake coming through the mozzie netCoticcioCan you see Regal in the crowd?Our Canine Tour guide

    Turning Twelve

    4 de agosto de 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    This blog is written by Colm

    We drop anchor in Cala Coticcio during the early evening when the tens of charter boats and day trippers are leaving . It has a spectacular view of the amazing granite mountains on Isla Caprera, which is one of the Maddalena Islands off the Sardinian coast . There is an ice-cream Rib that goes around to the boats and Dad calls him over. We get three magnums and a corneto for only twenty-four euro!
    The next day Margaret and I go ashore on the Paddleboard but the warden says that we are not allowed to walk beyond the beach .We snorkel around the rocks to the next beach which is so pretty that Mom paddles back to the boat and gets Ruby. We swim around in the shallow turquoise water and admire the beautiful rocky landscape. I see a Dentex , a big fish with a kind of a square head.
    Back onboard the crew decides that we will move on to the less busy Cala Garibaldi, named after the Italian General. It is a short trip up the coast of Isla Caprera. We arrive in the evening and drop anchor near one of the many beaches. We have a swim then eat dinner.
    The next morning is my birthday! We dinghy into the beach and walk up the road looking for the Garibaldi museum. It is very hot but thankfully we have some water to refresh ourselves. We go up a dusty road but feel we are lost. A big brown scary looking dog is sitting in the middle of the road. When he sees us he gets up, does a poo and limps off ‘maybe he’s going to the museum’ we think. We follow him along a narrow path through the trees and bushes for five minutes, passing sheep and goats with bells around their necks. The old dog pauses at a big blue fence, turns to look at us, urinates then continues. We follow him and finally emerge out into car park next to the museum. We thank our tour guide and have a walk around Garibaldi’s house.
    Continuing down the road we find a cool cafe in the forest with hammocks hanging between the trees. We stop off for a berry sorbet. On the way back we trek through some bramley hay fields and we come to a crossroads. Our choice is to continue down the hot dusty road or take a shortcut through the abandoned Club Med hotel which is full of ‘no trespassing’ signs’. We chose the latter and thankfully we are not caught.
    Back on board we have brunch , birthday cards and presents.
    I get lots of nice clothes , sweets , a magnifying glass and lots more.
    Then after that Ruby and I make my birthday cheesecake and have a ‘Monster’ energy drink in the process. For dinner we have lasagne courtesy of Margaret and then for dessert, blackberry cheesecake made with hand picked berries.
    After dinner we play charades which is great fun, I act out the song ‘Under Pressure’ and also the book ‘Sailing for home’ by Theo Dorgan. Then at about 10 o clock I go for a cooldown swim in the dark and Ruby notices that there are phosphorescence. I splash around and watch the water sparkle. Then I go and lie up on deck with Mom and I see four shooting stars, one was huge.

    The next morning Ruby ,Dad and I go into the beach for a few hours. When we arrive in, the Club Med Secuirity guard comes down to the beach and objects to the dinghy. Dad moves it while Ruby and I set up the tent , Deck chairs and the Picnic mat in the forest next to the beach. Later Mom comes in on the Paddleboard and we have a picnic and set up the hammock between the trees.

    The next morning the wind picks up so we motor to another anchorage nearby. After we get there Ruby and Margaret go on the Dinghy into the town to do shopping while Dad and I do some boat jobs .After that we have pizza then go to bed.

    I thank my family for a lovely twelfth birthday.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    1I carried a watermelon
    Sardinian blackberriesThe Pizza shop balconyTaking a break from foraging in the tiny bit of shadeOur view from the cockpitForm filling at the doctorsSuperyacht haven in Costa Smeralda

    Cannigone

    31 de julio de 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We spend a few days on a mooring bouy in Canningone, mainly taking care of the mundane. During the to-ing and fro-ing Ruby and Colm find a hot bed of fig trees and brambles laden with fruit. Picking the blackberries feels just like August at home.

    We rent a car for a day and put it to great use; There is a visit to the doctor, a pick up in DHL, and a trip to Decathlon and Lidl. We squeeze in a bit of touristy stuff too and enjoy some of Sardinia’s stunning landscape from the delightful coolness of our air- conditioned car. We drive through the Costa Smeralda, a haven for the rich developed by the Aga Khan in the 1960s.
    It is full of Superyachts and gated hotels and it is pristine. No sign of litter or fly-tipping here. Unfortunately we see rubbish on some of the other tourist routes we drive on. There is an element of shabbiness in Sardinia. Some of the towns feel a bit run down and facilitates can be less than clean.
    When we return from our road trip we are hungry and have to settle for a dive of a take away that has seating upstairs. I settle into my broken chair with a glass of Rosé. We have a glorious view out over the bay and eat the best pizza I have ever tasted. I couldn’t be happier.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Butterfly catchingbusy water out in the channelOursWhat a difference a day makesDaily lifeFree bad haircuts availableOff on our adventureSailor girl

    Nature Island

    28 de julio de 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    People presume we are Italian because the Irish tricolour hanging on our stern looks just like a faded Italian flag. So as such, we have returned ‘home’ to Sardinia and are in the Maddelena archipelago national park.
    We want to get into a small harbour in Isola di Spargi which is very crowd so we act like locals and muscle our way in, “Ciao, Buongiorno!’’ We drop anchor right in the middle of a glut of boats and hang tough for a while. Soon our brass neck pays off and one by one all fifteen ribs, a catamaran and a motor cruiser, the tourist boat and three yachts all leave. ‘Peace at Last’, by dinner time we the harbour and the surround hills all to ourselves.
    Over the following two days only a handful of boats visit because there is strong westerly wind with gusts of over 30 knots. We are safely tucked in here and we watch the swell and white horses rise in the channel just beyond the rocks astern of us. We have no worries because Ronan has found a mooring block underwater by the pier that we run a line to. With that tied off at our bow as well as our main anchor and a stern anchor we aren’t budging.

    I enjoy a quiet wander ashore stopping now and then to smell the sweet scent of the myrtle bushes. I hear a persistent buzzing raising above the usual din of the cicadas and eventually locate the source in a little bush nearby. I bend down to see a bumblebee held in the tight grip of a Praying Mantis. It’s incredible to see this natural event close up; The bee has no chance, his time is up. I swim back to tell the rest of the crew but I am distracted by a little congregation of fish at a rock - different types all swimming together. I grip onto the rock to get a closer look and am startled when there is movement near my hand. I pull back quickly and refocus - I can now see an octopus camouflaged and tucked into a crevice. I wait and watch and he waits too, just for a little while. Then stretching out his tentacles one by one, he climbs to the top of rock and swims away with his band of merry fish following behind.

    The next day I bring the rest of the crew back to the same spot hoping to find him and I am surprised he’s not there. Luckily Colm finds a different little fellow under a small rock on the sand. This octopus has managed to hide everything under the rock except one tentacle which is how Colm spots him. When we dive down to get a closer look, his eyes peep out over his tentacle.
    One morning Colm and I swim into the beach with a dry bag packed with long pants and runners so we can venture up the narrow little path into the hills of wild bushes. We are armed with sticks in case we come across the wild boar we have seen wandering on the beach. We are half disappointed when we don’t meet him and half relieved.
    We trek right to the northern end of the island climbing granite boulders, whacking bushes and exploring derelict structures. We find a shaft going down into the depths of the rock. Braving the rusty ladder we go down a few steps into the darkness below. We could go further but the Mammy in me says ‘no’. As we continue on our walk we muse about what we might have found down at the bottom.
    We enter an abandoned house and follow it all the way through to back door. It leads us to a ravine of granite boulders which ends right down on the northern shore. We find a shady perch on one of the boulders and look across at Corsica and watch the swell roll through the Bonifacio straits.
    Our time here in Spargi is particularly sweet because we had the place nearly to ourselves in high season. The wind eventually dies off and the crowds return, it is time for us to be on our way.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    You can see Régal from hereMonday mirning traffic

    Bonifacio

    24 de julio de 2022, Francia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    This post is written by Ruby ^_^

     The air smells of salt and diesel. Chalk cliffs rise up out of the water all around us. I can hear engines humming and the seagulls screeching. The deck shifts from the wash of a passing motorboat. Sunlight flashes off her gleaming hull into our eyes. We round the corner into the thin channel which leads up to “The best kept secret in France,” Bonifacio.
    Yeah
    This is certainly a town that won’t be leaving our memory anytime soon. The Citadel lies perched on the eroding cliffs, its stony walls looming up above us. There are marinas on both sides of the narrow bay and the murky water is constantly buzzing with traffic.

    Tying up is somewhat hectic (to say the least), as there is limited space and lots of other people nosing their way in and out. Regal is just tied up when we see a giant Superyacht reversing her way down between both marinas, with hardly any space on either side — and I thought our berthing was stressful!

    When the evening draws in, Dad and Colm go to dinner, while Mom hits the Citadel via the tourist train. Bonifacio is lit up beautifully, both from the lights of the boats and the restaurants in the narrow cobbled streets. Music starts playing from a few nightclubs fronting onto the water, and the town comes alive in a way it never did during the sticky afternoon heat.

    Mom and I share an ice-cream in the cockpit when she returns, and we gaze out at the lights and music, marvelling at the nightlife beauty of this unique town.

    In the morning, I walk up to the top of the cliffs, and enjoy the beautiful view of far-off Sardinia. When we motor out the channel and out into the open sea, I can point out where I walked to. This view of Bonifacio from the sea is breathtaking. Looking in at the cliffs, you would have no idea that an entire port was hidden behind those chalky rocks.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    A scene fit for a painter
    Handwashing with a little help from my feetThe monuments of FilitosaAt the 1,200 year old Olive TreeA Respite from the heat under some granite shadeWe thought we could see 2 panthers in this boulder but now I can't see themAnother day, another stunning anchoragePlaying Boules after DinnerThe lion rock of Roccapina on the brow of the hill

    A little diversion to Corsica

    19 de julio de 2022, Francia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Sailing north, we leave the coast of Sardinia and cross into French waters. We are travelling to Corsica for a petit sojourn.
    As the mountainous coast comes into view, it is clear to see why the island is so highly recommended.
    We pick up a bouy in Porto Pollo and from the cockpit we admire the stunning view of mountains across the bay. The nearest ones are dark and Ruby observes that just like a painting, the mountains in the background become lighter and lighter with distance.
    The little holiday town has a Spar supermarket at the beach so there is a drop of fun to the usual chore of shopping . We land the dinghy on the beach and walk past the windsurfing class before grabbing a trolley. The bill is noticeably more expensive than usual which I put down to us now being in France.
    Neither the Marina nor the village has a laundrette and we have travelled here with ten
    days worth of laundry. We decide that we had better make a dent in it, so Ronan and Colm ferry water drums to the port and fill up so we can do some washing without emptying the water tanks. This chore too is nicer than usual with such a beautiful view to look at as we stomp and wring our clothes clean.
    The daytime temperature in these parts is always more than 30 degrees, so the best time to venture inland is early morning or later in the evening. Ruby, Colm and I take a taxi to the historic site of Filitosa and arrive just as it opens at nine am and it’s already hot. We are here to see the small, carved standing stones that date back to same time as Stonehenge. The first occupants came here 8000 years ago and they used the natural caves and hollows in the Granite rock to make their homes. We use them now too for a break from the sun.
    Much of Corsica is Granite and we see extraordinary rock formations along the coast as we sail south and then east along the bottom of the Island. We stop at several anchorages over a few days and we explore the rocks and boulders on walks ashore, and in the water on paddle boards and snorkelling. There are lots of fish here and we find some hiding in the rock crevices including a bright orange Mediterranean Cardinal fish. Ruby and Ronan see two flying Gurnards feeding on the sea floor. Colm saw one in Ibiza but I have not yet had that pleasure. An Eagle Ray is kind enough to hang around long enough so that all four of us have a chance to see him. These days we rarely swim ‘sans snorkel’ as there is always something to see.
    It is high season and lots of people are out enjoying the water; sightseeing, jet skiing, fishing, kayaking and sailing. From the anchorage in Plage de Taravo we watch Kite surfers
    jump skywards in the strong afternoon breeze. Several Superyachts are in Golfe de Murtoli when we arrive. When the sun goes down they light up, illuminating the water around them in all different colours. They are far enough away that their lights don’t impact the view of the amazing night sky. It’s still so hot that I lie up on deck to cool down in the breeze before bed. I have a wonderful time star-gazing and listening to music. A most unusual satellite catches my eye and I watch it for over a minute as it travels like a slow night train across the sky. Its many lights all in a row make it easy to identify on Google as one of Elon Musk’s Space X satellites. I am so glad I took a break from binge watching Bridgerton to see this glimpse into the future.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    View from the hammock
    Ready to partyA friendly dog swims over to say helloThe big swimIsland picnicParty dressLeaving AlgheroWindy day entertainmentSpratty water

    A special day in Sardinia

    12 de julio de 2022, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    The huge motor yacht is dragging towards us! What will we do? Where will we go? Will we survive?

    This blog is written by Colm.

    We motor to a nice anchorage near Alghero but have to re-anchor soon after because a red motor-yacht nearly drags down on top of us. After that we have a nice dinner and drift off to sleep.
    In the morning we motor-sail north up the coast. We travel through a shallow passage between two islands at a top of Sardina to get to the beautiful anchorage of Paseo Della Pelosa.
    Here I learn how to dive the 1.3 metres off the side of Regal. We all have great fun diving down to the sandy seabed catching hold of the anchor and looking at flounder flat-fish. Ronan and I SUP into the local shop to get some bread and vegetables. Back on the paddleboard, Dad and I go on a little adventure around the area and enjoy the view of the two old towers on the shoreline.
    We have a fabulous party to celebrate a special day, it is one full year since Régal sailed out of Cork harbour. We have lots of crisps, nuts and drinks and I have a Fanta. Ronan cooks a delicious barbecue for dinner and we all make a speech.

    The next day we find out that a wind is coming which will make this anchorage untenable. We head for an island called Asinara where there will be better protection from the strong northeasterly wind.
    On the journey the sea is speckled with dan-buoys. We arrive in the afternoon, pick up a mooring bouy and have some tea and biscuits. We have plans to go into the port but they are all blown away by the strong wind. With gusts up to 30 knots it is impossible to launch the dinghy.
    The next day when the gusts are gone Ronan , Margaret and I go ashore for a walk. Looking down at water, we see some seabream munching on a ray carcass. After the walk we weigh anchor and head back to Paseo Della Pelosa.
    On one of the four days here ,we all swim the seven hundred metres to the shore while I have the dinghy harnessed to me. This is my new strength and conditioning routine. We have a coffee , do some shopping and swim back, this time mom rows the dinghy - Lee swim here we come!
    Over the next few days we enjoy the sunshine and clear waters in this lovely spot.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Leaving Menorca at DawnTime to put a reef inAll we see on night watchRaising the Italian courtesy flagDate night

    33 hours to Sardinia

    5 de julio de 2022, Italia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    It's a quiet, grey morning as we leave the sleeping anchorage of Port D'addaia, for a 190 n.m. (350km) journey to Sardinia.
    It seems like a deeper step into the Mediterranean, further away from Spain and a coastline we have grown somewhat familiar with.
    This will be our first overnight passage since we arrived into Cartagena last October.
    As always on such a passage, there's a little nervous tension in the air, or maybe it's just in my head.
    Last night I fitted our lifelines, strong straps which run down the the length of the deck so you can clip on your safety harness if needed on deck in foul weather, or at night, when there might be nobody else up to raise the alarm should you go over the side.
    It's been a while since I last fitted these and they certainly remind me we're going offshore.
    In the last week we discovered some dirty diesel in our tank, and even though we've changed the filters and extracted 25 litres from the bottom of the tank, there's still a little nagging doubt about the engine, which I know we will need on this trip.
    I'm also still recovering from a heavy bout of Covid which left me feeling washed out.
    We could be waiting to be ready for ever, sometimes you need to go. Vamanos!
    The forecast is for the strongest wind and swell to come in the first 12 hours of the trip, on our beam, before calming overnight and helping by moving behind us and helping our progress. That's as good as as it gets.
    And so it proves, within 6 hours we are reduced to motor sailing with a double reefed mainsail, to minimise the roll from the northerly swell.
    Regal had been carrying her headsail OK, but was just heeled over too much for comfort, so we decided to furl that instead, even at a slight loss of speed. Colm feels the most seasick but thankfully he doesn't get sick.
    By dinner time the wind and seas have calmed somewhat and the night ahead seems like it will be OK.
    Colm rallies enough to eat a full meal and watch an episode on his ipad so all seems pretty good.
    I take the first watch and thankfully the time passes reasonably quickly, with just enough shipping to keep you alert but nothing coming too close. At 23.00 we pass into Italian waters so it's ciao all round when Ruby visits to examine the stars, using an app to help identify the various constellations. At midnight Margaret comes on watch and I gladly turn in.
    Shortly into my next watch, at around 4.15
    I am sitting on the compaionway steps when I hear a loud thump, we have hit something.
    Not what you want to hear.
    I rush up into the cockpit and am just in time to hear something splashing in our wake. I figure we must have hit a large fish like a sunfish which we have often seen lounging on the surface.
    That excitement helps to wake me up for my watch!
    The Eastern sky ahead soon starts lightening and I next get a visit from Colm, full of beans after a night's sleep. He's soon joined by his sister and I take advantage of their presence to lie down in the cockpit and grab a quick nap.
    Not long after we see the mountains of Sardinia rising ahead. Time to hoist our shiny new Italian courtesy flag. A few hours later we are passing under high cliffs and into a large sheltered bay, where we drop anchor and relax for the next two nights.
    Then it's a short trip across the bay to the historic city of Alghero, for some clean diesel, drinking water and a night out.
    Arrivederci!    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Drake's pool?
    Fish market in MahonHello Carrie!Mahon, regatta dayThe long hot walk to Decathlon- it's always worth itClose quartersWashing off more Calima dustSome visitors

    Never a Dull Moment

    30 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We are just dropping anchor in Addaia when I hear someone shout ‘Mags’ from another boat. It takes me a while to figure it out but then I have it - It’s Carrie my sister Clare’s friend. I had no idea she would be in Menorca although I know she sails here from time to time. They are leaving shortly so I swim over to say a quick hello. Perfect serendipity- had we travelled here half an hour later we would have crossed paths at sea without recognition.

    Addaia is a long narrow lagoon so it feels like a river, an Irish river, Drake’s pool to be exact. The water is flat calm while there is a swell at sea. This is the perfect spot to be with strong northerly wind forecast tomorrow and then two days of strong southerly coming after that. We go ashore to the Restaurant at the top of the hill and discover the owner is Corkonian. She rarely hears a Cork accent in Addaia but tonight there are plenty as her sister is here too and we all have a gossip.

    When the strong northerly wind blows, we see white water crashing over the rocks at the entrance to the channel but in here there is just a ripple. We are safe as houses in this hurricane hole and very comfortable too when the wind turns and starts to blow from the south.
    Ronan and Colm are ashore with a long list of mundane ‘to do’s’ when I instruct Ruby to ring Ronan to get them home quickly. I am at our bow watching yacht ‘Bruce’ slowly but steadily sliding backwards. She is dragging anchor and nobody is on board. Our neighbours are shouting and blowing horns but what can be done? We watch as Bruce’s heavy hull drifts determinedly towards our neighbour. A slight shift of wind saves him but now Bruce slowly takes aim at us. Ruby starts Regal’s engine and I get fenders ready at the bow. A french couple from a nearby yacht speed over on their dinghy and climb aboard Bruce. Miraculously they find a key and manage to get her engine started. Ronan and Colm arrive back to see Bruce under control and moving away. When its owners return a few hours later she is anchored in a completely different spot.
    It is decided that while we are here we won’t ever leave Régal alone for too long. Two days later Ruby and I stay on board while Colm and Ronan go on a day trip. They go to Mahon the capital, for a heady mix of sight-seeing and provisioning. They arrive back later with gallons of milk, beer and fizzy water. While we are unloading the cargo our neighbour, yacht ‘Poker’, looks nearer than usual. Monsieur Poker is at his bow watching our stern moving closer… this time Régal is dragging anchor. We hop over the shopping, start the engine, pull up the anchor and find another spot. Our fingers are crossed that we will hold firm here over the coming windy days.
    There is a repeating weather pattern of strong wind gusting in the high 20s followed by two or three days of less wind. The prospect of anchoring in one of Menorca’s beauty spots isn’t appealing at the moment as many are open to this wind and swell. For now our newly set anchor has dug in nicely and we are happy with this new view in Addaya.
    While Ruby and I are on our day trip to Mahon, our Scottish friends on Aphrodite come into the Lagoon and anchor nearby. Over the coming days the two boats swing in rhythm with each other and young Hammish waves to us as he goes forward and backwards in his little cockpit swing.
    We don’t see him anymore once a Frenchman wedges his boat between us. We tell him that his boat is a little close and he tells us to relax. He’s probably right, we just aren’t used to these busy Mediterranean anchorages. The next morning as I am taking photos to capture how hilariously close we are, the french skipper emerges in his pyjamas to have a look about. As the boats swing gently to the wind we both realise that on the very next swing his bow will hit our stern. He runs forward and quickly lets out more chain. As his bow closes in on our stern I reach out and push it off before it makes contact. Now his stern is falling back towards Aphrodite so he has to immediately start up and up anchor. His sleepy crew mate takes the wheel and their shouting back and forth between bow and helm rouses the whole anchorage. We all look on as the two men in pyjamas zigzag around the anchorage. I smile into my morning coffee and give Hammish a wave.
    Ronan makes two unpleasant discoveries here in Addaya. On Saturday, while changing the engine filters, he finds dirt in the fuel. He spends a hot Sunday down below syphoning, filtering and cleaning with great help from Ruby. On Monday he has a sore throat and on Tuesday he is crook and the test confirms he has Covid. The rest of us feel fine, so while Ronan sleeps and coughs his way through the next three days we pull the boat apart and do a big spring clean. We are glad to be in this protected bay for this spell of isolation and not in an exposed anchorage yawing around in the swell.

    In the wee windy hours of Friday morning, there is more drama in pyjamas as two boats drag anchor. The first boat recovers and resets without too much fuss in difficult conditions. It’s dark and windy and there are a lot of boats here. Checking our anchor we are relieved all is well with Régal. We look around and see that many others are checking their anchors too. A new 55ft yacht who was anchored near us is no longer there. She has dragged and is now pinned between a yacht and its mooring. After some revving and manoeuvring they manage to get off but they have surely done damage. They move at speed up and down the anchorage -their stress levels high. She fails to re-anchor several times and as they bring her around to try again, the wind shifts and she hits into a motor cruiser. The Drama. I stay up and watch on until the shouting dies down, the engine revs drop and all around the anchorage flashlights go out. Never a dull moment.

    .    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Colm making mosquito netsSewing some much needed mosquito netsView of Regal from Cala Vincenc MallorcaFishing off the coast of MallorcaLast view of Mallorca

    Naked and afraid: MENORCA

    17 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Written by Ruby ;]

    They are naked. We are afraid. The boat is surrounded on all sides. They are creeping closer. I lie awake at night and shiver, praying for an end to it all. Welcome. To. Menorca.

     [24 hours earlier]
    It is truly a beautiful day for sailing, so that’s exactly what we do, crossing over from Mallorca to Menorca. The boat happily sails along, and spirits are high. As the evening draws in, we pull into a bay on the northern coast, called Cala de Algaiarens. There are two sandy beaches and pine trees surround the bay. Many boats are at anchor here but there is enough space that the Cala still feels quiet.

    It is only the next day that the problem rears its head. Nudism. An onslaught of nudists; they are on the beach and swimming, they are sailing their boats and hosting their equally naked guests. I don’t know where to look.
    We spend four days here but never feel inspired to join in -we are prudes through and through.

    There’s great snorkelling around the rocks, so we spend lots of time there gazing at all the fish. We go to the beach on some of the evenings, when the heat of the day has subsided and the nudists are mainly dressed . On one of these occasions we meet our friends from Aphrodite, a boat we met way back in Ibiza.
    For most of our stay here, it’s windy, so we haven’t launched the paddle boards. We are beginning to understand why Menorca is called ‘The Windy Isle’. On our forth morning, the wind changes direction and everyone has clearly had the same idea. There is a mass exodus and we sail off in their midst.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    A view you could never tire ofRonan's latest exercise craze - Dinghy towing

    30 / 30 / 30

    14 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The air and water temperatures are 30 degrees plus, and a peaceful night at anchor suddenly gets very lively when a 30 knot land breeze kicks in.

    It's 30 degrees plus in the shade, and a lot hotter in the sun as Spain swelters in another heatwave (not looking for any sympathy, honest!). It's been like this for the last week and looks set to continue.
    One positive is that the water has become very warm and pleasant, so we're jumping in several times a day in an effort to cool down.
    We anchored in the lovely Cala Tuent, on Mallorcas mountainous northern coast. It's a quiet undeveloped spot, with high hills either side and within sight of Puig Major, Mallorcas highest peak at 1436m.
    Snorkeling is great in the clear water, and ashore we take a short walk around the fertile valley, up to a pretty restaurant with an amazing view out to sea.
    There are about 8 or 9 other yachts at anchor here tonight, all bobbing about in the calm conditions. Including Kit and Mariella on Tiger Lily, whom we met in Porto Cristo. Around 3am we are awoken by the sound of a building breeze. Soon it's gotten very noisy and the entire crew are awake. I go up on deck to check the anchor and see lights and activity on several other boats too. Everyone is awake and on alert. The wind keeps building and we are yawing from side to side in the gusts, getting a little too close to other boats for comfort.
    Suddenly there's a blast of hot air, like a giant furnace has been opened in front of us.
    Togs, towels and anything else not tied down are flying about the place and the SUPs are lifting off the deck, straining on their restraints. The dinghy is tied on astern but lifting a little and skitting across the water. I'm glad we don't have the outboard engine on it tonight, in case the dinghy is blown upside down.
    A nearby yacht nearby drags anchor, and drops again in a clearer spot. These manoeuvres become more fraught in the dark, when there is the added risk of driving over a mooring buoy and wrapping it around your propellor.
    The wind is now over 30 knots and very hot, especially considering its 3am.
    We're glad to be one of the outer boats in the anchorage, with the scope to put out more chain if necessary. Thankfully our 25kg Rocna is holding well, combined with the 10mm nylon snubber.
    After 30 minutes or so it starts to abate and we try to get back to sleep.
    The next day we discover that the same conditions hit nearby Port Soller.
    There seems to be some debate as to whether it was a katabatic wind, falling down from the nearby mountains, or else was a land breeze, caused by warm air cooling and rolling down the valley to the sea....these details aren't too important at the time!    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty

    Cool Calobra

    13 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    A Colm and Co. Production

    We arrive in Calobra bay in the warm evening and are greeted with a spectacular view of two huge cliffs, separated by a tiny beach. There are lots of boats here anchored close to the beach but the water is deep . We drop ours in 16 metres which is 4 times deeper then our last anchorage.
    We have a nice dinner then hit the hay.

    In the morning we dinghy to the small beach which is actually the mouth of a river . The fresh water only flows out to sea after heavy rain. We put on our sandals and start our adventure into the ravine. First we walk through the cliffs in tunnels that are cooly lit. After that we walk along the riverbed between the cliffs, looking at fish and frogs in the remaining river water. Dad spots a goat in the bushes , he is big and brown. He sees more on the cliff but I can’t see them.
    Mom, Ruby and I climb over rocks to continue following the river up through the narrowing ravine while dad guards our precious bottle of water. We return to Régal just as the beach is filling up with people from tour buses.
    Mom and I go on a sup (stand up paddleboard) around the cliffs. We see some wrasse and lots of sea urchins. When we get back to the boat we go for a cool-down swim in the deep blue water.
    We up our Rocna anchor and skedaddle.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Cala Sant Vincenc
    Approaching Cala FigueraColm is Cala FigueraSwimming to the jumping steps

    Up and around the corner

    12 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    The weather conditions are perfect to explore the north west coast of Mallorca and we continue to be blown away by its beauty. There are so many places to see so today we stop for lunch at Cala Figuera before moving on to Cala Sant Vicenc for the night.
    The current light wind we are experiencing makes it less daunting to sail close to the looming headlands and to anchor under the enormous hills and cliffs of Cala Figuera. It is a deep anchorage with the occasional rocky outcrop emerging from its depths. Looking up at the surrounding hills, we see numerous hair pin bends on the road down to the beach here - steely nerves required.
    I explore this spectacular bay on the paddle board while the other 3 dive in for a snorkel. At lunchtime they are brimming with enthusiasm for what lies beneath. I feel I have missed out so Colm kindly volunteers to be my tour guide and we hop in. Swimming over to a pinnacle shaped rock that comes up 10 metres for the seabed we see lots of different plant life and fish.
    There appears to be a jellyfish infestation around this coast today. They are small with brownish spots and are called ‘Mauve Stingers’. They aren’t an issue for us because we can see them clearly through our masks and just avoid them.
    Later this evening I am swimming ‘sans snorkel’ in Cala Sant Vincenc when I get a very stinging sting on my arm. We treat it with seawater and bread soda and after a while the stinging subsides and I am left with a 3 stranded welt.
    Incredibly the next morning all the jellyfish have disappeared. We make the most of the clear water and swim over to the rocky promontory that comes out from the holiday town. There are steps up from the water here that people jump and dive from. We climb up and pick a step that suits our individual level of bravery and jump into the turquoise water below. We interpret the goats’ bleating from across the water as wild applause.
    We are moving on again today as there is much more to see. The final task to undertake before leaving is to recover our stern anchor. In these mild conditions we take the lazy man’s approach. Ruby dives down to free the anchor from the sand and Ronan pulls the line from Regal’s stern. Half an hour later, after several tweaks and repeated attempts it is finally recovered. During our cool down swim we all agree that the lazy man’s way is never to be repeated.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Colm, Dinghy and view
    Ronan slaving over a hot stoveRuby Snorkelling and looking for sea cucumbersTaxi for shopping and laundry.

    Cala Pi

    10 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We have a wonderful few days at this idyllic anchorage near Pollenca. We spend lots of time in the turquoise water- swimming, snorkelling and supping. The surrounding hills are green and lush with the odd mansion peaking out from behind the trees. There are two beautiful white beaches ashore divided by a pristine dock for the big tourist boats that land here. Ronan occasionally go ashore on the pretext of bringing the rubbish to the bins but always stops in for a little something at the pier cafe.
    The highlight of our stay here is a visit from Ronan’s cousin Rose and her friend Eoin. By coincidence they are out here for a work event and have a few hours free to spend with us. It’s lovely to spend time with them and show them beautiful Cala Pi. After a swim we weigh anchor, put up the headsail and have a slow sail and a late lunch to the nearby Port de Pollenca. Here Rose and Eoin leave us and we do our shopping and laundry.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Enjoying the view from the shadeAnd at last she's upGoing home after dinner outOur young cormorant friend

    Catching up with Kennet

    6 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    On Saturday we move into Puerto de Alcudia which is a nice tourist town at the top of a beautiful long beach that stretches around the head of the bay. This anchorage has come highly recommended from our Danish friend Kennet who has been here for the last two weeks. We made a connection with Kennet over the winter in Cartagena when we discovered that we had the same boat. They are carbon copies except that Kennet’s has a red cockpit cover and and a TV and we have a blue cockpit cover and photos hanging in place of the telly.
    It is great to catch up with him and hear about his recent adventures as a skipper to paid guests. So far so good for his new business venture. He had been a baker for 20 years in Denmark and gave it up to go sailing.
    While we are catching up over coffee we are interrupted by a commotion on a neighbouring yacht. A bottle nose dolphin is swimming around their boat and diving underneath proceeds to pull at their anchor chain. It’s harmless curiosity and everyone is very excited about this close encounter. The skipper on board is the most excited and when the dolphin surfaces near his stern he jumps in, nearly landing right down on top of him. The dolphin must have got a fright because the next time we see him, he far away and he doesn’t return.
    A baby cormorant is our next close encounter. He takes up residence on our dinghy for a day. We swim nearby and he doesn’t budge, we pull the dinghy into the stern and he looks up at us. It is only when Ronan steps into the dinghy to go ashore that he jumps finally jumps off into water.

    Staying at anchor here for several days, we visit the old town which is a few kilometres further inland. This is common in many parts of Mallorca - where the town, often fortified like Alcudia was built away from the port as a defence against surprise pirates attacks. We walk along the top of the 14th century walls and admire the mountain views. We descend out of the sun and walk alongside the beautiful walls, delighted to be in their shade. Temperatures are well above average, hitting over 30 degrees by afternoon.

    We are all happy to return waterside and cool down. With lots of water based activities on offer in the port we decide to sign up for one the following day. It’s electric surfing and foiling and it is far more challenging than we had expected. The propulsion is controlled by a device in your hand. When you achieve a steady speed by squeezing the trigger you are then suppose to move from a lying or kneeling position to standing. In all the excitement and attempted movement it is hard to maintain a steady press on the trigger. I either let the trigger go or press it tight with the same result - splash into the water.
    After our short session we were bruised, exhausted and exhilarated. It was such fun.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Tidying away the sails as we come into Alcudia bayRonan to the rescueRégal in Alcanada

    Coming into Alcudia Bay

    3 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The landscape becomes very dramatic as we sail from east to west cross the bay of Alcudia. Ahead of us are high mountains and cliffs soaring from the sea. They are awesome and beautiful. We sail to an anchorage surrounded by cliffs. It is totally wild with no sign of civilisation ashore. The thought of dropping anchor and staying here overnight is exciting and daunting because of the looming cliffs. As we hover in the bay we feel the swell rolling in, it will be an uncomfortable night here. A good night’s sleep trumps a good view so we take in our surroundings for a little while longer and then sail into Alcudia bay leaving wilderness behind. We find a rather more civilised little anchorage next to Alcanada golf course. We have a combined shopping and picnic expedition ashore and come home for a good night’s sleep in this sheltered spot.
    The next day is overcast and windy but Régal is comfortable as she is protected from the swell by the little island to the north. Ronan goes for a snorkel to see how things are under the waterline. We are in 5 meters of water but when he swims around the boat he discovers that there are plateaus of higher rock nearby. If the wind changes direction the boat will too and our keel may end up over one of these rocky outcrops or worse, on one. To ensure we are okay no matter which way the wind blows Ruby and he get in the dingy with a lead line to measure the depths a various high points on the rocky shelves. Shortly afterwards I help too and jump in the water with mask and snorkel to find the high patches. The shallowest patch we find is 2.7 meters which means we can rest easy as our 1.8 meter deep keel will never touch it.
    The wind picks up more and we watch the day trippers on tourists boats try to enjoy Paddle boarding but it’s no fun in these conditions.
    Nearby a dinghy breaks its mooring and is blown into the hard shoreline. We watch as it continuously bangs against the rocky shore and nobody comes to its rescue. Then Ronan, all heroic like, puts on his superman togs and swims in to the dinghy. He grabs its painter rope and ties it across his enormous manly chest. With his arms powering through the water, he tows the dinghy back out to the mooring bouy and ties it off securely.
    He leaps back on board Régal and from his crew he receives some limp and short- lived praise. If only there had been other on-lookers. They would have been very impressed but the crew of Régal have become accustomed to living with such a hero.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    The Poke bowl

    Cala Moltó

    1 de junio de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Colm delights us with a poke bowl for dinner on our first night at anchor in the quiet bay of Cala Molto. Inspired by his meal out in Porto Cristo, he bought sushi rice before we left town this morning.
    There are two other boats at anchor here and nothing ashore except a small beach at the foot of a pine forest. It feels remote but just over the rocky promontory there is another beach and 15 minute’s walk along it brings you to the resort town of Cala Ratjada.
    We like the isolated buzz so we stay on this side and enjoy all the natural pleasures that surround us.
    The snorkelling here is fabulous with lots of interesting rock formations to explore in crystal clear water. We swim to a cave on the shore below the pine forrest. Swallows dart in and out of the cave above us and then swimming below us are wrass, sea bream and the very cute chromis chromis.
    The rocky promontory on the other side of the bay has fantastic under water features with boulders to swim between, a large plateau on which fish are feeding and a drop off where we can clearly see the seabed 20 meters below us. Ruby and Colm have become such confident snorkellers, it is a joy to watch them duck dive down to look at starfish or sea cucumber. Its like watching them float through a beautiful garden. Colm begins a ‘fish journal’ in which he draws and labels the fish he has seen. In it already there are pictures of Mediterranean Barracuda, flying Gurnard and Ray.
    On our third evening here we pack a picnic and Ruby and I set off to row ashore. On the way, we call to say ‘hi’ to the crew of yacht ‘Kaos’. Meanwhile Colm and Ronan snorkel to the beach and when we land, Colm joins me for a walk. We wander up through the pine covered headland and have great fun practicing our Irish by making up scéalta. Ruby chooses to walk a different path for some much needed peace and quiet - it’s perfect until on the path ahead a red headed animal emerges from a bush. Ruby turns on her heel and promptly returns to the beach. There are big discussions as to what it could have been, a boar, a fox, a wolf? We come to the more pedestrian conclusion that it was probably a wild goat.
    As we eat our picnic, we watch others pack up and leave as the sun goes off the beach. It cooler and quieter now, the perfect time to enjoy this beautiful place.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    May with Rafael Nadals Superyacht!Dinner outThe view over Porto Cristo

    A weekend with May and Shamie

    28 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Note: This chapter was written by Ruby :^)

    My cousin May and her boyfriend Shamie are on holidays in Mallorca for Shamies 19 birthday!We are looking forward to meeting them for a few days of their visit.
    We motor out of Porto Colom, bright and early, on Saturday morning. Puttering along the coast, we stick our heads into a few little harbours before going to anchor in one. This particular place is our rendezvous point to meet May and Shamie, and is aptly named Cala Romántica.
    Dad and Colm go in to the beach to pick up our guests on the dinghy, whilst Mom and I eagerly await their arrival. After they arrive we all go swimming together off the back off the boat and then we settle down with some delicious sandwiches. After lunch, May, Shamie, Colm and I get on to the SUPs, and paddle around each other in the clear turquoise water.
    We dry off, lift our anchor and head to Porto Cristo. Docking was a bit stressful but soon forgotten once the merits of this lovely port come into focus. There is a majestic black catamaran motor cruiser just across from us, and we soon find out that it belongs to none other then Rafael Nadal, the No.1 tennis player in the world!
    Everyone goes for a quick shower or a dip at the nearby beach and we get ready to hit the town. Ronan stays at the boat to listen a rugby match while the rest of us go into a bar for an aperitif. We meet dad at a seaside restaurant and have a gorgeous meal together before May and Shamie head home.

    Sunday morning is spent chatting with our neighbours. The crew of Kaos, a yacht who also spent winter in Cartagena , visit for coffee. Then we chat to Kit on Tiger Lilly, the boat-next-door. May and Shamie come soon afterwards and we get ready to go on the water and explore the harbour.
    On the two SUPs and in the dinghy, the six of us paddled out of the marina. We go to a little cove and then snorkel, SUP and dinghy along the cliffs and back into towards the beach. Colm and Shamie stop off and go jumping off the rocks with some locals.
    When we get back to the boat, Mom whips out a tray of pastries and serenades Shamie - it is his birthday after all.
    It’s time to say goodbye as they are going for a romantic dinner and we need to get ready for a day’s sailing tomorrow. It was truly wonderful to spend time with them    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Drying up the bilgesRegal in the backgroundRonan at workRuby's first full Can of Coke

    Caught in Porto Colom

    26 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    I Colm, hath written this blogo.

    We pick up a mooring bouy in the harbour of Porto Colom because the weather is going to be stormy for the next few days.
    Rain wind ,thunder and lightning arrive overnight.
    I awake early the next morning to find I have two wet legs.
    " Oops" I think " I must have spilled something". I check around my cabin and discover the problem.
    Unbeknownst to me , Mum opened my window last night and forgot to close it after she had watching 'Succession'.
    Dad and I dry up my bedroom.
    Later when we are just about to take a lift into town on the marina rib , Mom notices that my shoes are wet.
    It turns out a lot more water than we thought came in through the window. Most of it disappeared down the back of my wardrobe into the floor cupboards and bilges.
    We dry up using cloths and Dad's secret bilge cleaning weapons - nappies.
    After half of hour we finish the drying and go into town.

    The next day is wet and windy again so Ruby and I set up our Lego for the first time in months .
    We have a great afternoon playing lego while listening to the very funny autobiography of Bob Mortimer, which I highly recommend.
    I make a Lego gun that can actually shoots stuff.

    The next day we call the marina rib to bring us back into my town (Porto Colom)
    We are going to meet my cousin May and her boyfriend Shamie who are on holidays here in a nearby town.
    We put a wash on in the Lavandaría and go to a nice cafe.
    After a few minutes I see the young couple drive past in a mini.
    I chase them and in 200 metres I catch up with them and I tap on the window.
    They are suprised to see me and they follow me in the car to the Café.
    We have a nice chat and then they go off on a roadtrip adventure.

    Later that day we a go on a walk to the lighthouse. The path is very nice and it is a roasting day.
    We have a picnic ( three oranges) and then start to walk home.
    On the way back to the port we spot a nice restaurant and have an absolutely spiffing meal.
    We collect the laundry , do the shopping and finally go home to bed.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Mitjana
    Romantic walk in MitjanaImage of Mitjana from the internetPlanning meetingMondrago Cave

    Mondrago and Mitjana

    22 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Most mornings upon waking, Ronan and I usually ….wait for it….check the weather forecast . Ronan likes Windy and Metro Marine and I look at Buoy Weather and Windguru. The wind and swell forecasts have a big influence on where we decide to go. When we compare notes from the various weather apps they sometimes don’t match. The strength and direction of the wind and swell can be different as well as the timeline of their predictions, so it can be a bit of a puzzle. The forecasts however usually align when there is bad weather coming , and we can see now that there is some strong wind and swell on the way in two days time.
    We plan on sailing up the East Coast of Mallorca and stopping off in some of its many beautiful little calas and coves. Hopefully we will find one that will offer us protection from the thunderstorm on Tuesday, but if not we know there is a sheltered harbour nearby.
    We scroll through the Navily app looking for recommended anchorages. Navily is the sailing equivalent of trip advisor. We read other users reviews and look at the app’s real-time assessment of how well the spot is protected from wind and swell, based on their weather forecast. We zoom out to 48 hours to see how comfortable an anchorage will be over the coming days. We now have an idea of where we are going and all before we roll out of bed.
    Cala Mondrago is top of our list- it has a good write up in the sailing directions, good reviews on Navily and our friends Iaian and Niamh loved it. Navily’s forecasting is only rating its protection from wind and swell at 50% but we decide to take a look when we are passing by. When we see the picturesque bay and several boats at anchor here it is very tempting. We do a circle in the small bay and ask the German who is watching us from his cockpit what he thinks of the place. His friendly thumbs up is all we need.
    The evening is falling and we drop anchor and settle in, enjoying the views and sounds of this beautiful nature reserve.
    The wind drops off completely overnight and although small the sea swell is coming straight into the cove. Regal rolls side to side and front to back, creaking all through the night. Navily was right, we get about 50% sleep.
    With no sign of the conditions improving we decide to move on but first we take to the water to snorkel. The water is crystal clear and in 7 meters depth we see a cuttle fish scuttle along the sand below. We swim to the cave which has a small opening at the end through which we can see the beach. We snorkel all the way through and it’s very exciting.

    Back onboard we continue to sail north and according to Navily there are several anchorages that offer good protection from the increasing sea swell. Near Cala d’Or we follow the glass-bottomed tourist Catamaran into one of them but soon see the swell and choppy sea is making its way right into the beach. We circle back out and head for Cala Mitjana which has little protection now according to Navily but a promise of improved conditions when the weather turns more northerly. We turn 90 degrees to port to get into the first part of the cove and then another 90 degrees to starboard and find beautiful flat calm water in this magical narrow Cala. There is Catamaran anchored right in the sweet spot so we have a little chat with them and find out they aren’t staying. We anchor off while they eat their lunch and move in once they leave. We are delighted, Mitjana is stunning. The land all around is privately owned and beautifully maintained. The beach has public access through a pathway that is a 25 minute walk from the road. Some people have come here on ribs and little day rental motor boats, so only the determined holiday makers are here.
    As we get ready to go swimming, Regal moves around gently in the shifting breeze. Her stern bobs around and moves close to the cliffs on the Western shore. Half an hour later the cliffs on the eastern side of the cove are a bit too close for comfort. There is nothing for it but to put out a stern anchor to stop us moving around in our narrow little bed.
    Happily pinned in place in the middle of cove we watch the day trippers leave and then we have the place to ourselves- nobody’s home up in the mansion.
    Morning breaks and I wake gently to the sound of birds singing in the tree above, I think I must be in heaven. We do our usual check-in on the weather forecast. That strong north-easterly is on the way today but we have 100% protection here according to Navily - This is heaven. We swim and snorkel, do a little school work and bake bread.
    As each hour passes Mitjana’s calm waters become more choppy. The swell from outside is starting to make its way in the the Cala, hitting both cliffs and the beach. Regal is starting to feel it and these conditions are going to get a whole lot stronger for the next four days. Navily hasn’t got it right this time and we need to get out of here.
    We have to pull up the stern anchor first but decide not to launch the dinghy to do it as getting the dinghy back onboard will be difficult. Ronan thinks that once we take up the stern anchor Regal will swing around in the swell and get too close to the cliffs so he hatches a plan and needs all hands on deck.
    Colm goes forward to the bow to man the windlass and control the main anchor. He communicates by walkie talkie with Ronan who is on the helm. Ronan goes astern while Colm lets out more chain on the main anchor. We move closer to the stern anchor and Ruby and I pull in the slack on the line and eventually haul the anchor back on board. Ronan immediately puts the throttle forward and Colm starts to recover the 50 meters of chain that is now out. Ronan maintains great control of the helm in this narrow space. Once the anchor is up we reverse out of the Mitjana, pausing momentarily in the outer bay until everything is stowed safely. Although there is a swell, we are relieved to be out in the wide open sea and feel proud of our great crew.
    We head for the shelter of nearby Porto Colom to let this weather front blow through.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty

    Cabrera Island National Park

    21 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    On Friday the 20th of May, we all got up bright and early to see Tom, Joan and Clare off. We had a cup of tea together and then waved goodbye. It was nice to get to see them once more before we parted ways.
    All the facilities in the house were shortly made use of—showers were had and laundry was cleaned— before we went back to the boat to embark on the usual tasks. Mom whipped out the sewing machine an hour before we left the marina, and I was roped into some mosquito net making!
    We motored out of Sa Rapita marina at quarter to four that day with our sights set on Cabrera island, a national park off the southernmost tip of Mallorca. There were some high seas as we motor sailed to the island, with Margaret chained below cleaning toilets.
    A Castle perched on the rocks, overseeing the harbour entrance, was an incredible welcoming view as we pottered into Port de Cabrera. The mooring lines were prepared and we tied on to the buoy . We had a swim in the deep, deep cerulean water and ate dinner. It was certainly shaping up to be a wonderful stay.
    • • •
    We all enjoyed having a -much needed- slow start on our first morning at Cabrera Island. Later in the day we all got into the dinghy and went in to the tiny port, which was run by the park rangers. These rangers run the national park and were the people we had to apply to for our mooring permit!
    The island seemed a lovely place as we walked up to the castle on the headland. However, only one thing stopped us from completely appreciating the islands beauty — the heat! It was about 30 degrees as we climbed up the hill, making us all extremely grateful for the wind blowing strongly at the top. We sadly couldn’t go into the castle itself as it was closed for the time being, but there were some amazing panoramic views out over the bay.
    As we had brought a picnic ashore with us, we sat down in the shade of a pine tree and munched away happily. We had ice-cream and coffee in the little cafe afterwards (the only place to get food on the entire island!) got back into the dingy and away we went.
    After a few hours of chilling on the boat, we prepared to go on our next venture. We went in to the little beach nearby, with all our gear heaped in with us as we were determined to test the truth of the said-to-be-fantastic snorkelling in Cabrera. We were quickly proven right a hundred times over. All the fish in the Baleraric islands so far seem quite tame ……. but these ones really take the biscuit.
    In the shoulder-deep water, we saw mullet, hermit crabs, saddled sea bream, shoals of tiny sprat and so much more. The fish were all un afraid and almost fascinated by us, so much so that you would have several following you, only a metre behind, the entire time. It was definitely one of the best snorkelling experiences that we had ever had.
    • • •
    At about noon on Sunday we went in to the beach. Mom and Dad swam in, leaving Colm and I to steer the dinghy. Whilst the parents powered in, we set up a tarp to go over our picnic mat. The tarp was tied between a fence and several sticks with multiple pieces of twine, and I thought that it definitely showcased our potential at camping!
    A swim was much needed after such sweaty work, and the ever-curious fish certainly helped in refreshing our tired minds! We had a little picnic lunch on the beach and our sandwich crumbs attracted a new visitor. Balearic lizards! The hungry little creatures kept scurrying across the sand towards us, with hand-waving and stick-prodding doing little to slow them down. They were both extremely endearing and extremely frustrating at the same time.
    While the others hung around the beach, swimming, reading and trying to keep the incessant lizards at bay, I decided to go on a walk. The trail took me to the lighthouse on a peninsula at the bottom of the island, but sadly I couldn’t get out to it as the path was closed for the foreseeable future. (Something that I was secretly glad of, as the 32 degree heat was exhausting to walk in)
    We had one more short swim at the beach before loading up into the dinghy once more and blasting off back to the boat. The usual pre-departure tasks were undertaken and we left the harbour at about four. We had a beautiful sail through the other Islands in the Cabreran archipelago as we waved goodbye to a truly wonderful place.

    Notes: this chapter was brought to you by Ruby =]    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Tram in Port SollerBirthday bakingThe Longfordians

    Meeting the Meades

    19 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    This blog is written by no other than Colm O' Driscoll himself.
    😐😛😀😀😃😄😁😆🤣😂🙂🙃

    We sail from Porto de Andraitx to Sa Rapita, where we are meeting Tom, Joan, Clare and the Longfordians who are staying in a house there for the coming week to celebrate Jane's big birthday.
    On the way we pass the Bay of Palma and Santa Ponsa.
    A big container ship called Roro is very kind and alters course for us so there isn't a collision.
    When get into Sa Rapita marina it is hot and every one is stinky except me - shower time.

    Soon after, I see Clare , Joan ,Jane ,Tony and Donagh walking towards us.
    We go up to their house which, conveniently, is only 3 minutes away.
    The house is very pretty and it has a pool out the front.
    It also has many , many bedrooms.

    I hop straight into the pool with Tara and Joanne ,it is very refreshing.
    Then Ruby and Tony come in for a cooldown as well.
    I teach Joanne how to dive and Ruby tries to teach us all how to flip into the water.
    After fun in the pool we spray each other with Tony's newly purchased water-gun.

    We play lots of table tennis and I am intrigued by Tony's superb racket skills.
    After a lot of ball whacking, the five squits (children) all go on a walk to look for lizards. They must have heard us coming because we find none.

    On Sunday everyone comes aboard Regal and we set sail for the nearby Es Trenc beach.
    It's a beautiful day and we hoist the headsail and Tara helms for most of the journey .
    When we get there the water is crystal clear and the breeze is slack.
    We all pop in for a swim and some poeple go snorkeling.
    We have lovely sangers for lunch and after that the titchys play board games below decks while the oldies chat in the cockpit.
    Ronan does 2 trips on dingy to ferry all the visitors on to the beach. From there they walk back along the two long beaches to get home.

    Another day, two excursions are arranged, so the group splits.
    Tom, Joan , Clare , Ruby and Margaret go on drive over the mountains to Port Soller.
    Jane , Donagh , Tony , Tara and Joanne and I go to the Caves De Drach.
    We eat hot dogs and proceed to the Caves. We go down lots and lots of steps and then I see a Stalactite and then more and more and more.
    We are in a huge cavern covered in Stalagmites and Stalactites ( A clue to know which is which is in their name. Satalagmites have a 'g' for ground and Stalactites have a 't' for top).There is a very big lake at the bottom of the cavern .
    We sit down in theatre-style seating and all the lights go out.
    Then from around the corner lights appear, they are on small boats floating on the lake. One of them has musicians who are playing songs including 'Air On A Cheesestring'.
    Then we all hop into one the boats, it was short trip but pretty spectacular.

    Our visits to the nearby beach are squelchy. Although the sand is beautiful there is seagrass which we have to walk through to go swimming. When I step on it my whole foot disappears. I really enjoy playing footy on the beach with Tony, Donagh and Dad.
    We have a delicious ice cream , I get vanilla and white chocolate flavour.

    On the day of Jane's party she and Donagh go Scuba Diving while the rest of us get everything ready.
    Tara and I go down to the boat and make chocolate delights ( the recipe is at the bottom of the blog).
    Ruby has made two cheese cakes and Margaret made caramel squares.
    When Jane and Donagh get home we have drinks and a toast in the garden followed by a gorgeous Barbecue. We give Jane her birthday cards, everybody has made one, they are very funny. After dinner we all have a great time dancing together in the ballroom ( kitchen). Ruby and I sleep over while Mom and Dad clamber over the wall and jump down on to the bins to get back into the marina.

    The next day while the Ladies go to the spa, we get some snorkels , fins and goggles from Regal and go down to the swimming platform at end of the pier.
    We go snorkeling and we do a dive competition.
    After that Ronan gets the dinghy and the bigger SUP and we all set off from the pier.
    I swim the 400 metres to the beach while Donagh paddleboards and Ronan goes in the dinghy with the kids. We have another great day but alas it is the last. Everyone flies home the next day leaving the crew of Regal behind to solider on in Sunny Mallorca.

     Recipe for chocolate delights

    . 200g chocolate bar

    . Nuts (chopped)

     . Raisins (chopped)
    Melt the chocolate , put the nuts and raisins at the bottom of 6 bun cases .Then pour the melted chocolate on top of the nuts and raisins. Let cool , and then gobble them up.

    PS. Chocolate delights are an idea of mine.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty

    A great sail to Mallorca

    11 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    It's been a long time since we we sailed for 9 hours plus and what a sail it was.
    Leaving Portinax before 8, we soon cleared the NE tip of Ibiza and struck out on the 50 mile trip to Mallorca. There were several boats around us making the same passage.
    Soon enough we had the engine off.
    Conditions were perfect, 10 - 12 kts breeze on our beam, a calm sea and of course, plenty sunshine. By late morning we had left Ibiza in our wake, and all we could see was a calm blue sea and the other few yachts. By midday we were making 7 kts with a light helm and a happy boat.
    It's a rare day to have a good sail combining with an offshore passage
    It's days like these we signed up for!
    The high mountains of Mallorca appeared as a distant smudge on the horizon, 20 miles away.
    As we approached our destination port of Andraitx we heard an Irish voice on the VHF, calling "sailing yacht IRL 4812" - the number on our mainsail. It turned out to be none other than Eddie English who was in Mallorca for a sail training week. We spoke later, small world!
    We were soon tied up at a buoy, delighted to be in Mallorca and blissed out after our great sail.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Sailing between Es Vedra Island and IbizaMary McAleese on passageSant MiquelHome school with a viewDiving into fishWash up after dinnerRégalA very dead snakeThe dingy parking spot in Portinatx

    We could get used to this

    9 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After two nights at anchor in Jondal we travel up the west coast of Ibiza.
    It is a sunny day with light wind on the beam and after passing through the scenic channel between El Vedra Island and Ibiza we turn off the engine. With full sails up we travel at the very gentle pace of 3 knots - which is about 6kms an hour. We don’t have any great distance to cover today so we are relaxed about our slow progress and just enjoy the scenery and the silence. We pass through more beautiful islands near the bay resort of San Antonio and we begin towing a fishing line.
    Over the next hour the wind gradually increases and when we reach the northern coast of Ibiza our speed is 6 to 7 knots with the wind at our stern. We are having a great sail. We bring the headsail over to the opposite side of the mainsail so that we are goose-winging. Regal is in her element, her sails are balanced and we hardly have to touch the helm.

    After a perfect day’s sailing we arrive into the very pretty port of Sant Miquel. We circle around our nudie boat-neighbour and drop anchor into crystal clear water. We can see the anchor on the sand below us and our favourite fishies, the Saddled sea bream, come straight over to welcome us.
    Liam and Mags Drennan spent two happy weeks here a few years ago and it is easy to see why.
    We explore the bay by swimming and Stand Up Paddle boarding. We don’t bother to lift the dingy and outboard engine into the water so Ronan brings the shopping home on the paddle board
    We have so much fun jumping from the boat into the crowd of sea bream in the water below. They are quite tame and hang around when we are in the water. We stare at them through our masks and goggles and they stare right back. They are very impressed when Colm nails a standing dive.
    After two nights we travel to a Portinatx ,further east along the northern coast. Again the water is crystal clear and we have a wonderful snorkel around the rocky coast and into the beach. We explore a bit of the area above water still wearing our togs and carrying our snorkels. Later we dingy back into the beach dressed for dinner. We walk along the water-side boardwalk through a beautiful little pine-shaded beach and continue up the hill for a lovely meal in a local restaurant.
    We could get used to this.    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty

    Sailing with Nana and grandad

    6 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today we all set of from Ibiza town and headed west on board Regal. There was a bit of a swell and with the wind on the nose, sadly we could not put up the sails.

    Then at about three in the afternoon we got to a nice anchorage called Jondal.

    We all went for a swim and then we had lunch on board. We had sushi ,fuet and some other things including a salad.

    Then everybody save mother Margaret hopped on the dingy and went into the beach bar for a drink. After that Nana and Grandad got a taxi back to their apartment in Ibiza town,they would be leaving the island tomorrow.

    ;^] this blog was written by Colm    Leer más

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  • Doteyboaty
    Pacha nightclub just down the roadPacha shop

    Pacha

    5 de mayo de 2022, España ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We only have one opportunity to experience Ibiza’s famous nightclubbing culture so we go for it.
    It’s our last night in the town and Ruby and Colm are having a sleep over in Nana and Grandad’s apartment.
    By pure chance we have the closest berth out of all four marinas, to the oldest and most celebrated club on the Island, Pacha.
    Today, Thursday is the first day this week that it’s opened - it feel like fate and we must go.
    The 12am to 6am opening hours are a little intimidating but we remember that we can leave whenever we want.
    There are queues when we get there and it’s packed when we get inside. People are mainly in their early 20s with a few old timers like us.
    The music is pumping and we have great time dancing and people- watching.
    Like the sensible people we are we head home at a reasonable hour conscious that we are back out on the water in the morning.    Leer más

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