Swagmans Sailing Blog

19th July 2005 - Alcudiamar and overland to Cala Retjada and Porto Cristo

Posted at 5:03 PM, Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Just chillin' in Alcudia until Thursday and then suspect we'll backtrack with Paul and Pattie on board down the north / west coast and around to Palma again.

We rented a car today and drove over to view some of the east coast - Cala Retjada and then Porto Cristo. Both pretty enough places but neither is very large - and both were chocker with boats.

At Cala Retjada suspect there would be room for maybe 10 visiting yachts - and they would need to raft up just inside the mole which forms the harbour wall. No power apparently close enough to use - but water from taps across the mole. A nice village type feel to the place - super blue / green water in the approaches.

Porto Cristo is larger and more sophisticated - great beach facing the dog leg shaped cala one sails into to moor up in one of two places - if either has room. Club Nautico on western bank to port - and the Harbour Jetty on starboard - which is moreof less right in middle of the town. Also a very pretty place - but would guess Harbour Jetty would be noisy till late.

Couple of tips re Alcudia if you ever stay.

1. Don't get the water conectors from the Marinero for Eu20 - buy one in the chandlers on the quay for Eu10!

2. Be aware of a local surge which is stunning to watch but maybe dangerous in some circumstances. Its caused by weather pressure changing rapidly off the coast. ie a low sees seas 'sucked' upward - a high sweeping in sees same seas pushed downward. End result is a bit like a sugar cube dropped into tea - a ripple out from the centre that grows not quite to tsunami size in shallow water, but a definate surge. Unless you've been monitoring pressure closely, it''ll hit without notice - running across the pontoons in Alcudia at what I guess to be 3 - 5 knots.

The water level as this happens rises steeply as you watch - about 1 inches in 1 minutes. We saw it rise almost .5 metres before our eyes. It then stablised for a few minutes - and then dropped almost as quick. If you ever enter the harbour and noticewhat appears to be a slow tide beginning to set in - I'd maybe suggest you hold off parking for 15 minutes to ensure you are not going to get sent sideways sharply by this effect.

Am enjoying this marina and its good facilities - but it is like an oasis in the middle of Port Alcudia itself. That reminds me of the Margate I grew up in but only worse.

Lots of lights, amusements, bars, north european type restaurants serving bratwurst & larger or fish and chips & John Smiths - about equal number Germans and Brits seem to be populating the place on package type deals. I am sure you can use your imagination - beach full of broiled bodies.

Good anchorage also just outside harbour off the beach to the south of the entrance - relatively shallow but good holding hence the spot where Alcudiamar winter boat residents tend to go for July and August avoiding high mooring costs.

In both these months Alcudiamar will not rent space by anything more than a day rate - so longer term visitors tend to vacate the marina and anchor for free 200 metres away.

Maybe that will do us also next time we're here.

So - will update you further when we've something to report.

Regards

JOHN

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Untitled Comment

Posted by savarna at 5:32 PM, Friday, July 22, 2005

Hi John

Thanks for your posting on the Savarna blog. Your postings are most impressive and detailed - and will make a good reference guide as we move further eastwards but unfortunately not likely to catch up with you and Sue this season. We have slipped the boat at Portimao with Pedro in control (he did say he had delivered some blue paint to the Aussie) as we return to NZ until late August. We are having to have the rudder bearings replaced and also note with interest the charging problems you have had as our 24 volt charging system has not worked since we left the UK ( an alternator wiring problem I think) - fortunately we have a genset to keep the batteries up. Stewart Germann is the lawyer you would have met and I will pass on the emails to him - he will be most impressed.
I am looking to put Savarna up on a hardstand ator near Barcelona for the winter and will be in contact with the Hanse dealer there next week. What are you guys going to do in this regard?? Maybe you and Sue need to come back for a few days in mid September to cruise in company before we wrap the season up.

Best regards
Keith

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Hi Keith

Posted by at 7:59 AM, Saturday, July 23, 2005

Sorry to hear you've rudder issues with Savarna but we found Pedro really helpful (like all other Hanse dealers elsewhere) so sure you'll get it sorted. We are still waiting for a wiring diagram for the 461 so we can fix our problem once and fo all - in the interim I simply have to manually bridge the diode when running under engine - and not forget to remove it when we are at anchor.
We will be coming back out in September but only for a weekend with the office team. We've booked 26 rooms in a Hotel near Alcudia and arrive Friday 23rd - but back on plane Sunday 25th. Sue and I are returning also on 13th October and will stay for a further five days - and will shortly also look to book other cheap flights each month for the rest of the winter months. Maybe we can find the opportunity to link up then and swop stories then?
Give Stewart my regards - he is more likely to recall one of my previous partners John Brown - we ran a consultancy named Franchise Alliance out of Perth and I know they've met up at a more recently than when I met Stewart at the Gold Coast Conference.
So - hoping to meet up in due course - travel safe.
Regards
JOHN

Edited by swagman on Jul. 23, 2005 at 8:00 AM

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