Thirty hearty Water Babies safely returned from our first venture into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea , completing more than twelve days of sailing and adventure in the city of Barcelona and the Balearic Islands of Spain. 

This trip was a huge departure from our typical WBSC sailing journeys to laid-back tropical island destinations. However, after mastering the Caribbean , exploring the Pacific Ocean , and savoring the Indian Ocean , it was time for the Water Babies to conquer the Mediterranean !

Most Water Babies had not even heard of the Balearic Islands .  A few were aware of their most popular islands, Mallorca and Ibiza , long-time gathering place for Europe ’s jet set and international party crowd.  These islands, which consist of Mallorca , Menorca , Ibiza , Formentera, and Cabrera are located off of the northeastern coast of Spain .  During ancient times, these exotic islands were the sailing crossroads of the Mediterranean . Today, they form one of the most attractive and varied cruising grounds in the Western Mediterranean , with many hundreds of harbors and anchorages varying from large cosmopolitan ports, such as Palma de Mallorca, to completely deserted anchorages in exquisitely beautiful bays. They offered us a mosaic of ancient cultures and vibrant nightlife. 

Already apprehensive about our first trip to the Mediterranean , some of us experienced some travel anxiety in this post 9/11 era of extremely tight airport security, the threat of terrorism, and the complexity of international European travel.  Some of us experienced airport security delays, flight delays, unanticipated carry-on baggage quantity, size, and weight restrictions, and lost luggage.  Flexibility, patience, and good attitudes were the key to maintaining our sanity.

We began arriving in Barcelona on August 28^th, checking into the centrally located Hotel Montblanc, situated within a block of Plaza Catalonia , one of the main plazas in the heart of the city.  Accommodations were comfortable and ample buffet breakfasts were included each day.

From our central location, we enjoyed the beauty of this great city, host to the XXV Summer Olympic Games in 1992.  We experienced the bustling streets, fine dining establishments, amazing architecture, and art museums featuring the works of Picasso and Gaudi.  Wandering the streets of Las Ramblas, the crowded pedestrian thoroughfare that cuts through the heart of the city stretching for miles, we marveled at the open market, artisans, street entertainers, endless shops, boutiques, and restaurants.  Many took advantage of the double-deck “off-and-on” tour busses providing 24-hours of travel with unlimited off and on privileges.  This provided a convenient way to see all of the city’s sights and attractions at a very reasonable cost.  Some of the more adventurous Water Babies toured the city by bicycle and motor scooter. 

Barcelona has the most Art Nouveau building than any other city in the world.  The influences of the artist Antoni Gaudi were everywhere; from the curvy Casa Milia building, completed in 1910, to the mosaic sculptures in Guell Park, to the amazingly complex and ornate Sagrada Familia Cathedral, started in 1882 and still under construction.  Now we truly understand where the term “gaudy” comes from! 

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As the streets of Barcelona filled and remained crowded with people from the early evening into the late night, we enjoyed our first taste of Spanish cuisine at a number for fine restaurants throughout the city.

On September 2^nd, after thoroughly enjoying Barcelona , Water Babies made the short flight to the city of Palma on the island of Mallorca .  The skyline of Palma is dominated by the massive Palma Cathedral built in the 12^th century on the former site of a Moorish mosque.  Founded during the 4^th century by the Phoenicians, the city of Palma enjoyed prosperity under the Moors who arrived from North Africa in the early 10^th century.  Driven out of Mallorca by Spanish armies in 1229AD, little remains today of their presence; however their influence is reflected in the city’s architecture and in the soul of the Spanish people.

By noon , we had all arrived at Puerto di Palma de Mallorca to begin check-in with The Moorings for four of our yachts and with Sunsail for Greer’s yacht.

The sight of the Moorings base was nothing short of organized chaos.   Because of the short summer sailing season, check out of all charter boats for all of the yacht charter companies occurs on Saturday afternoons.  This means that all boats are cleaned, repaired, provisioned, re-fueled, and supplies re-stocked in time for the new charterers briefing in the afternoon on the same day.  This scheduling ensures that the charter companies maximize each boat’s chartered days during the short summer charter season.  A drawback of this policy is that the boats can be only be chartered in increments on 7 days, with all boat charters starting on Saturday afternoons and ending on Friday evenings.  It also guarantees a circus of confusion on Saturdays.  Imagine piles of luggage on the docks belonging to hundreds of new charter guests with the additional confusion of additional luggage from departing guests.  Despite this tedious and time-consuming process, our check-in was accomplished with minimal pain.  The strict Spanish licensing requirements for boat captains presented no problems; Sunsail and The Moorings took care of any required paperwork or formalities.

After stowing our luggage and provisions, we completed rushed boat checkouts; however, we had an excellent group chart briefing.  Finally, we had a chance to relax, enjoying a cold bottle of champagne provided by the helpful and friendly Moorings staff.  By 6pm we were able to settle-in for the evening on the boats. We showered, got dressed, and hit the streets busy streets of Palma . 

Mouths were agape mid-bite and heads quickly turned our way as all eyes were on our group of sophisticated and stylish Water Babies strolling the 12^th century streets of Palma , past the curious jet-set diners at the numerous sidewalk cafes and restaurants.  Our dining experience in was incredible at Pope’s (Popeye’s) featuring huge platters of delectable fresh seafood to-die-for at a cost of only 14 euros.  We drank sangria endlessly and shut the restaurant down as we became acclimated to the laid back Mediterranean daily pace of living; enjoying lunch in the afternoons between 1:30 and 3:00 pm , then dinner and libations between 9:30 pm and midnight ….and beyond.  Throughout the trip, we rarely went to bed before 2am ! 

Early morning on September 3^rd, we sailed out of Puerto di Palma de Mallorca .  Captain Richard Rice and 1^st Mate Sone Seere Wilson aboard the Indian Summer, a Moorings Beneteau 474 were joined by a crew that included veteran Water Babies Kathy Rice, Beverley Pyne, and new Water Babies, Rhonda Wagner, Phillip Landers, Denise Barker, and Rodney Jordan.  Veteran Water Babies Judy Johnson, Jaki Smith, and new Water Babies Francis Arzu and Wayne Wright, joined Commodore Al Donatto and 1st Mate Charlie Marshall aboard Sorry, a Moorings Beneteau 443.  Captain Ron Brown and 1^st Mate Charles Heath on Four More Mischief, a Moorings Beneteau 433, were joined by veteran Water Babies Kim Fuller, Melanie Berry, Lauretta Robinson, and new Water Baby Gerry Russell.  Captain Greer Geiger and 1^st Mate George Lythcott on Bubbly, a Sunsail Oceanus 423 were joined by veteran Water Babies Kilolo Kijakazi, Tracy Jones, and Claire Woody.  Captain Bill Nelson aboard Bearleigh, a Moorings Beneteau 408, was joined by new Water Babies, 1^st Mate Marguerite Showers, Richard Miller, Charlie Neal, and Sandra Nelson. 

During our pre-trip float planning; after reviewing charts, sailing distances, and boat capabilities, we were forced to scale back our ambitious original itinerary that included sailing around Mallorca , sailing to Ibiza , and to possibly Minorca .  The distance from Mallorca to Ibiza is approximately 75nm and we determined that the 150nm+ roundtrip sail alone would have consumed nearly half or our 7 day trip!  We also realized that Mallorca is a large island, approximately 62 miles long and 47 miles wide with dozens of harbors, ports, marinas, coves, and anchorages.  It has a 4,300ft mountain range fringing the northwest coast; it is very rugged with steep rocky cliffs broken by indentations and few major harbors.  The Southeast face comprises the coast of the calas (coves), consisting of low rocky cliffs numerous inlets with small harbors and anchorages.  

Based on our careful review, we revised our 7-day float plan to include only the island of Mallorca , with an optional land based trip to Ibiza . We also considered sailing to the national park and beautiful nature reserve of Cabrera, a group of small islands off of the southeast coast of Mallorca .  Restricted to only 50 moorings for the entire island group and normally a one-month waiting list for permits to sail there, we agreed that we would include Cabrera as a destination to visit on a future WBSC trip to the Balearics.

We planned to sail along the south and the east coast of Mallorca , which featured a variety of calas and harbors.        Our sailing distances would range from 10 to 65 nm per day.  Since we were there in the high season, we expected anchorages and marinas to be extremely crowded, since the Balearics are a major European summer vacation destination.  By leaving each port early in the morning, we were able to avoid any problems obtaining spaces in the crowded marinas; we were always able to tie-up all boats together.  Marina fees were $50 to $150 per night per boat.

The first port we visited was Andraitx (Club de Vela Puerto de Andraitx), 20nm from Palma along the SW coast.  Winds in Mallorca generally pick up about 11am .  After a few hours of motoring, we raised the sails for an afternoon of great sailing in 15+kn winds.  During our sail, we reviewed crew duties, safety procedures, practiced man overboard drills, and got used to the feel of the boats.  We sailed into Andraitx late afternoon and got our first practice tying up using the 4-point Mediterranean mooring technique. 

This technique consisted of backing the large 40 - 47 ft sloops into the pier in tight quarters, sometimes with crew fending off other docked boats as we tightly squeezed in between; then securing port and starboard stern lines, picking up a lazyline line attached to the pier and connected to a submerged mooring line that is recovered with a boathook and secured to a bow cleat.  Mediterrain ports do not have finger piers and this technique provides an efficient way of mooring the maximum number of boats in the compact Spanish marinas.  As we practiced during the trip, Captains and 1^st Mates easily mastered this technique.  We were careful not to embarrass ourselves in front of the experienced observing European sailors who took great interest in our attempts, just waiting for us to make a mistake.  Determined to “represent”, we all learned to expertly maneuver and dock our boats.  The crew quickly mastered the technique of balancing themselves as they disembarked the boats on the narrow gangplanks (consisting of a 8ft long x 10 inch wide wooden board) provided with each boat, and laid down from the boats transom to the pier.

The tranquil port of Andraitx was beautifully quaint, with up-scale boutiques and restaurants.  Marina facilities included clean showers, a swimming pool, and café.  Expensive homes and villas dotted the hillsides overlooking the well-protected harbor, including a fabulous villa owned by actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones.  Many Babies dinghyed across or strolled around the harbor to check out the shops and enjoy the restaurants. The actual old town of Andraitx is located about 2 miles inland from Andraitx harbor.  Many of the coastal towns in the Balearics are located inland from their harbors.  It was the practice in ancient times to locate coastal towns inland from their harbors, out of cannon range, to protect them against marauding pirates. 

We cast off early the next morning for the long 36nm sail to Puerto de la Rapita on the South coast.  After a good sail in brisk winds of 15+ knots, we pulled into the harbor late afternoon. This large and modern artificial harbor featured excellent facilities, a great beach where Europeans normally sunbathe “au natural”, a nearby Bronze Age burial site, and a prehistoric village archeological site.  We all enjoyed a quiet afternoon and evening laying on the beach, watching the sunset, enjoying dinner on the boats or local restaurants, and socializing on the boats into the late night.

On September 5^th, we picked an excellent anchorage just outside the town of Puerto Colonia De Sant Jordi , less than 10nm from Puerto de la Rapita.  The anchorage was off of a popular beach and was beautiful as we dived into the warm 77-degree Mediterranean Sea , keeping an eye out for the numerous stinging Medusa jellyfish that had recently infested these waters.  Some took the long hike along the beach pathway into town.  Most of us enjoyed the day in the water, enjoying lunch and dinner aboard our boats before settling in for the evening at this calm and quiet anchorage.  Rafted-up, the crews of Sorry and Four More Mischief hosted an evening of socializing; with a belated all-hands crew briefing, formal crew introductions, speeches by Commodore Al, and distribution of our classy WBSC polo shirts.  After a pleasant evening of fellowship and bull****, we all turned-in for the evening ready for the next day’s adventure.

As we set sail on September 6^th, our float plan included navigating 25nm along the southeast coast of Mallorca , popping into a few of the many beautiful calas along the way for a lunch stop before proceeding to Puerto Colom before nightfall.  The crew of Island Summer and Barliegh stopped at Cala Mondrago, a small and picturesque cove cut into the steep bluffs. After replenishing their water, the crews of Sorry and Four More Mischief took the opportunity to race the 25nm; with 4 More Mischief victorious in an fantastic day of sailing.

Puerto Colom is the best natural yacht harbor on the island.  This large and well-protected harbor featured a lighthouse on the high bluff.  We docked at Club Nautico de Porto Colom, just steps from a multitude of shops and restaurants that lined the harbor.  In this idyllic setting we decided to spend two nights at this picturesque port, allowing the crew some downtime to enjoy some of the many land-based attractions of the area.   

In Puerto Colom, Richard, Bill, Charles Heath, and Wayne hooked up with a local dive shop and enjoyed some good diving a selected spots along the coast featuring swim-throughs, moray eels, scorpion fish, and jellyfish. 

Avid cyclers Rhonda and Phillip explored the countryside by bicycle, taking on some serious inclines and hillsides.  Others rented automobiles for some less strenuous touring.  Kathy, Sone Seere, Beverley, and Denise found the Mallorca pearl factory and spending an afternoon shopping for world famous Mallorcan Pearls. 

Many Water Babies enjoyed touring the system of underground caves found throughout the island.  Discovered in 1896 by a French explorer, the Cuevas del Drac is the most extensive cave system in Mallorca .  Deep within these ancient caves lies a lake of crystal clear water.  Visitors to the caves can take boat rides across the water, while the sounds of classical music fill the interior.  Along the cave walls are hundreds of stalagmites and stalactites that add to the mystical beauty of the surroundings.

After a formal WBSC initiation ceremony for our new group of Water Babies, we took advantage of fabulous outdoor dining at some of the great restaurants lining he streets of the picturesque harbor. 

We partied until the early AM hours at a local festival featuring local entertainment, dancing, and aerial fireworks lighting up the harbor.

We all sadly left Puerto Colom by 10am on September 8^th.   Anticipating a long and hard 65nm sail back to Palma , the boats were due back to the Moorings and Sunsail bases in Palma by 5pm .  As the winds picked up, we unfurled the sails, enjoying an exhilarating last day of sailing.

Upon our arrival back at Puerto di Palma de Mallorca, nervous 1^st Mate Son Seere Wilson expertly maneuvered the 47ft Indian Summer into the tight slip with all eyes on her.  All boats safely arrived back in Palma by late afternoon, welcomed by Champagne provided by the Moorings staff.  After enjoying another great afternoon and evening in Palma , we packed all of our gear in preparation for leaving the boats in the morning and we spent the last night on our boats.

We all said our farewells to friends and crewmates on September 9^th as some Water Babies departed for continued adventure in Madrid , Morocco , and beyond.  Some spent their last night at Uto Palace hotel in Palma before returning home.  Others returned to the Hotel Montblanc for more adventure and exploration of Barcelona . 

Many took a short Flight to the island of Ibiza to the Sol Pinet Playa where we enjoyed a few days lying on the beach during the day and touring the outrageous bars and nightclubs San Antonio and Ibiza City by night. 

We were fortunate to enjoy very good weather throughout the trip, with mostly clear (and bug-free) sunny days, calm cool nights, low humidity, and no rain.  Winds normally picked up by late morning each day providing for some good late morning and afternoon sailing in 10 - 15+ knot winds.  September marks the end of the high tourist season as the weather begins to change in the Mediterranean .  One can normally expect some rain during the month of September; October is the regions rainiest month.  Our trip schedule provided a good compromise between the extremely overcrowded peak tourist period of July and August, and the stormy weather that can be expected in October.

All boats were returned with no damage.  As part of the Moorings check-in process, we noted that they use scuba divers to visually inspect the bottom of each returning yacht to verify that no keel or hull damage occurred while under charter.  This is something we had not seen in our past sailing destinations.  Aside from normal marine head and water management issues, we had no significant mechanical or rigging problems with the four well-maintained boats from the Moorings and the one boat from Sunsail.  Along with the GPS equipment brought by most of the skippers, all of the boats were equipped with charts, cruising guides, hand bearing compasses, binoculars, GPS, and Auto Pilots, making navigation straightforward.  This region has a rich maritime history and we were impressed with the abundance of excellent aids to navigational, including lighthouses, buoys, ranges, and lights.  Weather forecasts were broadcast in English daily.  Our GPS equipment was particularly helpful, since navigating the coastline can be confusing with the many closely spaced calas, anchorages, and ports dotting the coast. 

Aside from the expected WBSC interpersonal drama that would drive Dr. Phil to consider changing professions, most crew, Captains, and 1^st Mates seemed to get along with each other and many new friendships were formed.

Planning the trip was challenging considering the volatility of the dollar against the euro, the intricacies of reserving blocks of hotel rooms in three European cities at the peak of the tourist season, and several unexpected trip cancellations which resulted in a smaller trip budget.  Nevertheless, careful management of our budget allowed the $1350.00 cost to include 7 nights on the boats, three hotel nights in Barcelona, Palma, and Ibiza, including breakfasts (both breakfasts and dinners were included in Ibiza).  The boat kittys provided sufficient funds for most meals on the boats, although many crew preferred to take advantage of the many excellent restaurants each evening.  All harbor and marina fees were included, as well as our stylish WBSC polo shirts.  Refunds are being made to all participants that should cover most of their out-of-the-pocket taxi and bus transfer costs. 

Overall, the trip was a great success and much was learned about what to expect when planning future trips to Mediterranean destinations. Many Water Babies indicated that they look forward to returning for new adventures in other Mediterranean cruising locations such as Greece , France , and Italy .  As we look forward to our WBSC 25^th Anniversary trip to St. Lucia in 2009, the WBSC Steering Committee is beginning to consider destinations for our 2007 trip.  Destinations being talked about include Australia , Tonga , Croatia , and of course, several of our favorite Caribbean islands.  So…….start saving your money and don’t miss out on our next great Water Babies Sailing Club adventure!

Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Richard Rice