CATALONIAN CRUISE - Alan Murphy (1988) This year we could only manage a 3 week holiday from work and after last year's 4 week trip to the Adriatic we began looking for somewhere a little closer to home. Sun, Sand and Swimming were major requirements and this pointed towards either the Cote d'Azur or the Catalan Coast. School holidays forced us to go in the July/August period when the Cote d'Azur is reported to be very crowded. We therefore decided to try out the Costa Brava coastline south of Cabo Creus. The pilot books indicated that the coastline north of Blanes was full of little bays and coves (called 'Calas') each with a sandy beach between rocky headlands. It sounded ideal, except for the warnings about the much feared north west wind called the Tramontana - this is equivalent to the French Mistral and can grow from nothing to gale force within 15 minutes- SATURDAY (23rd July)- We left home a little apprehensive about the Tramontana, reports of car break-ins and muggings along the Costa Brava. However by the time we arrived at Portsmouth to catch the Le Havre ferry we began to look forward to our adventure and to sailing the Catalan coastline. Whilst securing the car and trailer in the hold of the P&O ferry, Viking Valiant, a naval officer appeared and began to show some interest in Tiger Lily (TL) He explained that he was thinking of buying a similar sort of boat. After showing him over TL and discussing our holiday plans I asked if it would be possible to have a look at the bridge of the Viking Valiant. A little later we were invited to the bridge and discovered that the officer was the 'Captain'. He explained all the equipment: helm, engine controls, computer, radar, chart table, safety checks etc. We did note, however, that TL's helm was somewhat bigger than the Viking Valiant's 20 centimetre 'joystick'! Our first night stop in France was in one of those excellent Autoroute rest areas, about 60 miles from Le Havre. SUNDAY (24th) - Next morning we started out early so as to cover as many miles as possible. Fifteen hours later we had covered 503 miles, never exceeding 50 mph - I think we overtook about 4 vehicles that day. MONDAY (25th) - Our 10.00 coffee stop was at the 'Aire de Lauragais' rest area which is at the highest point of the Canal Du Midi. There is a little museum dedicated to the construction of the canal and we spent a very pleasant hour or so looking at the boats using the Canal. After arriving at Ampuriabrava at 15.15, we quickly located the Club Nautico crane. TL was in the water by 15.45, just 51 hours since leaving home. By 17.30 the mast had been raised, baggage stored and TL moved over to a pontoon. Ampuriabrava has an excellent sandy beach with few minutes walk of the marina and the crew were soon off to sample this whilst the skipper and mate relaxed over a much needed beer. TUESDAY (26th) - Charts, provisions and fuel were easily obtained from local shops and then we set off for the harbour entrance. This was easy at first; we just joined a procession of other yachts and motor boats winding their way along the extensive canal system. However, our first shock came at the entrance when the rather choppy sea was suddenly made much worse by the motor boats suddenly accelerating and creating a cauldron of wash. The large number of motor boats proved to be one of the worst problems in Catalonia as we were always on the lookout for their wash. Lunch was spent anchored off the pretty town of Rosas but by 14.30 the wind was rising and it seemed wise to run back to Santa Margarita, another harbour only a mile from Ampuriabrava. Here we nearly went aground in the entrance which tends to silt up - we should have hugged the outside of the bend keeping close to the breakwater wall rather than trying to cut the corner. We had expected to find a modern marina but discovered a rather shabby concrete jetty with a number of boats flying faded red ensigns We soon learnt that the jetty was built by the local Club Nautico without obtaining proper planning permission and after a legal battle all further work had been halted. Meals and drinks could be obtained in the local 'Monstrosity' - a huge block of apartments WEDNESDAY (27th) - With a SE 2/3 wind we set full sail and a course to round Punta Falconer and by 12.00 we were not unduly worried when the wind died completely forcing us to have an early 'siesta'. Suddenly at 12.50 a NW wind appeared and began to strengthen very quickly. I remembered the warnings about the Tramontana and within 10 minutes of seeing the first ripple on the sea we were motor sailing into a steeply rising sea with one reef set. We managed to round Punta de la Creu but with whitecaps beginning to show on the waves we decided prudence was required as the final approach to Cadaques would have been difficult. After altering course to shelter in the north end of Cala de Jonculls, we anchored close to the beach (at 13.40). With the wind blowing directly offshore it soon became apparent that shore lines would be safer, Soon we were lying to a pair of strong lines from the bow and a stern anchor laid in case the wind changed. We were very pleased to make use of our recently acquired 'Norfolk Broads' ground anchor which we buried under a large pile of rocks. The wind continued to blow all afternoon and into the night but being so close inshore it wasn't too bumpy. THURSDAY (28th) - Next morning we awoke to find the shorelines were slack and we were riding to the stern anchor. The NW Tramontana had disappeared leaving a gentle SE 2/3 breeze. An excellent 2 hour sail took us past Cadaques Bay and the entrance to Port Lligat and close inshore to examine the 4 or 5 calas just south of Capo Creus. The northern one, Cala Ferdosa, looked to be the most interesting and after carefully edging our way between the offlying rocks we anchored in 4m, a short distance from the shore. Only one other yacht, a French 28 footer, was anchored in this idyllic setting. However this was temporarily spoilt by the arrival of a very large German motor boat which occupied all the remaining space in the tiny cala. Fortunately they didn't stay too long and we enjoyed a delightful lunch and swim in the clear buoyant water. The younger crew reported it to be a good spot for snorkelling. We had planned not to round Cabo Creus and so a gentle afternoon sail south brought us back to the enclosed harbour of Port Lligat. Salvador Dali, the surrealist painter, lives in a little enclave of fishermen's houses in Port Lligat and several of his students could be seen painting down by the harbour. The outer harbour was fairly full of larger vessels but we were able to anchor in 1.5m in the inner cala where there is plenty of room for shallow draft vessels. After a walk over the hill to Cadaques and obtaining supplies from the supermarket at the top of the hill, we were ready to settle down to an enchanting evening in this unspoilt harbour. Suddenly at 19.10, within the space of 5 minutes, the wind shifted from SE to NNW and began rising sharply. At 22.30 it seemed wiser to transfer the boat from anchor onto an empty mooring buoy which I had earlier eyed up. By torchlight we managed to pick up the buoy at our second attempt. FRIDAY(29th) - The wind was still too strong to move but, having arranged for some friends to meet us at Port Lligat, we weren't going anywhere anyway. Our friends arrived at 11.30 and after ferrying them over in the inflatable we were able to paddle our feet in the cockpit. With 8 people now aboard TL a small leak occurred through the centreboard lifting mechanism and we were technically sinking. With a F6/7 and whitecaps visible outside the harbour we were clearly confined to the mooring buoy for the day. However our daily swimming schedule was not interrupted Port Lligat has just one restaurant and we decided on a shoreside evening meal. However at 18.30 I was getting concerned about setting our guests ashore safely. The 200 yard upwind trip in the inflatable was very wet and our little 2HP Yamaha did the journey four times - rowing would have been impossible. The meal was excellent but then we had to make the return trip to TL in the falling darkness giving the crew another soaking SATURDAY (30th) - We had hoped that the wind would die out during the night, but we were disappointed, - by morning it was still blowing strongly. It was time for card games and we remained firmly attached to the buoy. In mid afternoon it slowly moderated until by evening it had been replaced by a light E 2/3. Our second Tramontana had ended after 48 hours. SUNDAY (31st) - The light NNE wind meant that we had to beat out of the harbour but once round the headland we had a good following wind. Because of our enforced confinement in Port Lligat, we were keen to press on southward and decided not to enter Cadaques Bay ~ we had already visited Cadaques by walking over the hill. Lunch was taken anchored just off the beach in Cala Monjoy, a fairly well developed tourist spot and therefore not quite so attractive as the adjacent bays. Most of the trip back to Santa Margarita was accomplished with the genoa poled out - a really great afternoon sail. MONDAY (1st August) - At 07.30 there was no wind and we motored the short distance to Ampuriabrava. Here we replenished supplies and checked that the car and trailer were OK. The lunchtime sail down the coast to L'Escala started off with an ideal close reach but as the wind strengthened from the SSE it became progressively more difficult The final section was completed by motor sailing and seeking the protection of the shore. We tied up in an empty space in the marina but later on discovered that the marina was full ('Complet') . The marina staff were not very helpful and we therefore motored outside, dropping anchor near the beach at the marina entrance. A pleasant evening meal was obtained from the restaurant on the west side of the marina. TUESDAY (2nd) - Our first stop at 10.00 for coffee was at Cala Mongo, a half developed cala with a good stretch of sandy beach at the head. We anchored in 2.5m of clear water and indulged in yet another swim. The trip down the coast was close hauled and required a few tacks but we arrived at Estartit around 12.45. Here we were greeted by efficient and pleasant 'pontoon boys' who helped us find a vacant spot to tie up. Estartit, although filled with tourists was a very pleasant town and we enjoyed the afternoon wandering round the shops and harbour. Later on, the wind suddenly shifted ominously to the NW, but it didn't seem too strong as we were in the lee of the hills. WEDNESDAY (3rd) - The NW wind was still blowing strongly and the marina weather forecast seemed to indicate that storms were likely. So we stayed in harbour and further explored the town and beach. In the late afternoon, just when we thought things were improving, a large black cloud appeared and minutes later we were bombarded by 1 cm. hailstones and a vicious squall which jostled the boats together. I had to remove the forward stanchions very quickly as the boats adjacent to TL had a large overhang and began pressing on them. Fortunately no damage was done and we were glad to be safely secured in harbour. THURSDAY (4th) - The Tramontana was still present and perhaps even stronger but then at about 16.00 it gradually abated and by 18.00 we had a gentle southerly breeze. The weather forecasts were now indicating a general improvement and we made plans for an early start in the morning. Our third Tramontana had lasted only 44 hours ! FRIDAY (5th) - Leaving early, we motored over to take a closer look at the Islas Medas, a group of islands which are surrounded by some of the most beautiful and fascinating sea floors on the Catalan coast. Then the NE 2 wind gave us a gentle sail down the coast, reaching Cala Tamariu for lunch. Anchoring close to the beach was not possible as the whole of the cala was filled with mooring buoys belonging to the local Club Nautico. We picked one but were approached by a man in an inflatable who indicated that it would be OK to stay for lunch but there would be an expensive charge if we wanted to stay overnight on the buoy. The usual strengthening of the wind in the afternoon did not occur and therefore we part sailed and part motored south taking a look at the various calas. The harbour at Llafranch looked exceedingly small and full - even the approach channel was filled with anchored vessels. On reaching Cala Castell about 2 miles short of Palamos we found that the beach was buoyed off. We had to anchor in about 6m, sheltered from the dreaded NW but exposed to the SE. As luck would have it the wind that night was fresh from the SE but fortunately we had double anchored by using an extra 4kg anchor shackled to the head of the standard 6kg Brittany. This gave us our most bumpy night of the holiday. SATURDAY (6th) - With full main and genoa we sailed off the anchorage and with a following wind set course for Palamos. A quick detour beating into the harbour area revealed that the beach area seemed like a nice spot to anchor. However we sailed on southward just skirting the various tourist beaches round Playa de Aro. These were rapidly filling up with hoards of sun worshippers. On anchoring in Cala de Santa Pol for lunch we were soon surrounded by windsurfers, pedallos and water skiers. Two miles further on we arrived at San Feliu de Guixols were we moored bows-to against the harbour wall. The wall was really too high for a Swift but we moored close to a set of steps and could therefore get ashore without excessive scrambling. The town did not inspire us, but we could obtain all supplies and had an interesting talk with another red-ensigned crew. SUNDAY (7th) - We felt that the south was becoming less interesting than the northern section and as we wanted to be close to Ampuriabrava in case we should encounter another Tramontana, we decided that it was time to head back northward. At 09.10 we slipped at San Feliu and set full main and genoa. It was fun ticking off all the Cabos (capes) and Puntas (points or headlands) along the coast. Seven hours later the boom was still on the port side when we dropped sail before entering Estartit. The same friendly 'pontoon boys' were there to help us moor after one of our most magical sails. It was now time for another shoreside meal and we discovered one of those pleasant pavement restaurants in town. MONDAY (8th) - A late start and light head winds resulted in a not very enjoyable motor back to Cala Monso for lunch- However the afternoon wind strengthened as usual to a nice SE 4, resulting in another magic broad reach back to Ampuriabrava. We had decided to use our last 2 days by exploring a few more of the calas to the north, but staying close to the car/trailer. TUESDAY (9th) - The light early morning wind necessitated motoring round to Cala Rustella, which is next to the crowded Cala Monjoy. Here we worked our way inshore of the other vessels and anchored within easy inflatable distance of the shore. We liked this cala as only a few land based sun worshippers were present and the views from the hillside over the bay were magnificent. The day was completed with a tailwind sail back to Santa Margarita were we renewed acquaintances with the other red-ensigned vessels moored on the concrete jetty. WEDNESDAY (10th) - A repeat of the previous day motoring out to the local Cala de Canyellas Grosas for a leisurely 5 hour lunch stop. The swimming was excellent and the beach bars and cafes provided beer and ice cream. This time the sea breeze didn't appear until 16-00 when it provided us yet another downhill sail. THURSDAY (11th) - Having said our farewells to the British community at Santa Margarita we motored the 1 mile round to the entrance at Ampuriabrava and anchored a few yards from the shore. After enjoying our last swim in the sea we weighed anchor and made our way back through the canals to the Club Nautico in order to prepare for the journey home. As it was also the mate's birthday we celebrated this and a successful end to our sailing with another shoreside meal in a very pleasant restaurant. FRIDAY (12th) - The crew were shaken at 06.00 and at 07.00 we were motoring over to the craning area. with mast lowered and baggage packed into the car we were ready for the arrival of the crane crew who appeared at 09.15. By then several other boats had arrived but we were first in the queue for the lift-out. A rather unpleasant 45 minutes was spent scrubbing the Mediterranean growth from TL's bottom (TL doesn't have any anti-fouling). Leaving Ampuriabrava at 11.05 we managed only 235 miles that day. Delays were caused by queues at the border and at the last petrol station in Spain. An interesting hour or so was spent at the Canal Du Midi rest area where we watched an ETAP 23 motor by on its 4 knot journey to the Atlantic. Back on the autoroute TL did much the same journey down to the river Gironde at 50 mph. SATURDAY (13th) - Our early morning start was completely ruined by long traffic delays caused by a multiple vehicle accident on the bridge crossing the Gironde. The local French radio reported 26 people injured in a 15 vehicle pile-up. We took 4 to 5 hours circumventing this problem but eventually we got back on the autoroute. SUNDAY (14th) - A rather uneventful day in which we covered the remaining 210 miles, stopping in a rest area 40 miles from Le Havre. MONDAY (15th) - A 5.15 start got us to Le Havre in plenty of time to catch the 08.30 ferry. Although one of the last to board we somehow managed to be one of the first to disembark in Portsmouth and with simple customs formalities over we arrived back home at 13.55 (BST) having covered a total round trip road mileage of 1652. IMPRESSIONS Our general impressions of Catalonia have been coloured by comparisons with our previous experiences of Yugoslavia. We liked the much more relaxing aspect of this holiday - the road journey was shorter and much easier with the rest areas proving to be very useful. As Catalonia only contains about 60 miles of suitable coastline for sailing, there was no pressure to cover the sea miles. In fact, we sailed less than half the sea miles than we did in the Adriatic. Once we got used to the standard weather pattern we liked the sea breezes as there was a consistent wind every day; in the Adriatic we were becalmed on a number of days. This meant that the sailing was better. Although we lost four and half days due to the Tramontana we weren't too disappointed as the enforced rest increased the relaxation - and that's what holidays are all about. Shopping was much easier than in Yugoslavia as the supermarkets were plentiful and stocked many UK items. Water and petrol were also readily obtainable and the people were much more free and easy - official bureaucracy wasn't noticeable. We also liked the sandy beaches - these were absent in Yugoslavia. Younger members of the crew reported better snorkelling and a greater variety of underwater life was spotted (octopus, coloured fish etc.). On the negative side the Catalan marinas and beaches were crowded. Marinas were nearly always full and the facilities were poor compared to Yugoslavia. The larger calas, particularly those with fine sandy beaches were fully developed with beach bars and sunburnt bodies. The smaller calas tended to be rocky with stony beaches and even if they couldn't be reached by land there were always a number of other vessels anchored just offshore. Motor boats seemed to be everywhere and you needed to keep an eye on their wash. The scenery was not so spectacular and the general architecture, we thought, was either 'tacky' or 'monstrous'. Yugoslavia was certainly much prettier and had a number of extra attractions (Krka Falls and Kornati Islands). Although food was not expensive compared to the UK we thought that the 4 meals we had ashore were expensive and tended to contain a surfeit of chips. The unpredictability of the Tramontana means that Catalonia should be approached with caution, particularly by the novice sailor. It is necessary to listen to the weather forecasts, to observe what other boats are doing and stay within a mile or so of the coast. However the Admiralty Mediterranean Pilot states that the Tramontana does not exceed force 7 in July/August. Overall, we immensely enjoyed our holiday and would find it difficult to choose between Catalonia and Yugoslavia - they each have their good and bad points.