Surprising Ibiza

We have had a fantastic last few days.  We made the crossing to Ibiza (pronounced Ibetha) as scheduled on the 1st June and ended up on the north western side of the island late in the afternoon after a terrific sail across from the mainland - nothing broken either which was a bonus.  At one point we had a pod of about six dolphins leaping around the boat and surfing the bow wave.  They stayed with us for about an hour and mesmerised Nic.

So I guess everyone has heard of Ibiza and its reputation as a mass tourist party island for the young.  We had also heard the stories but figured its never to late to enjoy a foam party, a Red Bull and voddy and some E when things start to slow down….. no actually we had also heard it was really nice once you get away from the main party towns and popular beaches and as we found out that was about right.  We only stayed a few nights but seem to have got a good all round intro to the island by anchoring off in some secluded spots and visiting one of the towns.

We arrived in a small bay (known as callas in Spanish) called Calla Bassa just west of a major town called San Antonio.  Calla Bassa is short inlet surrounded by rugged, steep but low cliffs on three sides with a small beach at the head.  There are cliffs along most of the shoreline on this side of the island.  The cliff faces have amazing patterns and features from the weathering and erosion that has occurred over god knows how many years.  In this calla there are a few caves which you can get a boat (dingy) into and innumerable massive fissures which create huge boulders at the base or deeps scars along the rock face. The cliffs are all different shades of yellow, orange and brown which continuously change as the sun moves across the sky.   Behind the cliffs the land rises steeply and is green from a thick covering of pine trees - the short Mediterranean kind not the tall Norwegian kind - or yellow scrub.  .  The island as a whole is very green from the preponderance of the trees.  The water everywhere is crystal clear and a beautiful blue colour.  In the calm of the bays the water blue changes shade depending on the seabed. 

The rocks at Calla Bassa

There were already a few boats anchored at Calla Bassa , about a dozen, and we picked a spot out of the fray near the southern rocks.  It was a beautiful location.  There was a bit of traffic going back and forth to the beach which looked quite busy and some tourist boats from nearby San Antonio visiting the caves but apart from that it was idyllic.  We were completely protected from any weather and in the evening the water just glassed off and stayed calm for the next couple of days.  We stayed here for two days doing school, visiting the caves and the beach.  

The anchorage at Calla Bassa

The beach was interesting - absolutely mobbed with tourists and completely taken up by a beach club just behind and fringing the entire beach consisting of a couple of open bars and restaurants.  It looked like your typical European beach - umbrellas and towels everywhere, people sitting or standing very close together and of every conceivable colour from ghost white to mediterranean brown to lobster red and, of course, many of the females topless.  There was chillaxing music from the beach club playing over the entire beach and jet skis buzzed in and out intermittently at one end.  It just seemed a bit to busy and organised for us.  We had lunch and then retired to the boat for a swim.

The beach

This was the first swim in the Mediterranean.  None of us had dared venture in yet but we saw lots of other people swimming.  In fact, no one had been swimming since the Caribbean and compared to that the Med felt a bit cold.  Sam was in first and the water was certainly a lot colder than the Caribbean but once you had got over the first shock that hits you and your body instinctively directs all blood flow away from your outer layers it becomes bearable, even enjoyable.  The plus is that it should only be getting warmer for us from now on.

The next day a swell had crept into the calla and so we moved to the protected bay in San Antonio and anchored off the town.  This is only two or three miles from Calla Bassa but seemed a world away.  We were opposite the town centre and the marina and surrounded by hotels and apartment buildings built just in from the beaches of the bay.  Its not that its particularly ugly its just very built up and is geared to just one thing - mass tourism.  Ashore its definitely a tourist town.  The quayside is lined with local boats doing day trips to the beach clubs in nearby callas, there are bars, cafes and restaurants lining the waterfront and adverts for various parties happening on the island.  There is no real “old town’ anywhere.  We stayed long enough to have a wander around and get dinner away from the main drag.  As we were leaving you could tell that the party atmosphere was starting to get into gear. 

We left San Antonio the next day and spent the next couple of days anchored in remote callas off the north of the island.  The coastline here is remote and spectacular - high sheer cliffs with the same amazing fractured patterns and colour schemes, high hillside behind covered with trees and a blue blue sea all around. Those were just superb anchorages, with no other boats around and perfect weather.  Many of the callas, especially the ones with beaches have been developed to a more or lesser extent but there are still plenty of spots to anchor away from the maddening crowds and the views are very rewarding.

One of the more secluded anchorages

Stunning rock formations......

......everywhere

We would have liked to get off the boat and tour the interior of the island but unfortunately we had to be in Palma for the 9th and we have decided to do a road trip around Mallorca instead.  Ibiza has been a real joy to visit and a bit of an eye opener as far as the scenery.  Am sure the towns and resorts are pretty average but its more than compensated by the spectacular coastal scenery.

The secret as to the reason we never catch any fish could be in this picture

We left the island on the 8th June bound for Mallorca only 60 miles away.  Little wind but we did manage a few hours of sailing.  Still haven’t got a handle on the weather patterns here yet.  Seems that there is either too little wind or its from the wrong direction.  When it comes in strong its a full blown Levanter or Mistral which you don’t want to be caught out in.  The forecasts are fine but the coastal effects alter these significantly.  People we met who have cruised the Med did warn us that we would be doing a lot more motoring.

We anchored just south off Palma for a night before berthing at the Port de Palma Marina on the 9th June.  We have a week here now where we have to get the boat cleaned and a couple of things fixed and re-certified.  We also have the Berthon Yacht Broker visiting on Thursday to have a look at the boat to help them sell it for us.

School continues……