Following our successful paddle around Mallorca, we took a day off and managed to stay and catch up with my good friend Pete and his family. This also allowed us to wash and sort out kit, charge phones/cameras and pause for a moment.
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Now I had heard of this but I hadn't really realised how significant this wind was ...
The strong Tramontana wind is a fairly regular feature of the region in all seasons except summer. This variant of the French Mistral wind blows NE-SW across the landscape for 3-12 days at a time, and can be bitter when the Pyrenees are covered in snow and ice.
This we experienced the day after paddling on to the North coast of Mallorca, with big swell and increasing winds. Yeah, it was cold too...
The forecast looked good for Tuesday and a ferry on that evening could also work. We had the one trolly, so we would try and walk the kayaks on, one at a time. Getting them on from Alcudia was fine and free, getting them off was more difficult! When we arrived we had to move the sea kayaks as one unit and with full kit and 12lts of water that was going to be challenging. We got the impression the Boss guy wanted to go home!!
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| Theres a special feeling walking a sea kayak on to a ferry, which feels like a real adventure ... |
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| Wishing we had brought two trollies ... after realising it was a 2km portage to the beach form the ferry port!! |
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| Into the beautiful setting light of the day |
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| We played with the swell and the light on the wall, savouring the moment ... |
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| Rounding the Southern tip, with the top light of the lighthouse and looking for a place to camp!! |
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| Bay after bay just looked amazing and with so much wild camping potential |
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| And yet more magical colour and clarity ... |
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| The cliffs were smaller than Mallorca, but still stunning |
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| Clear evidence of cave dwellings ... |
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| A beach bar at Cala Binidall with Wifi for forecasts and a cool beer ... perfect! |
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| Super little camp ... |
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| Crossing the entrance of Mahon |
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| Time for lunch ... |
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The final push back to our start point, and into a head wind, but with some fun swell
With the evening paddle on the first day and 3 further days we were around Menorca and to be honest i felt like going around again and this time much slower. After Mallorca, finding places to easily camp/bivi was such a relief and the island was so green and softer. We had been told that camp/bivi was almost part of the Menorcan culture and the problems were more with the incomers who now own property!!
We made it about 120km around, but again we were able to cross from headland to headland on the North coast, if you had to keep closer in the mileage would go up.
We landed back at Ciutadella and discussed options. I was super keen for the crossing, so headed off for more lunch type food and some more water, while Barry went off to the ferry port to clarify times. We both met back at a cafe with Wifi and decided to find a sheltered bay, to camp again for the night and if the forecast held for the morning we would go for the crossing.
Open Crossing to Mallorca
The wind was a f3 East, there about, but 3-4km limited viability. Not ideal, but at least the wind was in a helpful direction. The main channel was about 40km across so we felt 7 hours and that would be done, then it was about getting back to Alcudia and were my van was. We set off on a bearing and after 1:30 hours we lost sight of land and worked on finding some rhythm ... as we left the shelter of the island swell got more confused and running at two different angles making my sea kayak more difficult to manage ...
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| It felt good to see the ferry from Mallorca ... |
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| The confused swell that was running ... |
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| And now the ferry from Menorca ... |
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Now we hadn't been able to get a map that had both islands on. This was the best we could do ... ;)
Around the 5 hour mark we saw Mallorca, but to be honest it was confusing and disorientating. What part of the island was it? I'd left my Mallorca map in the van. Well it was sunny before and I could see the whole island from Menorca!
Around 7hours, 30 minutes we had reached the Southern headland of Alcudia Bay and now the job was to paddle and find the van. 10 hours 40 and over 60 km paddled, the job was done. Wet tired and hungry we changed and loaded the kayaks.
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| Pleased to be in dry clothes and on the way to find some food. Happy days ;) |
Big thanks to P&H Custom Sea Kayaks for the Cetus mv and Hilleberg the Tent Maker for my solo tent. For support from Reed Chillcheater for my deck and cockpit cover, Mitchel blades for my paddle and Kokatat for paddle wear.
And once again Mr Shaw, it twas fun fella ;)
Roger
PS: keep your eyes open for a sea kayaking expedition back out to Menorca in October 2016, with warm seas and settled winds - email me if interested - roger@coastalspirit.com
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