S1.12 - Chaos and Calm Waters: Navigating Life Aboard with our First Guests

July 11 – Guests Arrive
Preparations for the arrival of our very first visitors, Mark and kids (Torsten to arrive later in the evening), took center stage. Excitement filled the air as we looked forward to leaving the marina tomorrow and embracing the open waters once again.

Welcom Mark, Torsten, Mimi and Tati!

July 12/13 - New Adventure with Great Friends
With everyone on board (First Time with 6 Souls), we gathered last-minute items and departed from the marina, greeted by the breathtaking scenery. Majestic rock formations adorned our journey, adding to the beauty of the day.

Soaking in the Beauty of it all!

Making our to Northwest end of Island

Honored to have Seasoned Captain and Friend on Lucky Enough onboard to continue to mentor us.

The following day was spent day anchoring in a gorgeous cove Torsten and Mark recommended where we discovered that balancing on a paddle board is like trying to organize a deck of cards in a hurricane.

Leaving Day Anchor after swimming and paddle boarding. So Much Fun!

Our day concluded with a masterful anchoring at Cala de Portinatx and dinner masterly crafted by our on board Chef Mark.

Good Night Lucky Enough. We have an 8-hour travel day tomorrow.

July 14: FairWinds to Palma
Leaving Ibiza for Palma, we finally set sail at a brisk 7 knots, utilizing both the Main Sail and Genoa.

Perfect wind conditions blowing us along our great blue path.

Eight glorious hours later, which included playing several games of UNO, learning a few more German words, and enjoying the odd cat nap…

…we were safely secured to our mooring ball.

The evening brought a calm experience, complete with my First Jump off the top deck (following the ever-so-brave Mimi and Tati) that felt like a daring audition for a synchronized diving team. Snorkeling revealed the underwater world, proving that fish have their own stand-up routines, then of course… happy hour on our patio.

This is why we do this!

We all geared up for a town-bound adventure in pursuit of a fashionably late dinner. Mimi, our pint-sized trendsetter, took center stage, unveiling her latest runway-worthy ensemble and strutting her stuff with all the gravitas of a seasoned supermodel. Move over, Paris Fashion Week – Sant Elm Beach is now the hottest catwalk in town!

New Fedora Shenanigans

Dinner out was accompanied by the purchase of stylish fedoras, and ended with musical stylings of the boat creaking in the night.

July 15 - Swells and Rogue Dinghy
A planned beach day for the kids took an unexpected turn as the rental paddle boat company was closed due to swell conditions. That’s ok… we were happy entertaining ourselves on board for the day. After some swim time, listening to music DJ’d by Ryan, Mark and Torsten, the day concluded with the inaugural chess game between Ryan and Tati, where the pieces seemed to have a mind of their own, playing hide-and-seek during crucial moves.

As nightfall cast its enchanting glow, the tranquility was shattered by the unexpected need for a dinghy rescue. Amidst the nocturnal reverie, Ryan discerned the mysterious banging against our hull – a rogue dinghy abandoned to the whims of the waves. Unable to let it drift away without its human counterpart, a spirited alliance formed between Torsten and Ryan. Braving substantial swells, they skillfully lowered our tender and towed it to the beach where the owner would hopefully retrieve it in the morning, adding an exhilarating touch of adventure to yet another sleepless night under the starlit canvas of the open sea.

Leaving Sant Elm for Santa Ponsa

July 16-17: From Santa Ponsa to First Marina in Palma
Departing for calmer waters, we day-anchored at Santa Ponsa for lunch, a swim, and hull cleaning – because even boats need a spa day.

Somewhere on route to Santa Ponsa

Sailing to Palma

Arriving into Palma, the glorious 14th Century Royal Palace of La Almundaina (the official residence of the King and Queen during their stays in Mallorca) stands tall and welcoming.

Calmani Marina in Palma welcomed us for the night, combining a fuel dock and med-mooring, with the added challenge of avoiding a seagull squadron that seemed to be practicing synchronized flying drills.

View from our mooring slip of the very many windmills you’ll find in Mallorca.

July 17 - Last Night Together
Navigating to our next mooring space at the neighboring Llotja Marina proved to be a challenging yet ultimately manageable feat as we snugly nestled between the bustling activities of two day-charter companies. The day unfolded with a touch of stress heightened by ongoing maintenance challenges, the bustling presence of unorganized electricians and plumbers, and unfortunately for me… a 2nd degree burn on my arm. Ouch!

In the midst of this chaos, Mark's generous gesture provided a silver lining: an unexpected visitor, a massage therapist, transformed Lucky Enough into a makeshift wellness center. Amid the comings and goings, we discovered that massages possess a magical ability to solve many problems, though the mystery of disappearing socks on board remains unsolved (stay tuned for more on this tomorrow). Heartfelt gratitude goes to Mark and Maria for bringing much-needed pampering and relief to our otherwise hectic day.

Afterwards, wandering along the charming Carrer De Les Caputxines, we stumbled upon a delightful music store that became the birthplace of our very first Spanish Alhambra Guitar. Anticipating the moments we'll carve out to sit, strum, and embark on the journey of learning to play this beautiful instrument.

The evening gracefully concluded with a delightful combination of dinner at Merchants Steak Grill, drinks, and camaraderie.

July 18 - A Whirlwind Departure
As Mark, Torsten, and the kids prepared to bid us farewell, we couldn't help but marvel at their uncanny packing skills, leading us to speculate whether they had recruited Tetris experts in their midst. Even Mimi, our adorable companion, managed to organize her makeshift doll clothes, crafted ingeniously from Freshly Cut Socks (ah ha!), leaving subtle traces of her creativity scattered around.

With hugs and kisses exchanged, our attention shifted to the docking drama of the impressive Hanstaiger sailing vessel, unfolding nearby. Our hearts went out to the crew as they navigated a challenging mooring resulting in a unfortunate scrape to their elegant sugar scoop. Despite the mishap, the vessel stood as a testament to sheer beauty.

Hanstaiger - Built in Alicante, Spain, a historic Mediterranean port

Hanstaiger - A Welcoming View

As our dear friends set off, it was time for us to tackle the aftermath, including sending sheets for laundering and relishing a brief respite before engaging in a bit of maritime pampering – because every boat deserves a day at the spa.

After spending the past 18 years as just the two of us, unaccustomed to the lively dynamics of a young family, and reflecting on the whirlwind week with our cherished guests, we now find ourselves contemplating the inevitable question: Will we embark on such an experience again? Well, perhaps we'll have a more definite answer next week, after we've had a chance to catch our breath.

All jokes aside, our bond with our German friends runs deep; they're more than friends – they are family and are always welcome on board Lucky Enough. We felt truly honored to host them, and our hearts overflow with gratitude for this memorable time together. xoxo