S1.16 - Mallorca to Sardinia: José Jalapeño on a Steek and Captain Certification
Aug 4 - Introducing José the Jalapeño on a Steek!
José Castello’s arrival to review Ryan's skills and certify him as a boat Captain prompted last-minute chores and dinner together to break bread. Finding his presence fitting with our group dynamic, we affectionately nickname José “Jalapeño” after Jeff Dunham's famous puppet “José Jalapeño on a Steek”. If you have not seen any of Jeff’s shows yet, please go online and find one. He’s hilarious.
Aug 5 - Mallorca to Minorca
Minorca or Menorca: According to Wikipedia when asked: “What should the Spanish Island be called, Minorca or Menorca?”…the answer is: “It's called Menorca in both Spanish and Catalan, the language spoken locally (alongside Spanish). Minorca is its name in English. However, either form is acceptable (and commonly used) when speaking about the island in English”.
In any case, preparing for our departure from Mallorca to Minorca, I captured this pic of Lucky Enough from the marina office’s video camera of the Ryan, Byron and José getting the Code D out of the locker and ready for a great sail…, and shortly thereafter… we set off.
Pic of Lucky Enough captured from Marina de Bonaire office cameras
Despite encountering confused seas and headwinds, we make the most of our sailing day, even hoisting the Code D sail for added adventure.
Ryan making adjustments to sail
Happy to arrive, we anchor and enjoy a calm evening with a well-deserved glass of wine.
Great job today Luver!
1st Minorca Sunset
Aug 6-7 - Adopting to Conditions
The next day we explored the beautiful island of Minorca, admiring the rock formations, and settling on anchoring in Mahón.
Sant Lluís
Enjoying the spectacular views together
Mahón Anchorage
Michelle and I food prepped for our onward journey to Sardinia, and just as we all thought we were tucked in for a quiet night…we experienced some unexpected nighttime excitement as the winds intensified. We were jolted awake at 2:00 am by a cacophony of sounds pierced the night air. Initially mistaking it for lively revelry from the nearby shore (a common occurrence in these parts), we soon realized the source was far more dramatic. A monohull, attempting to anchor atop another vessel's mooring, ignited a heated exchange of shouts. As they frantically attempted to disentangle their anchor, their vessel veered perilously close to ours. Oblivious to the impending collision, we quickly employed our generously-sized "torch" (borrowing a term for flashlight from our South African crew mates), to illuminate our boat, averting a potentially disastrous encounter. And yes, our anchor light was indeed shining brightly, ensuring our visibility in the darkness of the night sea.
Needless to say we didn’t sleep well after that episode. By morning there were forecasted 4-meter swells. Opting for safety over haste, we wait for calm seas before embarking on our passage to Sardinia and stay put and enjoy a day of relaxation.
Aug 8 - A Tranquil Passage
We pulled up anchor up at 6am to a calm and beautiful morning departure and enjoy a serene day on the water.
It amazes me how long we can sit in silence on passages. It feels natural, calming, and therapeutic. Reminds me of a Zen proverb: “Sometimes, simply by sitting, the soul collects wisdom.”
Silence and Calm Waters
We did see a couple of sea turtles and we all participated in our First Deepest Swim with an ocean depth of 2,790 meters (9,154 feet)! 😳😬
Homemade lasagna for dinner and my official 1st night shift came with the most beautiful sunset.
Then up again for my early morning shift (Aug 9) just in time to witness an amazing sunrise. Definitely the two best perks of being on nightshift (in my opinion).
Sunrise in the Sea of Sardinia
Aug 9 - Farewell to Jalapeño and Captain Certification
From sea turtles to mysterious fins and a friendly dolphin welcoming us into Italy, our 36-hour journey to Sardinia was marked by another milestone with Ryan being officially certified as a Boat Captain. A momentous occasion celebrated with pride and camaraderie before Jalapeño’s departure the following morning.
Congratulations Skipper Hamilton!!