Benalmadena to Gibraltar and Morocco land visit

A new crew with experienced Grateful Red sailors Ron, Niki, Ken and Kristine and a newbie – John set sail from Benalmadera. The mission is to sail across the straits of Glbraltar to the Spanish enclave of Cueta on the Moroccan coast. Not only do the straits have tides and currents of the Mediterranean Sea meeting the Atlantic Ocean but it has more commercialize ….. read huge big boat …. traffic than anywhere in the world. The crew decided to motor across the straits with Ron driving and Ken manning the AIS system. Result – successful crossing. At Cueta Ron and John were the Grateful recon team to determine the best method to visit Morocco, places to see and way to travel ….. camels? Rent a car and drove to Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountain range was the decision with Ron as the designated driver. Ron was a great driver. Chefchaouen is a mix of Arab and Berbers who were pushed out of Spain in 1492. They built mosques, baths and tiled courtyards only in the color blue, planted fruit trees and declared Chefcaouen a sacred city. Had an overnight in a local B&B and a great time touring with Niki and John. The next day Ron drove the rustic gravel road back to Cueta. Another motor back across the straits with the big commercial boats cruising at 20 knots to the British enclave of Gibraltar. The only road to the airport went a across the airport runaway – timing is everything. John and Niki returned to the Accenture work world, Ron flew back to Pip and Ken and Kristine spent the next two weeks in Gibraltar preparing the Grateful Red for the ocean crossing back to the Caribbean.

Valencia to Benalmadena

The Grateful Red spent a month at the Valencia marina having both repairs and upgrades. The key repair – Pat the refrigerator technician flew in from California to Valencia plus Ken hired a local refrigeration repair man. The result – the Grateful Red again has cold beer. Took four days to repair the refrig compressor. After a month Ken and Kristine returned to be joined with George and Teri for a Spanish coastal cruise – looking for a Spanish bull fight that never was to be found. The first leg was an overnight to Puerto de Santa Pola. While the beer was cold the instruments/auto pilot continued to have issues. With such a “crack” crew the spinnaker was deployed on the next leg a sail to Port Cartagena. Cartagena is also a NATO naval port and ………. on our way out a NATO submarine cruised …. and I mean cruised at about 20 knots ….. past us. Quite a sight. Another over night to Almerimar along the Spanish Costa del Sol coast. The Costa del Sol has miles and miles of over built and empty condos. With winds variable to none the Grateful Red motored to the port of Benalmadera where Teri and George took a cab to the Malga airport tp return and ….. the new crew of Ron, Niki and John arrived. Ron’s planning was terrific arriving in time to have a leaving and arriving crew party dinner in Benalmadera.

Valencia

While Ken and Kristine took a trip back home, Fred and Paula stayed and enjoyed the great marina and city of Valencia.