Almerimar: Hot spot of bluewater sailing
After discovering blisters in the coppercoat - our underwater anti-fouling coating - and signs of corrosion on the saildrive while snorkeling on Formentera, we decide to make a detour to Almerimar to have our boat craned. Almerimar is well-known and popular with long-distance sailors as it offers a good nautical infrastructure, cheap moorings and is strategically located on the south coast of Spain at the entrance and exit from the Mediterranean into the Atlantic.
After only 3 nights, we have a windless weather window, but the best one for the next few days - at least we don't have to fight the wind. We therefore decide without further ado to motor the 125 nautical miles to Almerimar. The crossing is uneventful and very relaxed for our first overnight trip just the two of us.
In Almerimar we make the crane appointment for Tuesday morning, so we still have 2 days in the water. We sew up our torn lazy bag and fix the water connection to prevent future flooding. On Tuesday morning the time has come for us to be craned. We get to know a supposed father and son duo. It later turns out that they are a young Swede, Edvard, and an American, Nick, who are not related but are both single-handed sailors. Edvard also has boat work to do, whereas Nick usually keeps us from working in the afternoons, showing up at the dry dock with beer (in his defense, we are easily conviced for a break).
The work on the dirty dry dock brings back memories of our long time ashore in Italy, but is much more entertaining thanks to the nice people we meet. There is a German regulars' table where we meet many long-distance sailors and we also spend a lot of time with Edvard and Nick. We refit our underwater hull in 8 days, polish the entire hull and do some other work. Our friends Tim and Heli arrive halfway through our time on the hard and we have a very sociable time. For example, we spend an evening tasting Spanish canned food to see what is good to take over the atlantic. The bean stew with smoked sausage is the best. The four of us manage 4 cans, but there is a strong residual taste of artificial flavors still on the way home.
We spend Ines' birthday in a more culinary way. The night before, we cook currywurst and 2 kg of double-fried, handcut fries with Tim and Heli. After midnight, the two of them bring home-baked cake.
In the morning, we start with a leisurely birthday breakfast. We then take longer than planned to stow away all the tools, paints, work clothes and other small items that have accumulated during boat work. In the late afternoon, we take a walk to the sea and enjoy the sunset. In the evening, we take the bus through the vegetable farm of Europe, the roadside lined with white tarpaulins under which all kinds of vegetables grow in this well-tempered zone with an underground water reservoir, to a nice restaurant in El Ejido. There we celebrate in style with various tasty tapas and a bottle of wine. But soon it's time for bed, because we want to set sail again the next day.
