"It's strange to think that the boat out there is our home now," Fredrik reflects.
We’re sitting at a restaurant on the south side of Formentera with my parents, enjoying a fantastic sunset with exceptionally expensive food and good wine. It’s incredible that we are here, having this experience together, and able to look out at what is now our home.
Our boat from the restaurant at my parents hotel.
But we haven’t reached Formentera yet.
We arrive in Ibiza in the afternoon, greeted by a greener landscape and softer peaks compared to what we've seen so far. We anchor at Sol d’en Serra, a peaceful and less crowded spot, especially compared to the busier Cala Llonga. The water is stunning, and by 7 p.m., when the last of the day-trippers head home, we have the entire bay to ourselves.
In the morning, we stroll past the one luxury restaurant tucked in the innermost part of the bay and hike up to enjoy the view from the top. It feels great to stretch our legs, though Christoffer finds the climb a bit of a sweaty challenge. The view from up there is impressive, with our boat anchored below in the calm, turquoise waters.
We’re running low on food, having been without an outboard or a marina stop since we rushed out of Cagliari to avoid bad weather two weeks ago. So, we make our way down and head to the town of Ibiza, aiming for the anchorage at Cala Talamanca. The area is frankly a seagrass meadow crowded with boats and a few sand spots, making it tricky to find a clear patch of sand to drop anchor. The wind doesn't help either, and we wrestle with it for a while. Once settled, we realise we’re so close to the neighbouring boat we could pass them a drink without even getting wet! That’s our cue to move again—and this time, it’s much better and we relax.
Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Neptune grass or Mediterranean tapeweed, is a seagrass specie endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. These lush underwater meadows play a crucial role in the marine ecosystem, providing habitat and sustenance for various marine life. Beyond its ecological importance, Posidonia also have a massive carbon dioxide absorption capacity.
The EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Habitats Directive aim to safeguard Posidonia habitats. Many countries have designated Marine Protective Areas that include Posidonia meadows, enforcing stricter regulations to limit harmful activities.
Several “Posidonia Project” focuses on monitoring the health of seagrass and raising public awareness about its significance. The Posidonia – Formentera (saveposidoniaproject.org) is one example. The Mediterranean Information Office plays an important role in facilitating data sharing and research on Posidonia ecosystems. To restore degraded meadows, techniques like seed transplantation and the creation of artificial reefs are employed. Additionally, local communities actively participate in conservation efforts through volunteer initiatives and educational workshops. These combined efforts ensure the survival of Posidonia oceanica and its role in the Mediterranean ecosystem. And we as sailors should take great care not to anchor on the Posidonia.
Fredrik, Espen, and I row over to the dinghy dock near Hotel Argos and head up to explore the old town. It’s a charming spot, a blend of ancient fortifications and white painted apartments, with vibrant bougainvillea adding splashes of colour to the streets. One of our must-dos in Ibiza was grocery shopping, but on our way back, we suddenly remembered it was Sunday—shops were closing early. Sure enough, by the time we got there, everything was already closed. We started taking stock of our supplies and quickly realised we were running low.
"How about takeaway?" I suggested. We had noticed some restaurants near the dinghy dock, and one of them, Flotante, had paella on the menu. So, we sat down and asked the waitress if they offered takeaway. She smiled and said yes, handing us the menu—but oddly enough, no paella was listed. We asked if it was still possible to order it, and again, she smiled and said she’d check with the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned with good news: they could do it, but we’d need to bring the pan back. When she asked where we were staying, she looked a bit uncertain as we pointed out to the boats anchored offshore and asked if returning the pan the next day would be okay. It was. What a service!
We settled in and enjoyed the atmosphere for another 45 minutes before she brought out a huge pan of paella, complete with a table protector and wrapped in aluminum foil. Now came the real challenge: figuring out how to row it back to the boat! A light-blonde Spaniard had just dropped a girl off onshore, and we waved and asked if he could tow us out to the boat. He smiled and nodded, though he didn’t speak much English. Once back on board, we enjoyed paella, which would last us for dinner, breakfast, and lunch for the next few days.
We also met the first other boat joining the ARC+, Myrto. It was a enjoyable encounter; they are a family of five like us, though their kids are much younger. They offered us their extra little 2 hp outboard engine to borrow, but unfortunately, we struggled to get it started.
It’s heartwarming to see so many helpful and friendly people around us.
Meeting Up with the Grandparents
It’s just a short trip between Ibiza and Formentera. While all the other boats anchored by the sandbar (the same one you saw in the photos on August 19 after several boats were blown ashore), we continued down to Calo des Morts. As we rounded the corner, Mom called: "Is that you rounding the corner and coming in towards the beach now?" It was. We anchored and rowed ashore in the dinghy. It’s so wonderful to see them. I feel how hard it is to be away from them, for me, that’s the hardest part of this journey. They’re getting older, and i feel i should be there for them.
Mom is already in the crystal-clear water, while Dad is waving from the shore. After some swimming and chatting, we sat down to eat. I’m so grateful they’ve taken the time to travel down to be with us. We all are.
Back to the non-working outboard. We got a list of possible fixes from Bent (a friend of ours who has some skills with engines) and decided to open it up and clean the spark plug. "I’ll just try one more time," said Christoffer, and then it started. It’s incredibly noisy and a bit amusing to drive, but now we have an outboard until we get the new electric one. It’s a bit worrying that we can’t fix the electric one ourselves, which makes us think we should have a backup.
The next day, we took the two old sea dogs out for a sail. There were lots of waves and quite a bit of wind, but they haven’t forgotten their old skills. Dad steered, and Mom was co-pilot: "You need to fall off a bit, Øyvin, you’re sailing too high." And suddenly, I was back drawn back to my childhood.
I took over towards the end, and as I turned to head back to Cala des Morts, I forgot I had the fishing line out. I realised it after we turned, and when Espen tried to pull it in, it had gotten tangled in the propeller.
The conclusion was to try anchoring under sail. Fredrik and Christoffer took charge, and it worked like a dream. The fishing line was easily untangled, and we breathed a sigh of relief, celebrating with cava, cheese, and olives.
Formentera is an relatively untouched and beautiful island, with steep cliffs plunging into the sea and stunning sandy beaches.
Fredrik, feeling the itch for some cliff diving, he hadn't done it in a while. So after breakfast he looked at his app on the phone and found the perfect spot for a jum, Raco Blanc.
Fredriks jumping from about 17 meters.
What a beautiful stop! High cliffs dropping straight into the most crystal-clear water, and fish swimming beneath the boat. Fredrik got his jump in, and we all enjoyed swimming and relaxing. It was so peaceful there, but we had dinner plans with the grandparents, so we headed back, powering through waves and wind. Leaving the boat at anchor unseen for the first time, we ventured ashore for dinner, and it went smoothly. We savoured a fantastic meal at a slightly upscale restaurant. It was a treat to see Grandpa’s playful side when we were served cotton candy and dark chocolate for dessert.
Then it was time for goodbyes again. I’m so grateful that we’ll see them again soon in Las Palmas.
Night sail to Cartagena, Spain.
We had perfect wind until the evening. "Oh, look at that," I hear Espen say, and I assume it’s some kind of sea creature. But no—it’s our code sail, floating in the water. Christoffer and Espen acted quickly, getting it back on board without much fuss. It seemed like a safety release had triggered, as none of the lines had snapped—just a fitting at the top of the sail had come loose. That night, the wind completely died, and we spent the rest of the journey battling large waves. It was a relief to finally arrive in Cartagena.
We took a leisurely walk through the city, which is filled with beautiful old buildings, and visited the Roman amphitheater. But most of our time was spent stocking up on provisions. Fredrik, Emilie, and I filled three shopping carts—so we won’t be running out of food anytime soon! I also picked up a pressure cooker, hoping it turns out to be a good investment.
Later that evening, Nina and Ken from Myrto came over for a glass of wine. It’s always nice to chat with fellow sailors preparing for the Atlantic crossing just like us. They seem like a very nice couple, and now we’re planning to sail together as buddy boats when we head out through the area where the orca attacks. For now Myrto is staying behind in Cartagena, while we continue onward toward Gibraltar.
Once again, the weather is building, and the strong winds through the Strait of Gibraltar, the Viento de Levante or Levanter, are expected to be quite intense and bringing large waves the coming days.
On Channel 9 VHF:"Marina de Garrucha, this is Yggdrasil, we’ve booked a berth." I get a full response in Spanish. "Could you please repeat?" Still, no English, so we just head in, and a very friendly, non-English-speaking lady helps us dock.
We stayed for the night, made some super good chicken in the pressure cooker, had a short walk in a charming little town and checked the weather. It looks good for the next two days, but we will be facing the wind head-on. From Thursday, it’s expected to get much worse. We got a bit more wind than the forecast said today, and with no confirmed berth in Almeria, we are now celebrating my birthday on anchorage in the beautiful bay Fondeadero del Morron. Fredrik and Espen testing my birthday present.
-Anicke
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