On Thursday before Easter the Erasmusgracht docked in Palma - the sailing capital of the wetern Med. There were ten yachts on the deck along with 65 containers full of onions destine for Tesco in the UK. After some raised voices the British load master was able to direct the local Spanish stevedors how to rig the slings to lift the yachts off the ship. There were some tense moments when the two cranes lifted the 65 ton Oyster off the deck and attempted to move it over the side. They did not move in harmony and one of the slings started to move forward. The owner just stood and looked with wide eyes as it slowly moved over the side in to the water.
By the time they were ready to lift Malua it was well into siesta time so they thought they could place the slings over the impeller through hull..... think again mate this Aussie was having noting of that. They moved the slings and started again. Compared to the other lift it was easy and we were in the water and steaming towards the marina in down town Palma.
This is such a yachting centre. Just when you think you have seen the largest yacht along comes another which eclipses it by 10 or more meters! They are just huge.
I started the task of getting the yacht ready to put to sea. All the halyards and lines had to be run again. It was a task but eased by the thin line I had left when they were removed. The water tanks have been filled, the fuel full and the batteries fully charged.
We set off to provision the food from the local supermarket. We filled two supermarket rollies and rolled them down the streets of Palma on the way to the Marina which in on the waterfont at the edge of the city overlooked by the great cathedral.
In a day or two Malua will be ship shape and Bristol and we will be able to go to sea. Oh for the wind in the sails and the motion of the sea under our keel.
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