Position : 32°44'•47N and 016°42'•68W
Friday, 12th October, 2012, 19.00 UTC

ISLAND OF WOOD

Ready to leave Gibraltar. Ian arrived as our new crew member, a new sail ( Parasail ) arrived with Stuart from SeaTeach, trial run ok, all set, let's go and do some serious sailing after all this mess during the previous leg. And what happened ? We left on Saturday , 6th of October, at 11.15h local time, and having passed Tarifa at the end of the Gibraltar Strait and into the Atlantic, we set the new Parasailor ( a huge forward sail like a Spinnaker ) . For an hour. 

And then the wind was gone AGAIN !!!!!!! 

But not only then . The wind was gone for good ! 
fini ! basta ! fertig !  hasta la vista Baby ! 
For the remaining 500 nautical miles we used the engine, motor, propeller, whatever, but no wind, no sailing. 

What is wrong with Portugal !!!!!!!

And I don't mean.....no, no , not again, but this is what happened. Not a single whisper of a wind. For 4 days !!!!!!!! Thank's god we have an engine. Just imagine in the old days.....

So what do you do when for 4 days you are running the engine ?
Well, the answer is: 

What else ? 
Nothing! NOTHING!! N O T H I N G !!!  
N  O  T  H  I  N  G  

During the night from the 9th to the 10th of October we passed Porto Santo, the island in the north east of Madeira. 
It was here that a storm ( probably a north-easterly) in the year 1418 led to the discovery of the Archipelago Madeira , as two navigators, Mr Joao Zarco  and fellow Tristao Teixeira, 
sought shelter in the lee of the island. By doing so they saw in the south-west some more islands and returned to the largest in the summer of the following year, landing at a place full of fennel, which in the portuguese language is nothing else then 
Funchal ! 
Here we are, everything has its explanation. 
As a historical side-note , Mr Zarco had previously lost an eye fighting the Moors in the spanish enclave of Ceuta ( go back to my previous blog ! )

Both were accompanied by a minor Portuguese nobleman of italian origin, Bartolomeo Perestrelo, who became Porto Santo's first Governor. He is mostly remembered however for the fact that his daughter happened to marry later to no other than Christopher Columbus. It was on Porto Santo and during his trips between here, the Azores and Gran Canaria that Columbus studied most likely the wind and weather patterns of the Atlantic. Anyway, let's leave that story for another day.

Back to Madeira. 
The name is related to the native dense woodland, the madeira, so the island of wood.
  Economically it had serious phases of ups and downs. It started well with sugar cane, tended for by slaves from Africa. When that business declined all of these poor souls were deported to the Caribbean. Interestingly enough there is not a single trace of coloured people on Madeira. Later, in 1460, vine was introduced from southern Europe, as well as flowers. 
Both, the wine and the flowers are still Madeira's main export products.

In modern times it was the British who - as with the french Riviera, or the swiss ski resorts -  developed some kind of pre-tourism business and boom. The Foreign Office or Colonial Office, the Defence Ministry and the East-India trading corporation, used Madeira as an interim step to acclimatise British Overseas Personal coming back from Asia to Europe. Here the climate being mild and mellow in the winter helped those exposed to Asian ( tropical ) monsoon weather patterns to find it easier on their bodies and soul to prepare for the harsh reality of returning home ( not only weather wise I guess ). 

I suspect however, as practical as true British imperial thinking was and still is, a second, may be more sinister reason.


The human equivalent of the harsh and uncompromising rabies laws of the United Kingdom.

 I believe that Madeira was used as a human Quarantine ( interim- ) Station of tremendous proportions . If any outbreak of an unknown ( asian ) disease would happen, it would have happened here, far away,and not back  home. So it would have been containable. 
Does that make sense.? 

I mean this is still much more pleasurable than what dogs had to go through until recently, travelling to and from the Uk. Six months quarantine in public kennels. Can you imagine ? 
But here is a good story. 
It was american diplomacy that helped easing the harsh treatment of modern travelling dogs under the rabies laws. Because I think it was His Excellency Raymond Hardenburgh Seitz's wife, him american ambassador to the United Kingdom ( from 1991-1994), whose dog happened to travel to Washington and on return was quarantined against her will and the protest of the whole american embassy staff. Even worse, the once highly pampered creature, I assume with golden necklace, some diamonds sprinkled on the lead, a nice little red or yellow bow tie in his hair , etc, etc, returned as  a wreck, literally speaking. 
I have the picture just in front of my eyes : the dog lead surely stolen, the hair of the poor doggy falling out, dirty and psychologically a wreck, bullied , bitten, and worse, by his fellow "dog inmates", in need of the best american shrinks from either New York or LA  .....it ended all in a tug of war of the highest diplomatic exchange of notes and letters, re-enforced by certain tabloid comments. In fact the dog was lucky, believe it or not. It could have been worse. In an article by the Los Angeles Times from Nov.10th, 1996, it was reported that two years before, out of 9250 detained animals, 43 cats and 40 dogs had died in british quarantine kennels.

And believe it or not, the Lady made an impact. 
All dog owners of the British Isles and beyond can be thankful for her intervention. Because it only took the British administration roughly 20 more years to slightly relax the 'Dog Travelling Policy from and to the United Kingdom' issued by Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  In fact I personally believe it is 
the only time in modern american history, that its diplomacy achieved something without military intervention !
Here is a lesson for YOU , Mr Obama : YES, YOU CAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH DEAR, WHY DO I ALWAYS GET CARRIED AWAY. Quick, back to Madeira. 

We arrived at 0900 am on the 10th of October 2012 in Quinta do Lorde, a marina in the North - East of Madeira, and roughly 40min by car away from Funchal, greeted by Catia Carvalho, one of the best known and most efficient and helpful marina manager(ess) in the Atlantic. 

Many years ago, another Lady made her impact on the island. Mrs Phibbs from England. In fact 100s if not 1000s of Ladies made their impact on the economy of Madeira............Lovely embroidery had been made over many years by the women of the island, and Mrs Phibbs had the idea of commercialising the products. It is said it was her who managed to display these products in 1851at the Great Exhibition in London. It created until this day additional income for families with the advantage that women could work from home....at least the majority :  . It reminds me of the same work and style of embroidery for which Burano in the Laguna di Venezia,Italy is famous for. But I could not detect any connection between the two places, although Governor Perestrelo , being originally italian, might have had a hand in it. Who knows. May be one day I'll find out.

Not far away I met one of the oldest Flower Seller on Madeira. Isabel, she is 72 years old and has been selling flowers in the market of Madeira for now 57 years  . 
Well, if you seek job security, here it is. But you have to work very very hard. Because she gets up at three in the morning, buys the flowers from the growers and resells it with a small margin at the market. Every day of the week. All year around.  Life can be tough, but her smile says more: She is content with it. Isn't that more important than riches and sorrows ? You are the best judges for that. I leave it to you. 


So if you haven't noticed yet by now: The world is full of strong women !

Gibraltar is full of Monkey Business !

GIBRALTAR. Located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, the entrance to the Mediterranean,the visible sign for the African continent and its people of a Europe that lies only 12 nautical miles to their north, and yet, for most, though so desirable, is far away.

The name is coming from the arabic name Jabal-t Tariq, which means "Mountain of Tariq" , but also refers to the Berber Umayyad Tariq ibn-Ziyad . He and is Special Forces  ( like an SAS Task Force I guess, a moroccan led D-Day !  ) undertook the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Moorish forces in 711. I can only assume that in memory of this event the Gibraltarian Council some years ago gave permission to build a mosque on one of Europe's most significant spot: " Europa Point", the southern tip of Gibraltar, clearly visible by all seafarers and cruising tourists alike as a first sign that they have reached the shores of Europe on their voyage into the Mediterranean. The significance of this "statement" will not be missed by my readers. 

Did money play a role ? Surely "Monkey Business".

Back to Gibraltar, the rock in the sea, one of the Pillars of Hercules ( the identical twin is on the other side, the spanish enclave of Ceuta is close by ), and a British overseas territory since 1713 (Treaty of Utrecht) , with its densely populated city area, home to almost 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities. It became an important base ever since for the Royal Navy and Army, and a thorn in the thigh for the Spanish.......until to these days, although the importance for the Navy is somehow gone, or at least hugely downgraded. What is left is Navy Cadets paddling around in the Bay and Marina in plastic canoes....... cost cutting has reached the far points of the former British Empire.

What a difference to the 'Good Ol'e Days, reincarnated through a selection of royal and maritime photographs in the Bar of the Rock Hotel - 'THE' Gibraltarian Institution of Stiff Upper Lip and Upper Class - although starkly irritated I assume by these Flip-Flop wearing tattoo-embroidered youngish lager louts who mingle there for a drink with the Old Establishment. Gibraltar has definitely seen better days, although the financial sector still seems to attract money or let's say, for various reasons, financial business. Some of it like 'offshore gambling' has been cleaned up, but there is still some work to be done. 
Also the availability of cheap tax free cigarettes, alcohol and diesel fuel that generates a gentle income for the inhabitants, as much as all the tourists do for the foreign workforce of Spanish, Romanian, Ukrainian, Latvian, French, Indian, Bangladeshi and any other Nationality you can think of.....except for the British. 
I have not met a single british waiter or shopworker or else. 
How many unemployed are there in the UK ? And finally not to forget the smugglers, sometimes chased across the Bay at night by unlit Police RIBs ( rigid inflatable boat ) , but one is caught I guess, and 10 come through. 
"Monkey Business".

Gibraltar is eternally linked with Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Brinte,  and the Battle of Trafalgar . One of the best maritime strategists ever and highly acclaimed for his victories on and off his various ships ( Lady Hamilton and their illicit daughter is testimony to this statement ) ) , he found his fate through a fatal wound received from a french sharpshooter during the aforementioned battle and died on 21.October 1805. 


"England expects that every man do his duty"

 was his famous signal from his ship HMS Victory and it was not only him who lived or better died up to it. Even today it is a humble experience to visit the 'Trafalgar Cemetery' ,situated at the end of Gibraltar's High Street. Some of those who did not survive the battle with Lord Nelson , and others from similar engaging battles, are buried here. The most intriguing tombstone I have ever come across also stands here. 
That of Thomas Worth and John Buckland, who were killed by the same shot ! 
I wonder and try to see the battle scene : Two british soldiers in their best uniform, may be red or navy dark blue.  Were they standing next to each other, like brothers, or back to back, to make a last stand, like in the film "Zulu" ?  Who knows .,

From here however some myths around Nelson remain in the fairytales of the british public. It is correct that he was brought back to Gibraltar, but against common belief he was not put into a barrel of pickle. Pickle was actually HMS Pickle and it carried a dispatch about his death to England. 
No, far better than pickle, Nelson's sailors put him first into a cask of brandy mixed with camphor and myrrh, and tied it to the mainmast of HMS Victory. Later that was replaced with a lead-lined coffin filled with spirits of wine. Upon arrival in England, so the other tale goes, they all had a little sip from that stuff. Or did they try already the brandy ? Believe what you want . The rest you can read in boring history books.So , surprise, surprise,
 no "Monkey Business" here ! But.....

......last but not least what I guess you have been waiting for. 


The monkeys of Gibraltar ! Some refer to them as Apes, as in Barbary apes or rock apes, but it is a tailless species of Barbary macaque monkeys, and unlike their cousins from North Africa, the population is thriving, 
unfortunately. 


Let me explain :

One of the reasons is again the cost cutting of the Army. It was the British Army and later the Gibraltar Regiment, who not only catered for but also carefully controlled the population of monkeys. Actually a Staff Sergeant was appointed to this highly nerve recking job. The Army wouldn't be The Army, if none of this would have been properly recorded. The serving officers for this "Monkey Business" were ( to name only a few ) :

Sgt Alfred Holmes of the Gibraltar Regiment , and a Ernest Asquez of the Gibraltar Regiment.

A food allowance was given , fruits, nuts, vegetables, all was catered for, and their volumes of ' Social Welfare Take-aways' properly recorded in the books and budgets of the Army. Even births were recorded in truly military fashion, and each monkey had a name. And to top it up, the NHS also moved in and provided 'free-of-charge' Health Care, including visits to the Royal Naval Hospital Gibraltar. 

What a Monkey Life !!!!!! 


And all because of Winston Churchill ! 
Or almost only because of him. Because the monkeys had almost vanished. In 1942 there were only 7 animals left on the rock. But because of the popular belief that as long as Gibraltar Barbary macaques exist on the rock, the British rule would remain, none other than Sir Winston Churchill gave orders to immediately replenish the existing few left with new stock from Morocco and Algeria. 
Well, if that isn't "Monkey Business", what is ?

It all ended when the Government of Gibraltar took over the responsibility for the animals some years ago, and the 'caring' public stopped the culling . Somehow the monkeys have gone wild, are not controlled in their numbers any more, chase tourists for food, and forage through the city streets of Gibraltar in search for some.

I wonder when they take over the Gibraltarian Parliament. Then we really have a "Monkey Business" !

POSITION : 36°08'•09 N and 005°21'•22 W
TUESDAY 2ND OF OCTBER, 2012, 20.00h UTC

WHAT IS WRONG WITH SPAIN ?????

I don't mean the financial stuff, the ( housing -) boom and bust, the developers delight along the spanish coastline with appartement blccks, villas, fincas, you name it they have it. The geographical destruction of the coastline, the habitat, and finally the social structure, all to the delight of the speculators. And financed with credits, no economic value creation behind it. But the profits, wow the profits. Why would a normal person buy a place, where the builder /developer makes alreay a profit of more than 100 %. And then the first time buyer sells it on for another 50 % profit after some time. Where is the reasoning, where is the logic ?

WELL FOLK, IT'S ONLY GREED.

And don't blame the bankers or the politicians or anybody else than YOU. Yes YOU ! And don't tell me you didn't see it coming. You knew. But you didn't want to see it. Because those we blame are just a good reflection of our own society . And we are part of it as everybody else. So pick your own nose. No, I don't want to talk about all this. I want to talk about the weather. 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WEATHER IN SPAIN ?

This is the country of olive trees and oranges, of tourism and binge drinking ( by tourists ) , and that needs good and predictable weather. And see what happened to us. And the others !!!!


We were in Mallorca, and wanted to go to Gibraltar which seems so far away. Realistically we were not able to determine when to leave. A depression over the UK ( weather that is !!! ) with only 972 mb and Hurricane Nadine in the Atlantic created havoc in the Med. Unfortunately some days later in southern Spain 8 people died of flooding and lightning. So Olaf decided to quit. What a chicken ! But we understood. Business calls. So obviously 'Good-bye' Celebrations were put forthwith, which started on 25th of September, and ended for him in a Bar in Las Palmas until 6am the following morning. When we said farewell as the taxi waited, we bribed the driver not to bring him back in the state he was in. We only heard some days later that he actually found the right plane on time. 

Good old Olaf. Well done.

27th of September opened a one day window to go South-West. So we left the evening before and headed for Ibiza.....which we only saw from the distance because the wind had changed , and we ended up in Formentera....just 3 hours before the winds came back with a tremendous force of 60 kts in the Marina. That's when it got nasty on the mainland.

Anyway, Formentera is a funny.place. Young and old hippies actually. I would not have been surprised to meet some forgotten Hare Krishna people in their 70's coming up the main road in the Marina. The german boutique owner I talked to explained that the island is famous for its beaches, the Hippie Market and the good diving conditions.  The beaches used to be occupied with towels by Germans, but today it is really Milan fashion designer type of Italians, who at least brought with them the good coffee. 
But gosh, it must be difficult to be a Milan Fashionista. 
The present 'style' is to wear a scarve around the neck and cowboy or any other boots on the feet - with the summer heat that much be quite cheesy. But everybody gets properly supplied by this Milanese boutique where the owner makes three times a profit than he otherwise would do with the same shop in Milan.
Good for him, old Hippies have always been good at making money !

Then there is nothing else to do. So chill out time. We are back to cooking . This time IT'S ON THE HOUSE ! 



The forecast for the 29th of September was a wind form the SW of 15 Kts to max 20 Kts. One should always assume up to 40% more of some gusts and squalls. A strong pocket of wind was clearly identifiable for the aerea of Alicante and Murcia on the mainland again, , and the sattelite picture showed a lot of thundery conditions along the main coast. So basically no reason not to leave. We waited until after lunch , put a big reef into the mainsail and left in southwesterly direction into the decreasing wind......so we thought.

The opposite happened. After some hours of motor-sailing we had a wind with the strenghts of 30-35 Kts, and during the night for a prolonged period  52 kts ( BF 10 !!!!!! ) with waves up to 4 metres and braking. 
Thank you. Is there anybody reading this stuff who really believes that sailing is fun ? I mean, here we are, we wanted to go to Gibraltar, ended up in Mallorca, for days and days we have been motoring a sailingboat, either because of no wind or wind straight against,  and now we find ourselves in the middle of the night in a force 10 ! 
No cooking here no more !

The thunderstorms were clearly visible along the coastline, and from our view very stroong. Let's hope no further casualties. But weatherforcast right or wrong, these conditions we can do without. 

The following morning and even more so on Monday and Tuesday were the most beautiful days a sailor can have ........ besides the wind. Actually no wind at all. So most of the rest of the journey we motored under engine through day and night, where we finally arrived in Gibraltar on Tuesday, 2nd of September 2012, at 09.45 h UTC which concluded the 2nd leg of our journey.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH SPAIN ? ? 
Either boom or bust. Either too much wind or none at all !

Your motoring expert

Master Mike