We left Cadiz just on daybreak at about 7.00 am and had a horrible trip for most of the time as we headed for Gibraltar. The rolling and choppy waves were at right angles to the boat so we were rocked around more than on any other day for the entire two months of travelling. Of course there was no wind for sailing to allow us to drive through the water better. It finally settled down when we were able to change direction and we were fascinated to be seeing the African coast on one side and the Spanish coast on the other. Our arrival at Alcaidesa Marina in the town of La Linea was at 4.30, needing to firstly stop at the office to deal with the paperwork before being allotted a berth. We are stern to now with a line to pick up for forward anchoring to a mooring chain so it is our first experience with the need for the passarelle to be set up to get on and off the boat.
We decided to stay at this marina on the Spanish side of the border with Gibraltar because of the depth and also to avoid a range of official problems with going out of Europe (Gibraltar being British). It actually has another advantage which we realise now we are here - looking across at the rock is an extraordinary scene to be seeing each time we come up to the cockpit. A barbecue dinner on the boat gave us plenty of time to enjoy that view in both daylight and twilight hours. The scene keeps changing because the rock it may be completely clear sky all around, changing colour depending on the time of the day, but the rock forms its own cloud sometimes; the moisture builds as it moves up the east side from the Mediterranean Sea and then a cloud appears as though it is smoke streaming out of the top of a volcano, heading west. It is a fascinating sight.