Sailing to Menorca from Barcelona

Sailing to Menorca from Barcelona

The summer hasn’t arrived yet and that also has its advantages. It is priceless to reach Menorca and enjoy its fantastic inlets absolutely alone. Today we are going to discover the good about sailing to Menorca from Barcelona when its not peak season.

We had agreed to meet at the Neptuno School in the Port Olimpic of Barcelona, on Thursday at 18:00h. There, the students arrived for navigation practices. With this type of trips from Thursday to Sunday, they get their authorization to sail from the Peninusla to the Balearic Islands. In addition, they expand its attribution to handle boats up to 24 meters length. Furthermore, making this voyage, they simultaneously perform the mandatory 16 hours of practice to enable sleepless PER title.

First contact

At the appointed time, all the students came with their backpacks and knapsacks ready to board the MALPELO, a Bavaria 50 sailing ‘. The first thing we usually do is analyze among all the weather forecast in the school classroom. That is already part of their practice. Among fate, its decided and discussed security about trip. Subsequently, a shopping list is constructed and arranged to go to the nearest supermarket and make the purchase of food and drink necessary for this trip.

Once on board, and after not having attended the usual advice «do not buy much that there is always spare food…», we set the boat perfectly stowed. Under these conditions, we perform the required breafing on any voyage:

• Security elements
• Tightness
• Maneuver
• Anchoring

We called Maritime Rescue to communicate practices and about at 20:30h we headed to Punta Nati in Menorca.

The trip: Sailing to Menorca from Barcelona

The first few miles passed calmly. We could enjoy a wind between the third and fourth quadrant. That drove us to a good 8 knots of speed through a comfortable navigation. That if not for a wave formed with a height of 1.2 meters, in a short period which resulted ultimately in a quick navigation, but uncomfortable.

We spent all night with small variations in wind direction. And when the intensity of eolo decreased, we put up the engine to compensate for the drop in speed with the wind hold. But always being able to keep both the mainsail and the staysail that we used as headsail.

Veronica, the only girl on board, was the one who suffered the most. Because, despite their many hours of flying time as a flight attendant for a known airline, the boats is a very different movement. And she spent a night quite giddy . However, as I bet with her, upon our return that was not going to happen because she would be totally marinized… as it was.

Pregonda Inlet

As we were reaching miles to the coast that we had in our bow, the island of Menorca was showing to us. Finally, we chose to anchor in Cala Pregonda as it offers excellent shelter to SW that was blowing around 15 knots.

Reaching Pregonda and finding no boat moored on the beach is one of those rewards that have sailing during not summer months. After performing the practice of funding with students and verifying that the ship did not move, we arranged a table in the bathtub to take our copious and deserved lunch.

At about 16:30h we lift the iron and we set forward the pretty village of Fornells to anchor in its small port. Unthinkable even in summer to call for its almost impossible availability. With extreme caution, given the small probe its holding ground, landed pointed bow, because stern would have been completely impossible. Probe showed only 2 m on display of water from the keel. But we were calmed to know that the tide was at its lowest point.

Dinner at one of its excellent restaurants. And going to sleep early because who else who least needed a sleep to compensate for the hours without sleep.

Finishing our days

The next morning, we bought typical ensaimadas, checked again all elements of breafing-and browsing! The sea was worse than assumed by the forecast of AEMET. And had formed a pretty NW moved sea. We decided to return to Pregonda, as it was the only holding ground in the area that offered us a good shelter to continue making our practices and prepare for the returning voyage.

After preparing the lunch and dinner that we were going to take during navigation, we checked the weather again. And at 12: 30h head forward to Barcelona. Until late afternoon we enjoyed a NW wind that although did not give us a straight course, allowed us to go fast upwind something more funky. And 100% of the headsail.

At night, the wind was falling and the sea fortunately too. Quiet night with the normal regime guards and excellent practices of Radar, AIS and night sailing for students.

At 09:00h in the morning we concluded our practice, moored in Port Olimpic.

¡DISCOVER MENORCA SAILING!