Waves...

Friday 8th August 2014

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z-dZNZBHo3Vo.kUVDrr5wNi3U

It was a hot and sticky night last night…we have two hatches that we can open into the cabin but unless there is some sort of breeze, we have no air movement at all…and last night it was very still…great for a non bumpily roly poly night, but not so good in terms of being able to keep cool. No mod cons on Windekind…air con is on if there is a breeze but off if there isn't! Anyway, we are not really complaining…we are in a fantastic place with so much to offer, so many things to do and such beautiful surroundings.

[caption id="attachment_1763" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Blogging at Formentera Bakery[/caption]

We came ashore for coffee, only for BT to get absolutely soaked just as we were about to beach Mango Tango…waves crept up from behind him….due to the enormous ferries bombing in and out of the harbour….and just dumped themselves, unceremoniously, down his shorts….and typically, today, he decided not to wear swim shorts and change ashore, but just wear his day shorts…so he spent the morning with a very wet bot! Not nice, but we made up for it by spending time at Formentera Bakery where they sell the most scrumptious apple cake and fruit smoothies!

 

[caption id="attachment_1759" align="aligncenter" width="480"] One very wet BT[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1760" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Puddles….[/caption]

 

On our way to the beach we had noticed this channel …..

[caption id="attachment_1792" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Channel to 'Estany Pudent'[/caption]



so we went to take a closer look. It seems that this structure had two uses….this one on the side of the sea…..here...

[caption id="attachment_1764" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Holding pens for the live fish…carved out of the sandstone[/caption]

was used as a breeding ground for fish that had been caught in Estunay Pudent behind….it can just be seen here..

[caption id="attachment_1766" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Estany Pudent in the background[/caption]

They then extracted roe from the live fish which was then subsequently dried. It was a prized food and was exported to Barcelona and other places on the mainland.

[caption id="attachment_1770" align="aligncenter" width="480"] This explains about the Estany Pudent Lagoon..[/caption]

With smoothies and cake consumed, shopping done and BT a little drier we retrieved Mango Tango from the beach and made our way back to Windekind. We weren't prepared for the wave that was about to come our way though…..!! An enormous ferry had just entered the marina at full speed (or so it seemed) and left behind it a wave of gigantic proportions! We tried to catch it with the camera but it's hard to show you the extreme scale of it all….

[caption id="attachment_1779" align="aligncenter" width="480"] No…this is not a dinky yacht….half of it is obliterated by the wave that it has just ridden...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1780" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Not bad photography…this little yacht really was at this angle![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1781" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The waves crashing up onto the shore…what you can't get from this picture is the screams coming from people on the shore who were happily sunbathing…until they were unexpectedly drenched that is!!!![/caption]

Amazingly, we managed to survive the whole event in Mango Tango….she rode the waves magnificently….thank goodness, as we had all of our laptops and phones on her with us!

[caption id="attachment_1782" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Windekind survived the drama too...[/caption]



 

[caption id="attachment_1761" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This was taken from the beach…just to try to give you some idea of how many boats there are …and this stretches on like this for about 4 miles….[/caption]



 

[caption id="attachment_1772" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This old wooden boat house provided some good photo opportunities….[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1773" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Small Catalan boat tucked away inside...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1774" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Amazing how beautiful rusty old nails can look![/caption]



[caption id="attachment_1776" align="aligncenter" width="480"] It's amazing what grow out of nothing here….beautiful, minute purple flowers...[/caption]



 

After some lunch, we hopped aboard Mango Tango again and paddled the length of the beach…it is absolutely stunning. The water is azure blue and as clear as anything….the bottom can be seen so easily…you can make out the patterns in the sand and the fish swimming by. We took our waterproof camera with us but unfortunately, the heat made it 'sweat' and so many of our photos are unusable…but here are a few that are not so bad...

[caption id="attachment_1784" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Turquoise and orange…a fantastic combination...[/caption]



 



[caption id="attachment_1786" align="aligncenter" width="347"] We came ashore to this beach where there were literally hundred of these little cairns…. The water you can see in this photo is the opposite side of the island to where we are anchored…it's a very narrow sand spit here….[/caption]



 

And…as we were paddling back we were treated to this magnificent sight….

[caption id="attachment_1788" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Awesome…..[/caption]