Van on the run: Puerto Pollenca

Sunday 13th July 2014

3am and we were both awake....Windekind was rocking from side to side again and we really couldn’t cope with it...so we lifted the anchor and crept out of the bay headed for Puerto Pollenca. The moon lit our way and we gently motored into the bay where calm water awaited us. We navigated our way around the boats at anchor in the dark and found ourselves a lovely spot where we eventually came to rest, set the anchor and then retreated back to bed...for some well earned peaceful sleep!

Eventually we awoke to a lovely calm, still morning

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All is calm...[/caption]

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Ready to go ashore...[/caption]

and planned a trip to the market in Pollenca.....a chance to stock up with fresh fruit and veg, cured ham and chorizo.

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Tying up Mango Tango once safely ashore[/caption]

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Windekind from the shore[/caption]

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Fresh fruit….yummy![/caption]

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Scrumptious colours[/caption]

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Fresh off the bone...[/caption]

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Dried fruits[/caption]

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So flamboyant[/caption]

On our return to Windekind...to our horror, she was dragging her anchor and was almost on top of another boat...so BT to the rescue...clambering aboard Windekind lifting the anchor and finding another, more reliable spot to anchor....phew...that was a close shave! One of the festivals that takes place here is the Festival Del Carmen....It usually takes place on the 16th July every year in many of the costal towns of Spain. I’ve cribbed this from a web site, but it gives you a basic idea of what it’s all about..... The Old Testament prophet Elias, towards the end of his life, became a hermit in a cave on Mount Carmelo. Hundreds of years later, pilgrims trying to follow in the prophet’s footsteps, invoked the protection of the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmelo – Stella Maris, the Virgin of Carmen. Now, the Virgin is the patroness and protector of all seamen, fishermen and even, as we shall see later, scuba divers. Most of the Día de la Virgen del Carmen traditions involve at least one parade through the town, making its way to the sea front. Usually, a flower-strewn effigy of the Virgin is carried through the streets by a group of the local fishermen. When they reach the sea, they are usually met by a flotilla of illuminated and decorated boats, all sounding their horns. After prayers are made for all those at sea, the statue is then customarily taken on a boat, around the local harbour as the fireworks and bands accompany her journey. The Virgin, according to the legend, is responsible for keeping the waters around the shore clean and safe; many devotees used to refuse to swim until after July 16th! Anyway, today was the day for Puerto Pollenca to celebrate this festival.....we really wanted to take part and have the boat blessed...like we did last year in Fornells, Menorca....but, having anchored safely, we decided that we couldn’t join in with Windekind so...we took Mango Tango and waited outside the harbour whilst the flotilla of boats circled the bay...there is no way we would have kept up..in actual fact, I think we would have been swallowed by the huge catamarans!!!

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The flotilla approaching...[/caption]

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The boat with the statue followed by two huge catamarans!![/caption]

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The lead boat[/caption]

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Children having fun on their own little dinghy[/caption]

We watched the boats pass by and then followed them all into the port, and watched, aboard Mango Tango whilst the statures were lifted from the boats and heralded by a marching band into the town....

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The statues being lifted in preparation for a march into town...[/caption]

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All the gorgeous Catalan boats lined up in the port[/caption]

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Reflections[/caption]

we made a slow retreat back to Windekind

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Back to Windekind just as the sun is setting...[/caption]

feeling blessed and happy to have taken part in the best way we could.... It was a beautifully calm evening...we sat on deck eating tea, candles lit watching the fireworks exploding across the sky.

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