Islas Balearics, Boats and Blue Mud

Espalmador, Spain

When we left the coast of Spain for the Balearic Islands, we were unsure which island we would go to. As the winds picked-up and we made good time, we decide we could make the extra distance to Espalmador. Espalmador is a small, private island with one long white sand beach and it is very, very popular.

This was to be our orientation to the Balearic Islands in August, the season when everyone in Europe is on vacation and most of them are in these islands. The guidebook said that the bay could easily accommodate 100 boats. When we arrived, there were at least 100 boats there already and more were pulling in every minute. We anchored out and watched the boats come and go.

In the early morning, a lot of boats left, so we moved into the bay and found a nice spot with a lot of swing room. In the next few hours, we watched as boats, large and small, anchored all around us, filling up the space. We thought anchoring in the Caribbean was tight, it was nothing compared to this.

Espalmador is a very popular destination for the day tourist boats from Ibiza. In the morning, a couple of very large catamarans arrived loaded with people. In one case, there were so many people on the cat that they had to sit on the beer kegs!

Just before dusk most of the boats leave and head back to their dock in Ibiza or Formantera, so while it was still tight we slept knowing that there were only a couple boats that could swing into us.

By the second day, we were numb to the anchoring routine and didn’t even jump when we heard anchors drop right next two us. We even spent some time relaxing on the foredeck with a rum punch enjoying the anchoring dance.

After a few hours and a few punches, we had observed some things about anchoring in the Balearics (or at least in Espalmador):

Many things are the same, or similar, to anchoring in the Caribbean:

• You must motor through the anchorage at full speed.
• Charter boats are required to drop their anchor, let out too little scope and immediately hop in the dinghy and go ashore
• You are not allowed to set the anchor by backing down on it, just drop it
• It is ok to anchor less than 10 feet from another boat.

But there were also some distinct differences in Med anchoring:

• You anchor with your fenders out – so many boats drag and swing into each other that you need protection. Anchoring is a contact sport.
• If possible, you should have at least one topless woman on the deck when you anchor to distract the other boaters from your poor anchoring skills.
• If you anchor in the wrong spot, it is ok to motor the boat with the anchor down, dragging on the bottom to the spot that you really want to anchor.
• It is ok to anchor in the swimming area. When the Guardia Civil comes by and tells you to move, just pull out, wait for them to leave and re-anchor in the swimming area.
• Don’t worry about anchoring on someone else anchor because you are probably going to leave before they do.

Despite the closeness, most people are very courteous and maintain a watch, so that there are very few accidents. The boats, other than charter sail boats, are very nice, large and expensive, and hopefully insured.

Blue People

We had read about the mud hole in Espalmador and we had observed people walking down the beach covered in slate blue mud. One morning we came up top to see a blue guy in a dinghy doing circles just behind us, so we decided to give it a go. We went ashore, followed the trail of blue mud and jumped right in. Well it is only about knee deep so we stood there and covered ourselves and each other in mud.

The mud smelled like sulfur and tingled a bit on the skin. After lathering up, we walked back to the beach, covered in drying mud, and dove into the water. As the mud washed off we were amazed at how smooth our skin was. For days we marveled at how well the mud worked and even contemplated going back for another free treatment.

With smooth skin and no boat dings, we headed to Mallorca.
Previous Comments 

06 Sep 2010

Linda & Steve

Amazing that there are no moorings there. Maybe the South Pacific is less crowded?