I have got a free Saturday afternoon this weekend and a friend is lending me her Beneteau 323 (yes, she actually trusts me with it now — Day Skipper certificate finally paying off). Planning to head out around 13:00 and be back before dark.
The forecast looks lovely — 10-12 knots from the northwest, sunny, maybe 24 degrees. I am torn between heading west toward Portals Vells where I know the anchorage, or trying something new and going east toward Cala Gamba or even further to Cala Blava.
Anyone have a favourite short afternoon sail from Palma at this time of year? Bonus points if there is somewhere nice to drop the hook and swim — the water is still warm enough, right?
Sophie, if the wind is northwest at 10-12 knots you will have a beautiful beam reach heading east. Forget Portals Vells for once — you know it already and on a Saturday it will be full of charter cats.
My suggestion: sail east past the airport toward Cala Blava. There is a small rocky cove just before you reach it that most people miss completely. Anchor in 4-5 metres over sand, very protected from anything north or west. In October you might have it entirely to yourself.
If you are feeling confident with the boat, keep going to Cala Pi. It is a bit further but worth every minute. The entrance is narrow between cliffs and looks intimidating the first time but the depth is fine — just stay center. Inside it is completely calm, turquoise water, and in October the summer crowds are gone.
Just watch the time. Sunset is around 19:15 now and it gets dark fast. Give yourself at least an hour and a half to get back to Palma.
Carlos has given you the insider tip there Sophie — that little cove before Cala Blava is a gem. I have used it as a lunch stop on training days and the holding is solid.
One thing to keep in mind if you go east: the approach to Cala Blava has a few shallow patches close to the rocks on the north side. Stay well off until you can see the sandy bottom clearly, then tuck in. In October the water is still clear enough that you can read the depth visually without any trouble.
If you feel adventurous and the wind holds, keep going past Cala Blava toward Cap Enderrocat. There is a military area you cannot land on but the sailing along that stretch of coast is gorgeous and you will have it to yourself. Just leave enough time to get back before the light goes — sunset is around 19:15 now and it gets dark fast once the sun drops behind the Tramuntana.
Sophie, this sounds like such a lovely afternoon! I am so jealous you have someone willing to lend you a boat already.
Carlos, that cove before Cala Blava — is it easy to spot from the water? I am terrified of missing anchorages because everything looks the same to me from offshore. My instructor keeps telling me to use landmarks but half the time I cannot figure out which rocky bit he means.
Also silly question maybe, but how shallow can you safely go in a Beneteau 323? We have only practised anchoring in the training area so far and I have no feel for it yet.
Anna, good question about spotting anchorages. The trick with that little cove is to look for the tower on the headland just east of it — there is a small stone watchtower, you cannot miss it. The cove opens up just to the west of that tower. From half a mile out it looks like solid cliff, but as you get closer you will see the gap.
Honestly though, the best advice I can give any new sailor is stop looking at the coastline and start looking at your chartplotter. Drop a waypoint on Navionics before you leave, aim for that, and the cove will appear when you are close enough. The landmarks come with experience — after twenty years I navigate by the shape of the hills, but I had to learn the hard way too.
Sophie, if the forecast holds and you get that NW 10-12 then honestly you cannot go wrong either direction. But I will throw in a third option nobody has mentioned — head south past Cala Blava and keep going to the Regana reef. You will not want to anchor there obviously but the sail down is gorgeous this time of year with the cliffs catching the afternoon light, and you can round up and run back to Palma on a broad reach before sunset.
I did exactly that last Thursday. Left Pollença early, motored down to Palma to meet a friend, then we took his First 36 out past the airport. The whole south coast was empty. Not a single charter boat. In July you would have been dodging them every five minutes.