We are planning to do Palma to Ciutadella over the weekend of the 14th-17th August and would love to have one or two extra crew aboard. Our boat is a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 389 — not massive but comfortable enough for four. We have done the crossing once before in June and it was a lovely sail, about 90 miles each way with a stop at Cala Ratjada on the east coast to break it up.
The rough plan is to leave Palma early Friday morning, sail up the east coast and anchor at Cala Ratjada or Porto Colom for Friday night, then do the crossing to Ciutadella on Saturday morning. Spend Saturday afternoon and Sunday exploring the south coast calas of Menorca — Cala Macarella is supposed to be incredible — then head back Monday. Obviously weather dependent and we are not in any rush.
We are both working towards our Coastal Skipper so this is partly a log-building trip. We would love crew who are happy to get involved with sail handling and helming rather than just passengers. No experience necessary though — we had a great time taking a complete beginner friend out last month and it is always fun sharing the boat with new people.
All we ask is a contribution towards fuel and marina fees. Drop a message here or DM if interested!
Tom and Lisa, lovely plan — the crossing to Ciutadella is one of my favourites. Mid-August can be lively though so keep a close eye on the forecast for the canal between Mallorca and Menorca. The wind tends to funnel through there and what starts as a F4 in the bay can easily build to a solid F6 in the channel.
I cannot join this time as I have back-to-back charters that weekend, but if you are still looking for crew I know a couple of my former students who would jump at the chance. Want me to put you in touch?
Oh this sounds like such a brilliant trip! I am massively jealous. I did Cala Ratjada as a day trip from Palma earlier in the summer and it was gorgeous — the harbour there is really pretty and there is a great little seafood place right on the quay if you are looking for somewhere to eat.
I would love to do the Menorca crossing at some point but definitely not ready for that yet. Hope you find your crew and have an amazing time!
Tom and Lisa, hope you find good crew for this. One thing on the canal — if you are crossing on Saturday morning, try to leave Cala Ratjada or wherever you stop by 0600 at the latest. The thermal wind in the channel builds through the morning and by midday it can be bumpy even on a forecast that looks moderate. Early crossings are almost always smoother.
Also keep an eye out for the fast ferries on the approach to Ciutadella. They come through that channel at serious speed and throw a big wake. Stay well clear and make sure your AIS is on.