Cabo Malgrats Mallorca

Keen though we were to sail, and the forecast suggested that this was not an unreasonable aspiration, Thursday 10 August was all about motoring as the promised wind hardly materialised. The cloud from the overnight disturbed weather and thunderstorms hung around until late in the afternoon and, overall, it seemed like quite a grey day. We left Palma at 1245 and initially planned to just go 7 miles as far Cala Portals. However, when we got there we found that the swell was getting into the bay and all the yachts there were rolling madly. As pretty as it is (Here’s a Link to when we were last there in April 2014), we decided that we’d be far more comfortable on the southwestern side of the island.

Punta de Ses Barbines   

So, we continued motoring around the most southerly tip of Mallorca, Punta de Cala, and then west towards Punta de Ses Barbines. Off this headland are a couple of islands and we saw other yachts take the short cut between them. One chart we had said that there was enough depth for us, the other didn’t. Given that other yachts, most of them larger than us, had gone through we decided to give it a go but to take it very slowly. The shallowest depth we saw was 2.7m, so we got through OK but it’s not a shortcut to take when there are any significant waves.

Port Adriano (R) and Cabo Malgrats ahead   

Three miles further up the coast, just past the rather ugly looking Porto Adriano, is a very enclosed bay on the eastern side of Cabo Malgrats. Just outside the bay are 2 large islands which also help to provide shelter.

Rather grey skies for our arrival in Cabo Malgrats   

For Mallorca, the bay was surprisingly empty with just 3 other yachts there. Later on, when the sun came out again, lots of little motor boats joined us but they all left at around 6pm.

As the sun sank low in the sky we set to work on preparing dinner. We’d enjoyed our tapas in Palma and reckoned on doing something similar [Ed: similar, but better. Much better!].

After the morning trip to the Santa Catalina market, the fridge was bursting with goodies so, as well barbecuing some langoustines, prawns and vegetables, we fried up some pimentons padron and made a fiery patatas bravas. That all went down very well with a glass or two of wine and got the ‘excellent holiday fayre’ approving tick from Charlotte.

Cabo Malgrats   

Cabo Malgrats, Mallorca, Spain