We left our beloved Portugal after almost 2 years (of course, we were gone more than a year of that - but we still felt so at home). Our first stop in Spain was Ayamonte, a small border town. The two countries are separated by the Guardiana river. We'd heard great things about this little town and were also told that it might be possible to get our American style propane tanks filled that we use for our stove and oven. The town itself was adorable. We docked the boat and immediately took off to explore. They have a bustling downtown area with great restaurants where we got paella at one and amazing tapas at another (we may have tried the wine and sangria too)!! Loved it all.
Next, my priority was seeing if I could get my American propane tanks filled (we have the ability to convert and purchased some European tanks but ours are bigger). I found the place that was rumored to fill them about 3 miles away. I unsuccessfully tried to rent a bike to take me. When I asked our British neighbors Peter and Nicki about what I wanted to do, Peter immediately offered to take me in his car the next morning. Now, we've experienced this generosity time and again in the sailing community but it never ceases to amaze me how often people will bend over backwards to help! Thanks to Peter, we were able to get both of our tanks filled. In hindsight, it would have been a very difficult bike ride even if I could have found a bike to rent!
So, mission accomplished, we decided to take the ferry across the river to explore one last Portuguese town. As with every other Portuguese city, Villa Real de Santo Antonio did not disappoint. We walked all around town, along the river and to the lighthouse. A thoroughly charming town and the perfect way to say one final Adios to our beloved Portugal.
The next day, we continued south with a great sail down to the town of Rota. We were somewhat surprised (we knew Rota had a US naval base but still) when we heard a radio call warning boats of US Navy ships doing constant port turn maneuvers a few miles offshore. Talk about a small world! Then we sail around the corner into the harbor and we see these huge naval ships. Anyway, I thought it was interesting.
We got settled into our marina and went about exploring Rota. Rota is a happening beachside town and though it seems to be a favorite tourist destination it's not lost any of its quaint charm. We spent a couple of days wondering both along the beach and through town finding great restaurants and one that made an amazing margarita!
Continuing south, our next stop was the town of Barbate. While it too was a happening beach town, we decided to just anchor outside of town and spend the night simply relaxing on the boat.
The next morning, we hoisted the sails and continued south. We were quickly greeted with our first views of Africa. Sailing along, we were quickly accompanied by a large pod of dolphins who played in our bow wake for several minutes. At 1200 (our time) we left the Atlantic Ocean and were officially in the Mediterranean Sea via the Strait of Gibraltar! We were both pretty excited. A few hours later, we were anchored in the Bay of Gibraltar overlooking the world-famous rock!
