Andtratx Port – Port de Soller

24.5 miles What is beauty? Where is it? I can not answer but I know that here she is, in the north coast of Mallorca. We arrived at 1/3 of our circumnavigation. The Nova Catalina is a wonderful boat. In the last stage with a favorable wind and choppy seas we were able to sail non-stop and with pleasure, spending half of the Sierra de Tramontana. We moored for a few days in the bay of Port de Soller. The 31st of August we left for the third leg. From Port Andratx to Sant’Elm there are just 3.5 nautical miles (6.6 km) but as they say at sea, to windward, it doubles the distance and triples the time. Getting out from the bay of Andratx rowing is to leave the madness of the ridiculous robbers who devastated one of the finest natural harbors in the Mediterranean. The pictures speak for themselves. The sadness is that of the last mayors of Port Andratx, now in prison, the line is paid by Spanish nationals. These criminals have in the bank tens of millions of Euros. They devastated and removed from the ground tens of hectares and will only do five years in prison and then enjoy their thefts. This an ecocide and as such should be punished. Equal to or worse than genocide. Maybe worse because for centuries subtracts resources to animals and men. Polly Higgins, (stop ecocide) in the UK is trying to pass the law in the European parliament. We leave the misery and ridicule of these noveau riches (tres pauvre) behind and we moved to the Cape of Andratx with hard edges nearly flat (map of RunKeeper); we’re out in the blue. Dragonera is a beautiful island that is now a nature reserve. There is a water source, and once there were pirates and smugglers. How many islands in this sea of ​​similar faces. Sea of ​​mountains and mountaineers. The Catalina slips right into the waves but close-hauled is not her bread. It would be faster rowing along the coast, where a slight counter current would help us. Let’s go and at the end will be nearly 11 miles done in 5 hours. The last two hours sailing and rowing, then just rowing. Thank Sebastiá Vidal (Barques de Fusta) that has built our oars. They are very beautiful and is balanced. The small protected bay of Sant’Elm has clear waters, a large and a small island which protect it. It is very hot. The wind drops. We moor at the pier and descend to the ground. Now here there are no more pirates and smugglers but just the usual tourism. The houses are already better than Andratx, low and gentle, few horrors. Only one dwells in the beach.People are neutrally polite and not rude. Need a little ‘time to open our hearts to the people. They are tired of tourists. The bread earned in three or four months is a heavy bread. The plastic languages spoken are so far away from the language of the island. The four Mallorquine women sitting at the side of our table, in a tourist but empty restaurant overlooking the sea, are shouting, as if to make people feel that their language exists, does not die. Here in Mallorca, where live about one million inhabitants almost a quarter are now foreigners, the local inhabitants have never abandoned the Mallorcan language. Not even during the Franco regime, despite the veto. Its an easy language, for the ones who knows Latin, Occitan, Catalan, and even a little’ in French. It does not sound good, it opens too much and there are few who speak it well. In the sense of elegance. But like all the bastard languages ​​communicates better in the wind, from a distance and in adversity. And when you have too many foreigners, or invaders. Even if from them, then, inevitably you take something. Eventually as Proust said there are more men than ideas. We often we copy. The sunset is beautiful here. We are friends with Mika and Dragan, our photographer who arrived from Golubac, Serbia, a beautiful village on the Danube, where I met him during my trip rowing and sailing from London to Istanbul. Small boats that come and go in the bay. Many Caronte playing at the fishermen. Of what? The boats trawl the depths of Andratx’ coast, devastated now. And sadly continue. Before returning to the boat I am looking for a place to sleep. Everything is full and none of the locals would ever think of offering me a place..not like along the Danube, where the hospitality was always awkward. I can not even roll out the sleeping bag because some drunkards made disasters in the past and then the police hunt at night vagrants. Mika offers me a seat in the cockpit of Nautiluca. Going up on their tiny little inflatable boat I slide into the water, not to wet the phone, stupidly left in my pocket without waterproof case, I cling to a mooring line and then the hand of Hans. I hear a crack. I think the ligament of the shoulder is gone. Years ago, in a fall on snow I had a broken collarbone and the frayed tendon waiting for this moment to surrender. At least I saved the phone. I sleep bad for a nagging undertow parallel to the boat. The roll is powerful and shoulder slams where it hurts. David arrives in the following morning to pick me up and so we start with Dragan. A few strokes of the oars, and soon a wind from the West North West tells us that maybe we will arrive quickly and without sweating in Port de Soller. The Sierra de Tramuntana always inspires awe among the sailors. Even today. The nearly 60 miles from Sant’Elm in Port de Pollenca have a few ports of refuge, practically only one true and safe, and some bays or slides that are only good for small boats. We let Dragonera left and immediately enter the world of the green vertical Sierra de Tramuntana. It is spectacular. You get to almost a thousand meters above sea level mountain villages such as Banyalbufar, Valldemossa, Estellences, marking with their lines of terraces for the olive and orange trees, the sides of these giants. The pine forests are lush. Getting here is not easy and it is for this reason that the coast was saved. We sail and sail, sailing only. The engine is not present on our boat. David is happy. Sometimes a little ‘tense when the wind freshens. A stern wave is better than one in the bow and we fly to our destination: Port de Soller. We should not wait long. In this deep sea blue sail, leaving a white wake. We keep a very good average for a llaut of 5 meters. David pilot with skill and prudence. Never a broach, a mistake. He is a good sailor. Prudent and farsighted. He prepares the Nova Catalina with care and love, and she reciprocates. We moor after a little over 5 hours and 24.5 miles of navigation of which are almost one and a half at a reduced speed to enter and leave the port Sant Elm. The port I really like. A spectacular entrance, between cliffs of dark rock, two lighthouses to mark the entrance of the natural bay. What a joy to get to sail! Many beautiful wooden boats, the mountains around, and then luxury: the staff of the public port awaits us with kindness and professionalism. As we already had experienced in Port Andratx. Thanks to IB Ports de Baléares. I Hug David and Dragan, who, like me, has been the zealous ballast. David did everything alone. A great lesson in seamanship. Many Gracies Sierra de Tramuntana, David and Nova Catalina. It was a fantastic stage. Greetings from Mallorca, Giacomo