Rota to La Linea (Gibraltar)

After arriving in Rora at 5.30am and following a one hour kip, 4 intrepid explorers set out to explore Cadiz (Ted didn't want to come as he has been before). Having bought our ferry tickets we arrived at the gangway one minute before the ferry was due to depart at 8.30am, only to be told by an officious Spaniard that boarding stopped 3 minutes before departure. So it was back to Echo for breakfast before we caught the 10am ferry.  

The day was spent wandering through the narrow streets of Cadiz taking in the cathedral, market and medieval forts. Colin had a good moan in the fish market that the Spanish fishermen were obviously using illegal nets as there were many very small fish for sale alongside the larger ones.  So it was back on the 3.30pm ferry, followed by a snooze. 

In the evening we wandered into Rota, which we found to be a delightful old town much like Cadiz, with a myriad of narrow streets running off in all directions.  It was good that Ted was with us to navigate otherwise we would have easily become completely lost.  Ted again came up trumps finding a restaurant specialising in local food and wine, followed by a display of Flamenco dancing, before retiring early to bed and the anticipation of a 5.30am start for Gib.  

Having arisen at the unearthly hour of 5.00am, 8.30am found us in a fog bank (thank goodness for radar) where we had a close encounter with a small fishing boat. The fog cleared after 20 minutes and we had a steady motor south to Cape Trafalgar - England expects,  kiss me Hardy and all that.  Having laid a wreath in commemoration (actually we didn't) we continued on our way.

Rounding the most southerly point Echo will visit for a long time at Tarifa, we hang a left into the Strait of Gibraltar where we get 25 knots of wind on the nose.  Then across the Bay of Gibraltar to berth in La Linea at 4.00pm, after an easier passage than most had anticipated.

Kev (AE)

PS.    Colin appears to have given up fishing!