30 knots wind, up to 11,3 knots maximum speed. With SY Schnufao under owner and captain Domingo Zaengerle plus 2. skipper Michael and crew Waldemar we sailed in 30 hours nonstop about 210 nautical miles from Spanish Torrevieja (province Alicante) to Melilla in North Africa. Course 223, under gennaker at seven knots, at night on a starry full moon night.

Dozens of freighters cross the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea. These are ocean giants up to 380 meters long, following their course at an average of ten knots. Vigilance on board is therefore crucial, and the AIS with its vector analysis to warn of possible collision courses is a helpful technical tool. Nevertheless, it is important to keep an eye out: Every two hours, a change of watch was scheduled. Single freighters crossed our keel line in barely a mile distance… Magical highlight: At night a school of dolphins visited SY Schnufao and played in front of the bow.

Arrival in Melilla. Melilla, the Spanish exclave in North Africa, charms every visitor with its mighty castle and a pitoresque old town. After the crossing, we looked forward to going ashore, eating fish in a rustic family restaurant and drinking a delicious Rioja. As a Spanish exclave, Melilla is part of the European Union, but is excluded from the Union’s customs territory under the Union Customs Code. Melilla is also not part of the Schengen area. Thus, the fuel receipt and clearing in the port of Noray is considered official proof that the sailing ship had once again briefly left the EU after 18 months, as required because of VAT legislation….

Melilla

After a day of sightseeing in Melilla including a visit to typical tapas bars, we set course back to the Iberian Peninsula. For the stage destination Cabo de Gata the wind blew from NNO unfortunately unfavorably. Hard on the wind with 5 Bft. and nevertheless over eight knots of speed we sailed 88 nautical miles to Almerimar near Almería, in only twelve hours. Up to two meters wave, on the last leg with wind from space schots and eight to ten knots speed SY Schnufao surfed towards the Spanish mainland. Almerimar is a very protected harbor with more than 1,000 berths and is a popular destination for international sailors who want to winter their ships inexpensively.

The next destination was Águilas. 27 knots of wind from astern, 1.5 meters of wave. The SY Schnufao runs with unfurled genoa boomed out on average over 10 knots fast. Below the castle of Águilas we drop anchor in the esteemed harbor. As a sundowner a Cuba Libre… cheers! A risotto with mushrooms, plus turkey steak from the galley – after the 12-hour ride from Almerimar, everyone was hungry.

The last leg set course for Torrevieja, around Cartagena and Cabo de Palos, northwards along the Spanish Levante coast. A sailing day with obstacles: Our anchor had become entangled in a rusty anchor chain along with an gone lost anchor on the bottom of the harbor bay of Águilas. Deckhand Waldemar, fit athlete, climbed on the bowsprit and was able to fix the mishap.

« A super trip, » rejoiced owner and captain Domingo Zaengerle, an experienced ocean sailor with over 80,000 nautical miles of experience on the sea. In five days of sailing, SY Schnufao covered 485 nautical miles, with an average speed of 8.2 knots. RM’s motto – « Fast Ocean Sailing » – has come true. We wish all sailors a steady hand.