From may 13 to 20, Grégory and his friends decided to rent a boat in Ibiza. They were able to explore the area and discover the various anchorages between Ibiza and Formentera.
Read their experience feedback on board of a Lagoon 450 F departing from Sant Antoni de Portmany in Ibiza !
- A one-week sailing trip in the Balearic islands
- One-week sailing itinerary from Sant Antoni de Portmany
- Highlights and memories of sailing
A one-week sailing trip in the Balearic islands
It was at the port of Sant Antoni de Portmany que l’aventure commence pour les 4 amis. that the adventure began for the 4 friends. Although they had initially opted for a 2015 Lagoon 421, they ended up sailing aboard a Lagoon 450 F. Gregory was already familiar with this model of catamaran, as he had already sailed aboard :“It was very well-equiped, comfortable and spacious !”
Indeed, this was not the crew's first sail. Gregory had skippered the boat himself during the week, and they had decided on the route they would follow and the anchorages they would stop at, using tools such as Navily and Google Maps. On the one hand, Navily enables users to find the best anchorages with a rating system providing sevaral information (authorized or unauthorized anchor, wind protection, ease of access, etc.)On the other hand, Google Maps enables users to see what the anchorage looks like and whether or not it is worth visiting it.
The crew usually sailed 3 hours a day, anchoring in different bays and coves and discovering new places. Often, they would stop for lunch in a daytime anchorage.
At night, they only stopped in anchorages and never stayed more than one night in the same place.
One-week sailing itinerary from Sant Antoni de Portmany
Boarding in Sant Antoni de Portmany
DAY 1 : Sant Antoni → Cala Saona, Formentera (35 nautical miles - 6 hours and 30 minutes)
DAY 2 : Cala Saona, Formentera → Cala Talamanca, Ibiza (30 nautical miles - 6 hours)
DAY 3 : Cala Talamanca, Ibiza → Espalmador (7 nautical miles - 2 hours et 30 minutes)
DAY 4 : Espalmador → Es Bol Nou (7 nautical miles - 2 hours et 30 minutes)
DAY 5 : Es Bol Nou → Cala d’Hort (10 nautical miles - 3 hours)
DAY 6 : Cala d’Hort → Sant Antoni (12 nautical miles - 3 hours)
Boarding in Sant Antoni de Portmany
After picking up their boat in the late afternoon, the crew enjoyed an evening on board, while taking in the atmosphere of the port. They dined at the “café del Mar” enjoying an amazing view on the sea and the sunset.
DAY 1 : Sant Antoni → Cala Saona, Formentera (35 nautical miles - 6 hours and 30 minutes)
On Sunday morning, the crew cast off for Formentera, the smallest of the 4 inhabited islands in the Balearic archipelago. Only accessible by sea, Formentera is an ideal destination to visit during your Balearic yacht charter. Just a few nautical miles from the island of Ibiza, it boasts beautiful white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters.
The crew decided to take a tour of the island from Sant Antoni. For their first night, they anchored at Cala Saona, a popular mooring, known for its exceptional panorama.
Although the island is rather small, Grégory explains that it is always pleasant to walk around or eat out.
DAY 2 : Cala Saona, Formentera → Cala Talamanca, Ibiza (30 nautical miles - 6 hours)
On their second day at sea, the crew set sail for Ibiza. They sailed up around Formentera, stopping at Ses Illetes beach, renowned for its large strip of white sand. Then, they set off again, stopping at an anchorage close to Ibiza town. “A berth in the port of Ibiza is very expensive, so we preferred to stop in a small cove on the outskirts of the town!” explained Grégory.
For that matter, they decided to stop in Cala Talamanca, located right before Ibiza. Therefore, they could go ashore and visit Ibiza and its old town.
DAY 3 : Cala Talamanca, Ibiza → Espalmador (7 nautical miles - 2 hours et 30 minutes)
On their third day, they headed for the little-known island of Espalmador, in the north of Formentera. A small paradise of crystal-clear waters, the island has neither bars nor restaurants, giving it a charm of its own. It is part of the Ses Salines nature park.
The crew therefore decided to spend a night in this little corner of paradise, anchoring at Illa de Sa Torreta.
DAY 4 : Espalmador → Es Bol Nou (7 nautical miles - 2 hours et 30 minutes)
The next day, the crew set sail for the island of Ibiza, heading for Es Bol Nou anchorage. This mooring offers yachtsmen a magnificent view of the red cliffs typical of the south of the island. Grégory and his friends even went ashore to eat at the restaurant “Sa Caleta” which offers mediterranean seafood dishes.
DAY 5 : Es Bol Nou → Cala d’Hort (10 nautical miles - 3 hours)
On thursday, they kept going up the island and decided to stop for lunch at the brasserie “Es Torrent”, located on the seafront just 3 nautical miles from Es Bol Nou.
After this stop, they set off again in the direction of Cala d'Hort, where they will spend the night.
DAY 6 : Cala d’Hort → Sant Antoni (12 nautical miles - 3 hours)
For their last day, the crew weighed anchor and headed up the coast towards Sant Antoni de Portmany.
Highlights and memories of sailing
Overall, the crew enjoyed the sailing experience, which enabled them to see different landscapes and discover a number of anchorages and exceptional places.
Grégory explained us that most of the anchorages they visited were not that busy due to the time of year. Indeed, the Balearics and Ibiza in particular are very touristic islands, attracting many visitors during the summer months. So, the ideal times to visit these islands are rather May/June or even September/October, when temperatures are still mild.
“We saw dolphins and magnificent sunsets to the west! The water was very clear between Formentera and Les Salines.” reports Grégory. “Our favorite anchorage was probably Cala d'Hort, where we enjoyed the sunset !”
Acknowledgements
My warmest thanks to Grégory for his feedback! To all the crew, thank you for sending us your photos, allowing us to share some of your sailing memories!