Where did the time go???

It seems unbelievable that its been so long since our last post, with so much social media it seems a full time job keeping on top of facebook, twitter, websites and all the other tag on sites...

On a more positive note the 2015 sailing season is just around the corner for us, El Rubicon was lifted at the end of the year and has benefited from ongoing maintenance, such as new seacocks, rudder bearings and stern gland, there is still a bit more to do but she will be ship shape and Bristol fashion for courses starting on the 8th February.

We have settled in nicely to our new home in Ayamonte and keep on discovering hidden gems that make this area so special, the decision to move the base was not taken lightly so I am pleased to report that it was a good move, there is much more sailing going on down here and with the option to sail in Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Morocco there is never a dull moment.

As mentioned sailing courses resume in February and there has never been a better time to join us. The Pound gives more Euro for your money and getting here is straightforward so if you have been considering your first steps aboard with a Competent Crew course or perhaps improving current skills taking them to the next level all you need to do is get in touch and discuss dates and book yourself on the right course.

In true Go-n-sail tradition we have a few special trips planned for this year,.. so if you can be tempted with an unforgettable trip to Cadiz and Seville or maybe our Moroccon Adventure is more your cup of tea, just get in touch and we will take care of the rest.

So to all friends - past, present and future we wish you safe and Happy sailing and look forward to catching up with you on the Ocean waves.

New Year Resolutions

Every New Years Eve millions of resolutions are made, often many are broken within a few days if not sooner. But if this year you have promised to try something new and exciting, with the opportunity to travel and make new friends or maybe you have been dreaming of life on the Ocean waves, this could be your year to see that resolution through to the the end.
Our learn to sail courses start in April and go through until the end of October. Mar Menor Sea School will be having 2 intakes of Fastrack students for 8 week courses taking you from novice to Yachtmaster Coastal or from Coastal Skipper all the way to Yachtmaster Offshore.Intake dates for 2011 are the 17th April and 4th September.
For those looking to take one step at a time and learn following the more traditional route on the 5 day liveaboard weeks then that is fine by us, it just takes a little longer to produce the same results.
For more information on sail training or sailing in Spain please email Debbie, Skype us: gonsail or call 00 34 968 143 718 and leave a message and number and we will get back to you.

Barcelona Costa Brava

Helping a friend out for a couple of weeks I found myself flying into Barcelona and taking a quick tour of this beautiful city before catching the onward bus to Platja D'aro. Sailing a Beneteau 473 is always a great experience for me as she is a little bigger than what I normally sail. The forecast was for everything from rain and thunderstorms, to strong winds and total calm. Thankfully the total calm never arrived and we managed to sail everyday bar one, even if we were heavily reefed at times. Living further south you get used to the sun and its easy to forget that it like England, the Costa Brava is green for a reason! Despite a few thunder and hail storms which passed quickly, the sun did make several appearances, sailing this time of year is always tricky as you need everything from full foul weather gear to shorts and t-shirts, the only thing you can be certain of, is that you will need to wrap up at night. Cruising the Costa Brava is a must, the area is peppered with quaint villages and coves begging to be explored. In my opinion this is a fantastic sailing area which gets better the further north you go, although it does experience a lot of strong winds and swell. Keeping an eye on the Barometer and getting regular weather updates is crucial, but thats the same anywhere you sail.

I found the harbours of Saint Felieux, Port D'aro and Palamos to be expensive even during the low season, but L'Estartit, L'Escala and Rosas all offered a warm welcome and were very reasonably priced. Like any coastal region of Spain, the towns are quiet at this time of year, but start preparing for the tourist from now onwards. Most businesses are open, even if they run a shorter timetable.

Access is easy with budget airlines operating into Barcelona and Girona airports, there are also good train and bus links with the rest of Spain.
Have you sailed this area, let me have your comments

Sailing Spain

If you have any information you need to know or wish to share with others, lplease leave comments, post a topic or contact me so I can add it the blog.