On the Rock

Gibraltar. A massive piece of rock, large enough to create it's own weather patterns, that guards the mouth of the Mediterranean, hiding 42km of tunnels that have provided safety and wicked angles for the cannon of British tenants for over 200 years. The photo below shows the cannon portals of the WW2 tunnels to the right of the rock (look closely) as well as the older great seige tunnels dug in the late 1700s (left) dug by hand when the Spanish invaded during Britain's preoccupation with the American war of independence. The turret to the far right is part of the remains of a massive Moorish castle from the 13th century. This rock has been both savior and destroyer of many an army for a long time...  

You shall not pass! 

Mediterranean sunset.

The last ten days have been spent getting ourselves and Adagio shipshape (sorry, had to say it). This includes all manner of stuff...

...climbing up the mast...

Getting the whole boat out of the water on a massive crane to fix various stuff and scrape barnacles etc...

...missions over the border into Spain (merely a brisk walk across the runway that doubles as a national border) to buy a shitload of fishing gear (this photo is just a wee fraction)...

Let me introduce the crew.

Herve.  Brilliant French cook, world traveler, semi-retired Jeweler to various middle eastern royalty, lover of life, all around genius. Mainly in charge of the culinary side of things (I haven't eaten this well in years!) but, like most French of his caliber and expertise, is usually more than willing to offer his opinion on most subjects...

Yours truly, slowly getting into pirate mode despite not having left the bloody harbor.

The captain's photo still to come...

We leave for the Canaries in approximately 12 hours....getting excited...!