Blanes, Costa del Maresme, El Masnou

We leave Blanes and thus also the Costa Brava. This region owes its name to the steep mountain ranges that reach down to the coast and form steep and bizarre formations there.

Shortly after Blanes, with the mouth of the Tordera, we reach the Costa del Maresme. This stretch of land is also accompanied by mountain ranges, but they are less prominent towards the coast. At the foot of the mountains, there remains a strip of densely populated area up to Barcelona.

We have excellent conditions for the crossing, wind up to 5 knots and a swell of 20 cm. Ahead of us, a few clouds have formed along the coast, and we are heading straight towards them. The moisture-laden air stands before us like a wall of fog. We can already see the first precipitation over the mountains. Several kilometers off the coast, over the open sea, we can also see rain veils. Will we be taking a shower today?

Although we didn't need it, the weather gods were kind to us. As we approached this front, the weather split in both directions and opened up a sea with blue skies and mirror-like calmness towards Barcelona.

In the last kilometers to El Masnou, the wind picked up a bit, and we reached the port with wind waves and a light breeze.

Barcelona is clearly visible, and a few prominent places can be seen on the horizon. Our focus today is on checking in, docking at the berth, and then taking a short visit to the town to get some bread, a little bit of vegetables, water, and maybe a beer.

Along the harbor below the S-Bahn, which has been accompanying us since Blanes, there are small pubs lined up like a string of pearls. There is a nightclub in the center, which was already open. We had a drink there, and we also had to pay for the music. We had to ask for the bill several times, and the waiter would have gladly brought us a few more beers. But when we received the bill, we knew why.

No recommendation.

Between the bars, there are various boat brokers, a sailmaker, and a carpenter. Two service companies are located in the harbor.

Compared to the last two ports, the facility here is a bit outdated.

The location to Barcelona, the transportation connections with the S-Bahn, as well as our plans for the winter storage, at least fulfill our wishes for now.

The next few days are dedicated to completing some minor repairs on Gustav. The temperature gauge of the starboard engine failed on the last crossing. The pre-filter of the air conditioning system got clogged. We still need two shock absorbers for the mooring lines to prevent them from slamming on the cleats. The preparations for the next few months need to be done, and yes, we have also planned a few days for Barcelona.

Barcelona, here we come.