We left Calp and headed for Torrevieja. We needed to leave early otherwise we would have wind and waves on our nose the whole way. It was due to build and strengthen in force throughout the day.. We departed early and arrived at 1330.

The radar showed a little rain at first and we saw on the radar screen what looked like a moving rain system. It kept the same distance ahead of us and we couldn’t make out why the small squall wouldn’t change shape or go away. It turned out to be a vert dark stealthy Spanish military boat with its AIS turned off patrolling for immigrant boats. A message came over the VHF again on channel 16 again saying to be on the lookout for more immigrant boats this time south of Cartagena and Ibiza. I guess that was what he was on the lookout for. Without radar and with limited visibility, we would not know he was there. We only saw him when the weather cleared a bit and he turned around to go back the coast.

It was a very nice marina and a great pool.

We discovered a lot of orange sand on TUI all blowing over from northern Africa. It had a very distinct smell and a little familiar. I realized later that it smelled just like the concrete aisle at Home Depot! –Needless to say, it took a while to hose it off all of the nooks and crannies of TUIs deck.