After arriving in Gib yesterday and anchoring we were keen to get out and have a look around, even though we had to land on the Spanish side of the border and cross on foot.



We set off in the tender to try to find somewhere safe to moor it whilst we crossed to Gib. We motored towards and along a small boat Spanish marina but were told we couldn't tie up there, so we continued along towards a small pontoon surrounded by a few fishing and rowing boats that was suggested by the official at the marina.

On the way another yacht hailed us over and told us that the area was unsafe to leave tenders due to theft and that one of us should drop the other off and pick them up later.

Our choice was to find as safe a place as possible, lock everything up as much as possible and go ashore and risk it or to stay on the yacht all day.

Since we needed provisions and wanted to visit Gib we chosew to tie the tender up and go ashore.

As it happens, most of the shops, museums and tourist attractions in Gib were shut as it was sunday so we found our way to a Safeways - which was fantastic, with all the supplies of a normal UK supermarket, bacon, sauces, ribena, crisps etc.

We stocked up and headed back to the boat dissapointed not to have been able to see the sights but both concerned about the tender. When we finally got back to where we left it the tender was there but the lock attaching it to the quay had been removed and the engine had gone. Bastards. We'd only left it for 4 hours in broad daylight...

Now you see it...         Now you don't....
     

Fortunately for us the actual dingy was still there, so we took photos for the police and rowed the long way back to the boat.

I suppose we were lucky that the tender was still there. I guess if we'd been any later that would have gone as well and we'd have had to swim back to the boat.

Interestingly, the lock supposedly securing the outboard had been expertly removed with a blow from a rock.

So, we have had our first loss. Welcome to the med! Another lesson learnt at the cost of a £400 outboard. Luckily we'll be able to get about 1/2 of that back from insurance.

Once back to the boat (with all our shopping) we unloaded it all and were just about to set off back to drop Jax at the shore to go to the police station when our nearest anchor neighbours came over with condolancies having seen us row back and deduced what had happenned.

Apparantly the same thing had happenned to another boat the previous day. Someone must be watching the anchorage and making an easy living off 2nd hand outboards.

We chatted to them for a bit and then Jax went ashore to find the police. The office was closed so that evening we had a nice fajita supper and then rowed over to Jeff and Nicky's boat for drinks.

They are really nice people and as it turns out were just exiting the med after having been sailing around it for 4 years. They had loads of interesting stories and tales and endless useful advice and tips about what to do and where to go. We even ended up buying a whole bunch of their used western med charts from them for a very good price.