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Published: November 15th 2006
'Ipsos'
Our Hosts' Ken & LouiseA month ago we got back from an amazing sailing experience on the Costa Dourada, SE Spain. Very good friends of Mandy and Doug, have now been living aboard first 'Magpie' and now 'Ipsos' full time - retired from the Navy and both loving every moment of their alternative lifestyle, based on the Costa Dourada.
We were cordially invited to live aboard with them to find out for ourselves if we would take to living on the briney.
It was our first chance to experience sailing and living on a yacht for real, it has always been a dream of mine to have an ocean going yacht and travel (I used to sail dinghies with my Dad as a kid) but Mike was never too keen. This way we were to find out whether it was for us or not for the price of a cheap flight to Spain, courtesy of Ryanair and the hospitality of Ken & Lousie.
'Ipsos' is a bonny 38' Moody, and living/sailing on her was a great experience and after our many travels living in confined spaces in camper trucks, camper vans etc it wasn't too much of a strain to live in
far more spacious surroundings.
It is an extremely relaxed way of life once you join the live aboard contingency, we had pushbikes to cycle into town for the shopping, nibbles etc., fantastic Cava too for Euro3 a bottle....and the Mediterranean on your doorstep, can't be bad.
The sailing was brilliant, for a whole hour I took the wheel of her, close hauled on a port tack doing 6 knots, (that right Ken?) it was amazing, loved it very much indeed. We sailed up to Barcelona which took about 7 hours, 10 mins from leaving the harbour and I am at the wheel to have my first go and out of nowhere, we hit a squall, Force 6 for half an hour which was interesting/exciting then it blew out as quick thank goodness.
We arrived at Barcelona harbour on a perfect sunny evening and moored up in the marina right at the bottom of the Ramblas, so we were right in the centre of things and got the g & t's out. We had 3 nights there and loved the city, will go back again., fell in love with he Gothic district and the music and the wee
bars....
Needless to say it was a very positive experience for us both and we do hope it won't be long before we go sailing again, it's up to us now to get some sailing experience locally, enrol for day skipper courses and think about getting a boat, watch this space ....
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carol dade
non-member comment
fae shetland
It looks great glad you are having a brill time. Some of us have to work!!!! So may it be life on the ocean wave Eh??? You both look well so life must be suiting you. Ta Ta