Sailing into Paradise - Formentera (Cala Saona)

Julie

After a week, it’s time to leave Torrevieja behind. We’re yearning for something wilder, more alive. We crave the open embrace of nature, the shimmer of blue water and a taste of the tropics, far away from the crowded skyline. With hearts full of anticipation, we set sail for Formentera, the “Caribbean of the Mediterranean”. Even Google whispers promises of what awaits us: crystal-clear waters, endless stretches of white sand, dunes and pine forests swaying in the breeze. It’s exactly what we’re longing for. But before we reach this paradise, we have a night of sailing ahead. As we leave Torrevieja behind, the waves are still wild, towering around us. But as the shore grows smaller in the distance, the sea softens. We hoist the sail, catching the wind and chart our course straight north east. The sunset is breathtaking in its simplicity. As the light fades, a crackle on the radio catches our attention: there’s an abandoned boat adrift nearby. We jot down the coordinates and realize it’s less than five miles away. As my night shift begins, I find myself more alert than usual, eyes scanning the dark waters. The night is calm. There’s little traffic, just the occasional distant silhouette of a container ship or ferry passing by. I drift in and out of twenty-minute naps, reading a bit, watching a show here and there, ... When the first light of dawn appears, I step outside and there it is: Ibiza on the horizon, with the majestic peak of Es Vedra, and the soft outline of Formentera. The sea is perfectly still, like a mirror. For a moment, it’s hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. And then, Formentera takes our breath away. The wind has disappeared, leaving the water so clear with a shade of blue that I’ve never seen before. It feels like we’ve sailed straight into a dream. The bay is busy, with yachts of every shape and size, but there’s a certain harmony to it all. Everyone seems at ease, floating in this peaceful bubble. A tiny boat weaves between us, delivering paella to the other boats or ferrying people to a restaurant onshore. In the distance, there’s a sign telling us we can call the restaurant over the radio, on VHF channel 72. We waste no time diving into the water and immediately, we’re surrounded by dozens of curious little fish. I’ve never seen water this clear, this blue, in all my life. It’s easy to understand why people fall in love with Formentera. And that evening, as if the day hadn’t already given us enough, the sky offers one last gift. The sunset is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The sky seems to ignite, burning with reds and oranges, then softening into cotton-candy pinks. Everyone around us is mesmerized, standing in silence as the sky transforms. Even Finn, normally so full of energy, sits quietly, watching it all unfold. In the days that follow, we walk along the shore, swim in the clearest waters and lose ourselves in the rhythm of the island. But eventually, the pull of the next adventure calls to us. The sky has turned a little cloudier now, but nothing can dim the joy that Formentera has given us. Time to explore the next bay.

Boat & Crew

El Burro

Swallow Craft Design Group, Swift 33

Gregory Ramis Ferriol

Owner

Finn

Pet, Male

Nelly

Pet, Female

Julie

Owner