40 05.9 N 004 03.7 E Cala Fornells, Menorca, Saturday 11th September

Missed a day somehow. A blowy night Thursday and all day Friday confined us to the boat and everyone to the Cala. Dinghy ashore would have been a wet affair and the breaking seas at the entrance a bit of a problem for anyone. Today we filled up with water (4 euros on the town quay) and diesel and then went to Ciutadella by bus. Great going through the middle of the island, changing at a place called Es Mercadal that had more pastry shops than you could count. Richard could have stayed there.

Really liked Ciutadella, an old town with character, wonderful market, its buildings are a warm honey colour with reddish hue from local stone, and it has a good sense of time and place. And very glad we did not go there by boat. There is a narrow approach channel with really no where to go - the one anchorage in the book is now filled with moorings and the only other options are the expensive Club Nautico or port quay, neither with much space. It looks very attractive, but coming up a blind alley in a swell was not a good idea. We made the right choice.

Triathlon tomorrow here in Fornells - big event, all roads closed, town centre full of bike stores, sound systems, etc. Gruelling cycling, swimming and running. A few British entries, so we will probably watch for a bit in the morning and then push off. Would like to get round to the south side of the island - reputedly best beaches, calas and Carribean waters. A circumnavigation?