THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Ficus in Cartagena

We would have gone straight to Rabat but we had to stop for oil.  OH, THAT'S what that flashing red light was all about.  While I was sleeping they decided to stop for the night.  All the big ships we were passing seemed a little strange, they usually pass us.  There was a big oil rig coming through the Straits of Gibraltar, & all marine traffic was being halted.  They could've TOLD us. There is a small fishing port called La Linea, just North of Gibraltar, so they anchored there for the night, while I get to listen to the bow thruster & anchor winch grinding right next to my head.
Next day we encounter very strong local winds & some lively dolphins.

This "fin" at the bottom is the tip of our anchor

Watch the video of them here:

We celebrated New Year's eve with a cockpit dinner & bubbly.  Still motoring, I noticed that our motoring light was out.  I encountered at least 17 fishing boats at once, even more if you count the unlit ones you can only see on the radar.  On Serge's watch we almost collided with a *#^ ? ROWBOAT, instead of navigation lights, he figured standing up & waving would do.  At daylight  we called the marina & they sent out a dinghy to guide us in.  Most harbours have breakwaters parallel with the waves, Rabat has a funnel shaped entrance to accelerate the waves in.  At one point we had to throttle back to avoid surfing on top of the dinghy.

Our slave master

Gibraltar

Lighthouse at Gibraltar

Mosque guarding Gibraltar

One of those cute little fishing boats in daylight

1st perpendicular breakwater

Port side hazard

Starboard hazard

PAY ATTENTION!

Here it comes

He'll never know what hit him

Sentry post

We had to wait for the police, then customs, then immigration to clear us in on New Years Day.  The black lab sniffer dog is more interested in my garbage, my parts & the leg of cured Spanish ham we have hanging in back.  We can't believe that we're starting 2012 back in Morocco.    I know this adventure is supposed to end here, but if anyone is still reading this, let me know if you want to hear about the trip to the Canaries & beyond.   Right now we are waiting until they open the harbour again, the waves are too big to get in or out.  Maybe that's how the old pirate ships captured their prey, you can surf in, but you can't get out.  HELP, WE'RE BEING HOSTAGE IN RABAT!