5/10/23 La Longa Marina, Palma, Mallorca, Spain

Up early so Suzette could revisit her masseuse from a couple weeks earlier. I ran a few errands for some odd items we could not find yesterday. The Raymarine tech came and did the permanent install of the antenna, which was the reason for our return to Palma.

We departed about 1300 and headed to the fuel dock for a much needed fill up. We took on 395 ltrs of fuel. The price was the best we had seen since Gibraltar, 1.61 eros/ltr.  From here we motored out of the bay, around Punta de Cala Figuera and into the port of Andraitx where we picked up a birth to avoid the wind and swell overnight. This was also the closest jumping off point back to Ibiza.

We had a Halburg Rassy on our port side with a great couple from the Netherlands and a Hanse on starboard with an interesting couple from the US and Canada. Enjoyed talking at length with the Netherlanders. They have been cruising for a couple years working on and off from the boat. You have to love that one can work remotely, even from a boat. The wind picked up, but it was quiet in the marina.

5/11/23 Port of Andraitx, Mallorca, Spain

Woke to grey skies and rain, it felt good. After the rain we walked the port and found some pretty spectacular homes on the hill. Back at the boat we talked with the American/Canadian couple. Turned at that the woman was French Canadian so she and Suzette had lots to talk about. The boys talked boats and systems. We finally were chased off by the Marinaros around 1300, “leave or pay for another night”, we are out!

Beautiful boat, and she is for sale

Anchor graveyard

Nice neighborhood

We motored a few miles to Cala Blanca and anchored. We wanted to wait one more day to cross to Ibiza with good wind predicted. After some lunch and a nap, we concluded that the anchorage was not good and moved to the other side of the bay to Cala Camp de Mar. There was a restaurant on the little island near shore so we dinghied in for dinner and cocktails. We enjoyed the sun set from their deck, but the chill set in pretty quickly so we headed back to the boat. For the first time this trip we sat in the cockpit with all of the cockpit lighting on and played cards. Normally sunset means mosquito time, but not tonight.

View from the restaurant

Seagull was having crab for dinner

Suzette had noticed during the day that her right eye seemed to be losing its peripheral vision. We did some tests and took some measurements and it seemed to be about the same as the left eye, but we were concerned.

5/12/23 Cala Camp de Mar, Mallorca, Spain

The boat was ready to cross to Ibiza, we were up early and underway. The wind was about 15 knots a little abaft of our beam, perfect for the main and code zero. We were making 9 to 10 knots with a little help from the current. The skies were clear, but the swell was uncomfortably on our beam. Fortunately, the period was long enough that we would rise and fall with the swell and not get rolled too badly. Auto steered for a while, but we picked up a second swell that was over powering the auto pilot. I steered the boat for about 3 hours until the sea moderated a bit and Auto took over.

Suzette’s vision was getting worse so we made a plan to get into the first big city on Ibiza, Santa Eulalia, and get her to a doctor. We anchored in a little cala, Es Farallo, and I took Suzette to shore by dinghy. She walked a half km to the Urgent Care while I tended the boat. She called after an hour or so to let me know that she was taking a taxi to Ibiza City where there would be an ophthalmologist to see her. I contacted a Marina in Ibiza City and found a birth. I pulled anchor and motored the 8 miles to the marina. Fortunately, the wind was lite and I could single hand into the birth and secure the boat. In the meantime, Suzette was sent to a third hospital that was only able to tell her that and ophthalmologist would come in the following morning at 0930 to see her. At this point we were convinced that she had a detached retina. I walked to the hospital to accompany her back to the boat. I had made a perfect mushroom omelet and avocado toast for dinner, but understandably Suzette was not very hungry.

Cruise ship in Ibiza

5/13/23 Ibiza City, Ibiza, Spain

Up and out for a 0930 appointment with the ophthalmologist. This was Saturday morning, so it is a special occasion for the doctor to come in. After some pics of Suzette’s eye he quickly assessed that it was a torn and detached Retina. He recommended that we get to a specialist in Barcelona as soon as possible. He recommended a place and gave us the contact information. After exhausting the possibility of a helicopter air lift, we settled on flying out on the next flight that day at 1400.

Getting a ticket was a ridiculous exercise. We discovered that they do not sell the tickets at the airport, only on line, but it was to close to flight time to sell us that ticket! After failing to get the online system to work we found the only travel agent in the airport that could issue tickets. As a result, we missed the 1400 flight and had to wait for the 1500. Tick toc, tic toc.

Ibiza, the boat is there somewhere

Cala Llonga, a favorite

The flight landed in Barcelona 1 hour later and we quickly found a Taxi and headed to IMO, a highly rated institute for ophthalmology.  As it turns out this is a very highly rated ophthalmology center, according to the taxi driver, “rich Arabs come here for their special needs in ophthalmology”. It was amazing that there was a staff available to take care of us on a Saturday at 1630 in the afternoon. They quickly checked us in and took us to an exam room where a technician took pictures of the eye and did a few tests. He explained the process and indicated that the doctor was doing a Retina reattachment surgery and would see us when he was done. They were so great about keeping us informed and comfortable. The doctor arrived shortly there after and explained what he would be doing in the surgery. He indicated that he had one surgery to do before he would do Suzette’s surgery.

Reviewing the pictures of her eye

Within the hour she was being prepped and taken into the operating room. I spent my time arranging for an apartment in Barcelona so Suzette could convalesce there. By 2000 she was done and ready to go home. The doctor very carefully explained the procedure and follow up care to me. What was amazing was that the final bill was less than $10,000, not that you can really put a price on your eye sight. I can not imagine whet the bill would have been at home. They called a cab and we headed off to the hotel.

The treatment they did uses a gas bubble in the eye and requires that you keep your eyes facing down for the next few days. They gave her a special pillow so she could sleep face down. I knew she was feeling better, relieved really, because when I spoke of food, she wanted pizza! We really had not eaten more than a couple bananas in the past 24 hours. We got Suzette laying down and resting while I went for pizza. The front desk suggested a place down the street so I walked 5 or 6 blocks to Crep Nova. I was able to order a pizza to go, mushroom, onion and olive, our favorite. While waiting for the pizza I ordered a double gin and tonic, ham croquettes and spicy potatoes, I was famished. About the time the pizza came the sky opened up and it poured rain, so I lingered over my appetizer and drink. When the rain slowed, I made the dash back to the hotel. Suzette was out like a light, but the pizza revived her and she ate nearly the whole pie! We both needed rest and sleep.

5/14/23 Barcelona, Spain

In the morning Suzette was feeling good, no pain and she had done a good job staying face down. I organized our stuff and brought up some fruit and yogurt for her breakfast. Even better they had Talegio cheese and great bread, her favorite cheese. I had the front desk arrange a cab and we headed back to IMO for her checkup and the removal of the bandage.

Again, we were treated like royalty and were ushered into the doctor’s office right on time. He was reasonably pleased with the result, but a little concerned that a cataract was forming. He reiterated that keeping her head down was critical to avoiding the formation of a cataract. Otherwise, the retina looked good and stable.

We were going to great length to get everything organized so that Suzette could function on her own and I would return to the boat. As it turns out the most difficult part of the equation was getting a taxi or an Uber. We tried using our apps, but no success. We had the receptionist call a taxi and he arrived in 10 minutes! We had him take us to the apartment that I had arranged nearby. We arrived and checked in with no issues. I unpacked everything keeping it stored lower than usual so she did not need to raise her head. I pulled out plates etc for her and put them on the counter, again so she could keep her head down. We made a shopping list and I went to the store to shop for groceries and stocked the fridge.

I had a flight back to Ibiza at 1820 so we pre-booked a taxi for me and Suzette had an appointment at IMO at 1500 on Monday so we pre booked that as well. We booked a train ticket for Suzette to go from Barcelona to Valencia in one week and meet me and the boat there. This assuming that her recovery was going well. With that all organized it was time to figure out how the boat and I will get to Valencia. It would be nice to find an able body as crew, but where at such short notice?

The time came for the Taxi to arrive, but all we got was a notice saying no one was available. Now it was crunch time. I tried uber again and it showed that a car was available and we could see he was in route, but probably not soon enough. Suzette tried hers and also found a car that looked like it might arrive sooner. My Uber finally arrived at about 1720. I told him I was late and he seemed to be working hard to get us there on time. We ran in to two different accidents and he backed down a one-way street to get us around them. Once on the freeway we were next to a cop and could not speed. Once free of the cop he was doing 90 in his model 3. We arrived at the airport and I did the OJ Simpson through the terminal. I arrived at the gate completely devoid of people. I presented my ticket and passport and she said the doors closed 10 minutes ago, but she would call to see if I could get on. They actually let me on!

A short flight and a taxi had me back on the boat sipping a cocktail by 2000. Now it was time to start planning my departure and how I would get to Valencia. The Marina had told me that I would have to vacate my birth in the morning as the owner of the birth was returning.