Sunrise in Mahon Harbour.

7.50 a.m. 11 08 2018, The danish sailing vessel GEORG STAGE (1935 ) moored at Port Mahón. —

Picture by José Muñoz

The Wind Star in front of the old British arsenal

 The MSY Wind Star is a motor sailing yacht, sailing as a cruise ship for Windstar Cruises. She is one of an unusual class of only three vessels (msy Wind Star,msy Wind Spirit, and msy Wind Song), designed as a modern cruise ship but carrying an elaborate system of computer-controlled sails on four masts.

More than 300 years ago a naval base was built in Mahon harbour to meet the needs of the British navy. Many of the buildings that once were the old arsenal are today part of a Spanish Navy base which is not open to the public but it can be seen and viewed from many points in Mahon town, or from the Yellow Catamarans which do the harbour trips every day.

There is also an artificial island called Isla Pinto, filled by the British in 1768 from an island, giving it its present form. Among other stories, more than fifteen ships were built there between 1786 and 1798. It was an area used to clean the bottom of the ships of the Dutch and British fleets from before 1708, as one of the safest places and sheltered port of Mahon.

 The old arsenal today.

 Pinto Island in 1870

Pinto Island today

The warriors rest

The Super Series again in Mahon in September 2017.

The 'Secret' in Mahon harbour

Like many other millionaires, the Walton (owners of the supermarket empire Wal-mart) have visited with their superyacht the port of Mahon.

Secret Superyacht

Sanitja and Malva Sylvestris.

The Sanitja port or Sanisera is a natural port located next to the old roman town Sansiera. The port is in the Caballeria cape and it has an approximately lenght of 800 meters and very little depth which represent a perfect shelter against Tramuntana wind for boats.

The port isn’t very exploited and you can barely see few little wooden boats during high season. The entrance to the port used to be very protected by the Sanitja Tower, a british Tower of Defense built of stone and mortar in 1801. The inside of the tower can’t be visited because over time, it has deteriorated significantly and it’s almost demolished.

The scientific name, Malva sylvestris, is just as lovely as this flowering plant in the Malva genus, and is more popularly known as high mallow or common mallow. This plant is often found in fields and hedgerows and has a striking purple flower. It is native to western Europe, but has spread to portions of the Mediterranean and northern Africa, and has been imported to much of the English-speaking world. 

 The flowers and leaves of this unique herb are used for medicinal purposes, particularly in topical applications as a pain reliever.

Dolphins in Calas Fons

52 Super Series in Mahon Harbour

Twelve TP52s are competing for the 52 World Championship title on the Balearic Waters off Mahón, starting yesterday.

 Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Whilst there is no denying that Quantum Racing are the stand-out team this season – starting the fourth regatta of the 52 SUPER SERIES with a handsome overall lead on the season standings – it would be no surprise at all if it were to be any one of half a dozen different crews which leave Menorca clutching the title and the silverware next Sunday.

Some members of the Crew of the Ran Racing Team are allocated in the Hotel del Almirante, so no doubt the RAN is our favourite for the victory.

Vava II. Another Colossus of the Sea.

Tourists and residents who in recent days have walked nearby Fornells have been surprised by the visit of a 96 meters long megayacht that stands above the rest of boats moored in the area. This is the ship Vava II, owned by pharmaceutical tycoon Ernesto Bertarelli.

 
Local gossip published by the press are saying that fill the fuel tank of this giant costs 300,000 Euros.

The 52 Super Series in Mahon!

The port of Mahon will be the base of a stage of this prestigious regatta next month.

The 52 SUPER SERIES is a high-performance, monohull yacht racing circuit.

The "Box Rule" associated to the TP52 Class, means that boats must, literally, be able to fit within a box of certain dimensions. This means that there are no time allowances or handicaps and the boats race in real-time – first past the post wins. The Box Rule is strict enough to eliminate the need to set handicaps, yet flexible enough to encourage small, yearly innovations. The 52 SUPER SERIES is won by teams of skilful sailors, and the setup of the class means that the ages of the boat is of less importance

Official 52 SUPER SERIES Website

Superyacht 'Naia'

August is usually the superyachts season in Menorca. 

The 'Naia' is a ship that was built some time ago in Spain and it is now owned by an Arab sheik.

Yacht Charter Naia

The Amerigo Vespucci in Mahon Harbour in a windy morning

The Amerigo Vespucci arrived early today to Mahon Harbour and it will remain in port for a few days.

The Amerigo Vespucci is a tall ship of the Marina Militare, named after the famous Italian explorer. Its home port is La Spezia, in Italy and it is in use as a School Ship.

In 1925, the Regia Marina ordered two school ships to a design by General Lieutenant Francesco Rotundi of the Italian Navy Engineering Corps, inspired by the style of large late 18th century 74-cannon ships of the line(like the neapolitan ship "Monarca"). The first, the Cristoforo Colombo, was put into service in 1928 and was used by the Italian Navy until 1943. After World War II, this ship was handed over to the USSR as part of the war reparations and was shortly afterwards decommissioned.

The second ship was the Amerigo Vespucci, built in 1930 at the (formerly Royal) Naval Shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia (Naples). She was launched on February 22, 1931,^[1] and put into service in July of that year.

The vessel is a full rigged three-masted steel hull 82.4 m (270.34 ft) long, with an overall length of 101 m (331 ft) including the bowsprit and a maximum width of 15.5 m (51 ft). She has a draught of about seven metres (23 ft) and a displacement at full load of 4146 tons. Under auxiliary diesel-electric propulsion the Amerigo Vespucci can reach 10 knots (19 km/h) and has a range of 5450 nm at 6.5 knots.

The three steel masts are 50, 54 and 43 metres high, and carry sails totalling 2824 m² (30400 ft²) The Amerigo Vespucci has 26 sails – square sails, staysails, and jibs: all are traditional canvas sails. When under sail in severe sea and wind conditions she can reach 12 knots (22 km/h). The rig, some 30 km of ropes, uses only traditional hemp ropes; only the mooring lines are synthetic, to comply with port regulations.
The hull is painted black with two white stripes, harking back to the two gun decks of the ships her design is based on, but she carries only two 6pdr saluting guns in pivot mountings on the deck, forward of the mainmast. The deck planks are of teak wood and must be replaced every three years. Bow and stern are decorated with intricate ornaments; she has a life-size figurehead of Amerigo Vespucci. The stern gallery is accessible only through the Captain's saloon.

Winter colours in Mahon harbour.

Although being a rather temperate winter evenings are a little cooler. Mahon harbor was deserted yesterday afternoon, just a few strollers or boats owners repairing a fault. Most sadly closed bars and restaurants. The tourist season seems so far away ...

Panerai 2015

More than 50 classic boats sailing into Mahon to participate in the 12th Copa del Rey Panerai for Vintage Yachts.

British Moonbeam IV is on first position after having won the first three races.

The fleet moored at the foot of the Hotel del Almirante.

Results

 

Most pictures from the original website

Early morning at Mahon harbour

Pictures taken from the fields surrouding the Hotel in this splendid Summer morning.

Kayaking

It would be difficult to think of an island more suited to sea kayaking than Menorca.

 With warm seas, pristine beaches, good weather, and plenty of sheltered coves to pull in and take a rest, the island is a perfect place for a short paddle or a far longer expedition. Many of the untouched virgin beaches can only be accessed from the sea, and so Menorca kayaking is a sure way to find that empty white stretch of sand even in the height of the summer season.
 

Mahon harbour, the Lazaret Island and La Mola beyond it

kayaking around Calan Porter rocky cliffs

Sa Cova d'en Xoroi

Chill out afternoon at a unique place...

These rocks, scented by the sea air, guard with their imposing beauty the legend of a love story.

Xoroi, a man from an unknown past, came from the sea, nobody knows how, perhaps the sole survivor from some shipwreck, and found refuge in the cave.

Then, the surrounding houses in the countryside were often robbed. From one of these houses, a young woman about to be married disappeared.The months and the years went by...

Nothing more was known of the missing girl.One day in the winter, the island was blanketed by unexpected snow. In the snow tell tale footprints appeared.

Armed men following the imprints went down into the Cave. There, in the cavern, they found a man, a woman and three sons, the fruit of their love.

Xoroi, on seeing himself sorrounded and powerless, threw himself into the sea followed by his eldest son.The sea that had brought him, closed over them both, guarding the mistery of his life.

Inconsolable, the woman and her two sons were taken to Alaior where they carried on with the rest of their lives, they and their descendents after them.

(text from the Cova d'en Xoroi Website)

Mogambo sails around Menorca

£100m super yacht Mogambo was seen yesterday at Cavalleria beach on the North coast of the island.

The Mogambo has five decks, four of them above the waterline. The top deck, or "sky lounge", has a hot tub, gym and a glass roof, and directly below that is the captain's bridge and an outside deck area. The third, main deck has a master suite, a private terrace and an entertainment area, with six cabins for the 12 guests on the fourth deck.

There is also a sauna, steam room, massage room and rain shower, which all open on to a swim platform. In the "tender garage" at the rear of the ship there is a 25ft inflatable boat and a 38ft motor yacht.

It was flying a Grand Cayman flag and is registered to George Town, the Caribbean tax haven's capital.

As our customers know, the policy of discretion that our company keeps does not allow us to provide details on whether some of our guests have been seen on board. Maybe there are only rumours.

Superyachts Mogambo website