Almerimar

Our main reason for visiting Almerimar was to meet up with an electrical engineer to discuss installing a new lithium battery system on board. We had expected to agree on a plan of action, then leave him to order in all the necessary equipment while we continued our summer sailing, returning back at the end of the season for the installation.

However, after a lengthy discussion, it appeared that the equipment could be sourced much sooner than expected. Rather than returning at the end of the summer, we decided to stay in Almerimar for a couple of weeks and have the work carried out straight away.

We were safely moored in the marina, so had plenty of time to have a look around. Puerto Almerimar is one of the largest and best equipped marinas in southern Spain with 1,100 berths over multiple docks and pontoons, significantly more than Cartagena which has a capacity for 310 boats.

The purpose built complex and marina has everything you could need, the docks are lined with restaurants, cafés, bars, supermarkets, chandleries, shops, laundries and a wide range of other essential services. Definitely much more here than our last visit back in 2008.

There are several English expat bars and restaurants serving traditional British food. We usually prefer the local bars and atmosphere, however, Paul couldn’t resist treating himself to a full English breakfast.

Many of the bars showed the world cup football matches on TV where there was always a great atmosphere. We were also able to watch our local rugby team winning the English Premiership cup. Paul celebrated the victory with a slice of lemon meringue pie….and a few beers.

On either side of the marina are long sandy beaches with a wide, palm tree lined, seafront promenade. We noticed that this area looked a lot smarter than on our previous visit.

The beaches around Almerimar became one of my favourite places to spend a few hours. The clear blue water was now very warm, almost like stepping into a bath and very inviting for a swim. Followed by a stop at one of the many Chiringuitos just a few meters from the sea. These open air beach bars are an essential part of Spanish coastal life, and a great place to stop for a relaxing cocktail and tapas while watching the activities on the beach.

Known for the vast expanse of white, stretching across the surrounding landscape which looks like water, Almerimar is often referred to as ‘Mar de Plástico’ or ‘Sea of Plastic’. It has the world’s largest concentration of greenhouses, covering over 40,000 hectares. It is so extensive that, that it is said to be visible from space.  It is one of Europe’s most productive agricultural regions supplying millions of tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables every year, much of which is exported throughout Europe.  Unfortunately, it was a very hazy day when I took the photo!

We were fortunate to be in Almerimar for the celebrations for San Juan. Throughout the evening, families and groups of friends gathered on the beaches enjoying barbecues and picnics together. As darkness fell, bonfires were lit along the shoreline. There was very much a party atmosphere with music and laughter. We watched the flames dance as the breeze carried glowing embers towards the sea. At midnight, everyone headed into the water for the traditional midnight dip, which was very welcome after spending the evening beside the bonfires on such a hot night. It was a lovely way to welcome the arrival of summer (although it had already felt like summer for many weeks) and to experience one of Spain’s most cherished traditions.

Whilst in Almerimar, we caught up with old friends we’d met on previous journeys, sharing meals, drinks, and watched a few World Cup football matches together. We also made new friends, proving once again how welcoming the cruising community can be. It’s always amazing how quickly strangers become friends.

Many lunchtimes were spent with some friends we hadn’t seen since our last visit to Almerimar 18 years ago. We shared meals of tapas and, much to Paul’s further delight, a couple of traditional Sunday lunches with all the trimmings.

They have an apartment overlooking the marina and the sparking sea with the white patchwork of greenhouses disappearing out to the side towards the mountains.

With an invitation to spend the day with them, we enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool before escaping the summer heat over lunch in the comfort of their air conditioned apartment. It was lovely to reminisce about old times, catch up on everything that had happened over the years, despite the long gap, it felt as though we’d only seen each other yesterday.

During our stay, the town also hosted a lively music festival, with a big stage set up overlooking the beach. The evening was filled with live performances through to the early hours of the morning.

Many people who didn’t have tickets to go into the venue gathered to enjoy the entertainment along the seafront promenade, where you could see the stage and hear the music.

Finally all of our new battery equipment arrived and the engineer was ready to start work.

The first task was to disconnect and remove the old batteries and wiring.

Before installing the new system, there was a lot of planning to fit everything in to the existing battery compartment, thankfully it all went in with only millimetres to spare.

After three full days of hard work, the installation was complete. The result looked very neat and professional.

Although our stay in Almerimar was longer than originally expected, the time passed quickly. We enjoyed relaxing on the beaches, strolling along the seafront, celebrating the San Juan festivities, and spending time with both old and new friends. But with the battery installation finally complete, it was time to leave and continue our journey.