Suwena spent the winter season of 2023 at its berth in Alcaidesa Marina in
La Línea de la Concepción, in Southern Spain. Gibraltar became familiar to us, as it was only a short 650-meter walk from the marina gate to the border of Gibraltar, so we visited Gibraltar multiple times. Whenever we went for an evening stroll for delicious pizza in Gib, we had to remember to bring our passports because we were crossing from the EU to the UK.
It truly felt like stepping into Britain because the shops, pubs, parks and even the red phone booths were traditional British in style and atmosphere. Gibraltar has been part of the UK since 1713 and is a British Overseas Territory.
During our sail around Great Britain from 2013 to 2015, we discovered many British delicacies there that we immediately thought we could taste and bring back from Gib to Suwena. However, due to Brexit, food cannot be brought into Spain, so we enjoyed the treats on-site and carried them internally home.
We were amazed that at weekends the locals almost disappeared from the streets, and we learned that many Gibraltarians have a second home on the Costa del Sol, where they spend their weekends. Gibraltar is a fascinating country. It has 34,000 residents, and 15,000 Spaniards commute to work in Gib every day. Adding another 15,000 daily tourists and other business travelers, it’s no wonder that there were long queues at the border every morning and evening.
We were already familiar with Gibraltar’s air traffic, as the distance from the boat deck to Gibraltar’s runway was only 600 meters as the crow flies, so our coffee break amusement was watching which plane landed and which took off. When we stepped through customs into Gib and started walking towards Casemates Square, the first road, Winston Churchill Avenue, was literally intersected by Gib’s runway. On both sides, there is the same light and boom control as at level crossings for trains. Many tourists were staying and watching the landing or takeoff of a plane from a prime location – a rare possibility to be so close to active runway.
The 426-meter-high Gibraltar Rock, known locally just the Rock, is peculiar in shape. Its eastern edge is almost vertical, and its western slope is gentler. We witnessed an special weather phenomenon with eastern winds when the summit of the rock was shrouded in clouds, making it look like the rock was wearing a hat. The hat only appeared with easterly winds, and we concluded that it was due to the shape of the mountain and humidity.
On our first trip to Gibraltar, we took part in a guided tour lasting several hours. We took selfies from the viewpoint, where we could see three countries on two continents in one picture: Gibraltar and Spain in Europe and Morocco in Africa. Europa Point, Gibraltar’s southernmost headland, is only 11.5 nautical miles or 21 kilometers from Africa.
Then our journey continued up the Rock, where we repeatedly saw Gibraltar’s famous wild monkeys, macaques, of which almost 300 live in the Gibraltar Nature Reserve. Our guide had become so acquainted with one monkey that they even shook hands. We had to be very careful not to have any food or drink bottles on display, as the monkey very swiftly snatched a candy bar from a child’s hand. It is important to note that feeding the monkeys is strictly prohibited, with a fine of thousands of pounds. As we continued towards the caves, one monkey jumped onto the roof of our car as a stowaway.
Inside the mountain, there are over a hundred caves and miles of tunnels. We visited the most famous St. Michael’s Cave, where you can admire breathtakingly beautiful stalactites and stalagmites shaped by nature over millions of years. Signs of habitation have been found in the caves dating back 40,000 years, when the last Neanderthals lived in Gibraltar’s caves. After that, Gibraltar has been inhabited by numerous different Homo sapiens peoples. Today, the largest cathedral cave has a 100-seat auditorium where events, exhibitions, weddings and concerts from opera to pop and rock concerts are held.
When we joined the British Cruising Association, CA, during our UK tour, the membership has been a tremendous help and brought a lot of friends to us. One of CA’s great benefits is the locally assisting volunteer members around the world whom you can contact for tips when needed. Once again, we received really good contacts and advice from Paul, Gibraltar’s HLR, when we were looking for service companies and how boat maintenance is handled in Southern Spain and Gibraltar. A big thank you, Paul, for your tips!
