I awoke on my first morning in the Spanish islands of Mallorca to a clear blue sky and the warmth of October sunshine. The sea outside my window was calm and inviting. 

The Isabel Maria, Mallorca

As I ate my breakfast on the Hotel Illa d’Or’s seaside terrace, a beautiful vintage yacht moored up on the jetty. I smiled, knowing that I would soon be aboard her and sailing around Mallorca. The conditions were perfect for my photographs and what better way to capture the beauty of the island than from the sea.

Sailing Mallorca

The Isabel Maria by the hotel’s jetty

sailing mallorca

Looking back to the Hotel Illa d’or

sailing mallorca

Sailing Mallorca

Before we left Pollensa Bay we passed another beautiful boat, the Rossina de Mare.

_DSC1273

_DSC1313

There’s no end of beautiful beaches and secret coves to discover when you charter a yacht in Mallorca.

_DSC1318

You might also enjoy: Top 16 things to see & do, eat & drink in Mallorca

Surely this has to be the perfect way to spend a morning. Our boat the Isabel Maria is a lovely, recently restored, 4-birth, Latin-rigged, wooden yacht, that was once regularly rented by Grace Kelly back in the 1960s. We certainly felt in good company as we glided through the calm seas. When someone suggested that Grace Kelly would be an apt name for the boat, they were immediately reminded that changing the name would be bad luck and we were all told the story of how she became the Isabel Maria.

Many years ago a young man from Mallorca was caught in a storm while out in a small boat and had to take shelter on the neighbouring island of Menorca. While there he met a girl called Isabel Maria. From then on he regularly returned to the island. Eventually, he commissioned a beautiful wooden boat to be made, naming it the Isabel Maria. On seeing it the girl’s father agreed to their marriage. The young man, now in his nineties I believe, was delighted to see his beautiful boat restored and back in use again.

DSCF0491

Looking back at the Isabel Maria, as I swam in the aqua marine, crystal clear water

When we had the chance to swim from the boat there was no stopping me. I was in heaven! Luckily I’d brought my little waterproof camera with me so I could take a few photos as I swam. This included some under the water but as I didn’t have a snorkel and mask I simply snapped away not sure of what I had taken until later. Before I got back on-board,  someone found a mask on the boat and I had the chance to take a glimpse of the world beneath the waves. There really is nothing like it.

Read all my articles from across Spain and her many lovely islands.

DSCF0515

DSCF0531

After our swim we were treated to what we were told was ‘second breakfast’, even though we had all eaten heartily at the hotel earlier. A beer or two later we headed back to the hotel for… yes, you guessed it… a very large and extremely tasty lunch!

With special thanks to Holiday Sailing Dream, Hotel Illa d’Or and Enjoy Pollensa. As always all thoughts expressed are my own, honest opinions.

More photos from my visit to Mallorca can be found on Flickr.

 

Join my 'Behind the Scenes' newsletter

Delivered monthly to your inbox with all my behind the scenes news, latest posts and giveaways exclusive to my subscribers.