Any sailor worth his salt while sailing through the Mediterranean will have stopped off in one of the many marinas that punctuate the Mallorquin coastline. But its sister island is one of the least visited of the Balearic Islands. Only 19 miles away at the shortest crossing, this is Menorca, with much more to offer the cruising yachtsman than meets the eye. Although not my first time to the island, it was my first opportunity to explore the island from terra firma. Some years back I had taken refuge in Mahon harbour en route from Malta and weathered out an autumn storm. My one recollection is of a passing squall that dumped huge hailstones that filled the cockpit as full as a golfball dispenser at a driving range and which, before they melted, were a natural way to chill my gin and tonic.
Menorquin yachts in Mahon Harbour
Mahon’s narrow harbour, three miles from mouth to head, offers natural protection from all points of the compass and has been used by sailors as a bolt hole for centuries. The British sailed in here in 1708 and, owing to its strategic position, took it from the Spanish to claim as their own. They departed in 1802 having left their mark in various guises. Nelson’s residence sits proudly on the north shore of Mahon Harbour, identifiable by its brick red paintwork, a colour that the Menorquins now identify as English Red. Some Catalan words share the same meaning as English: botil (bottle), bifi (beef), xegens (shake hands) are a few. In 1711 the British navy undertook a huge project and built a naval hospital, with beds for twelve hundred patients, on Kings Island in the middle of the Mahon channel. This still exists as a landmark today and is undergoing lengthy renovation.
Menorca is 35 miles in length and has more beaches than all the other Balearic Islands put together. Over 100 islands, rocky outlets and islets surround the coast and while many may be no more than a chunk of cliff face separated by the seas thousands of years ago, others such as Illa D’en Colom have been a magnet to sailors for years. Sailing round Menorca you can choose from more than forty delightful coves on its eighty-mile circumference, each allowing a calm anchorage for both lunchtime and evening stops, plus sheltered sailing all year. Small emerald treasures are kept well hidden; deserted inlets with incandescent sand carve into the shore line and provide safe and stunning anchorages with the clearest turquoise waters that can be found anywhere in the Med.
Illa del Rei is the oldest naval hospital in the world.
If you are after something a bit more lively, Fornells in the northeast offers a long, deep natural harbour with a charming little fishing village bustling with waterside restaurants and enticing boutiques. Or sail west for Cuitadella, the previous capital, with its thin sheltered inlet providing perfect stern-to moorings for travelling yachts. A host of local companies provide service and maintenance needs. Many cruising yachts spend the winter either in Mahon, or Ciutadella – the weather can remain remarkably mild and pleasant, with the occasional winter storm just a reminder of nature’s way.
The island has a long list of entrepreneurs, and with its intrinsic link to the sea it is no surprise that one successful business is that of Menorquin Yachts. The company was founded by a local businessman in 1978 who set up his own shipyard to replicate the design of the Llaüts, a style that dates back to the Phonecians. This sturdy classic and traditional fishing vessel has stood the test of time and has been a lifeline, past and present, throughout the Mediterranean with regional differences in Greece, Italy and Croatia.
Originally wooden and fitted with a simple lateen rig, more and more of them are now motorized, and the designs in production from Menorquin Yachts are no exception. The shapely curvaceous hulls are built entirely of GRP with an almost flat bottom and minimal keel, giving their sea-keeping ability a head start. Cutting through the waves with ease these are designed for the short sharp seas that the Mediterranean can throw up with little warning.
The shipyard is close to San Luis to the south of the island. Beautiful modern offices, with polished wooden flooring and smooth lines that make you feel like you are inside a ship itself, surround the sheds where construction takes place. The factory has capacity to build 100 yachts annually and at its peak a few years ago was doing just that. The economic downturn has minimised their output to orders only, currently running at around 30 a year. This is a respectable enough number to keep the business afloat during the recession, and they are ready to increase production again as soon as things improve.
A Menorquin yacht in the making
The models range from 10-18 metres, with an extensive beam – from 3.7m to 5.5m – giving easy manoeuvrability around the decks for all ages, and a spacious interior. Draft ranges from as little as 0.75m on the 10 metre to 1.52m on the 18 metre. Exhibiting at the major shows around the Med, the search for new customers extends to France, Italy, Croatia and even Greece, not to mention the local market. Over 1.100 owners are on the database and brand loyalty is very strong, with many returning customers upgrading to larger and newer models. The hull shape never changes, only the size; modifications are made to the interior and you can have one designed to your own specification and preferred layout in a choice of iroko or teak with a Yanmar or Volvo engine. A sturdy stern bathing platform makes easy dipping on a hot day. It is the hand craftsmanship that maintains the spirit of this boat; the result is a classic, elegant, strong, spacious and, above all, safe yacht. One characteristic of the range, standing proudly aft and stern, are the wooden pegs, which were used to attach the mooring and anchor warps. Now they are decorative and add to the individuality of the design.
The distinctive mooring post adds character to each Menorquin yacht.
Menorquin yachts hold their second-hand value well, without any danger of going out of fashion – a testament to the strength and build quality. You can try before you buy as the company offers a charter package, which is refundable if you do go on to make the purchase. For those that live on the island to own a Menorquin yacht, whatever the size, is an extension of their island existence; it is a way of life, a family boat and, exempt from the showiness of many modern designs on the market, suitable for those who want to go unnoticed.
Amongst other successful local products is a leather sandal – avarcas – another traditional design and an icon of the local craftsmanship passed down from the rural farming community. The farmers would carve a foot size piece from a redundant rubber tyre and attach a piece of calfskin to form a shoe. Unbelievably, thousands of pairs of this simple design are exported worldwide annually and, as one of the most durable and comfortable pairs of shoes one can find, with the colourful uppers you can actually marry them with any summer outfit.
Gin adds to the list of local products. British troops stationed in Menorca during the eighteenth century were unable to find their favourite tipple in the local taverns, so there was no alternative but to teach the locals how to brew with juniper berries imported from the mainland. Today the Pons family run the local Xoriguer distillery in Mahon, still using traditional methods – wood-fired copper stills and the ancient recipe plus a secret blend of aromatic herbs.
Mahon cheese, distinguished by its tones of butter and hazelnuts, is made from the milk of the black and white fresians and is exported internationally. Serve it with membrillo, quince jelly and a slice or two of Sobrassada with honey – the locally cured paprika salami – and you have the perfect lunch.
The sea provides ingredients for many of the local dishes, with Caldereta de Langosta, an unctuous lobster stew, generating a tastebud sensation and taking the prize as the king of the dishes, though with a price tag to match. The busy Es Pla on the dock in Fornells, a family run establishment, serves the island’s signature dish to clientele as grand as King Juan Carlos I – known to anchor in the bay on his yacht. This caldereta is a meal in itself, but shared with a plate of fresh local calamaris, or escalivada, a local aubergine dish, is a perfect Sunday lunch if washed down with a couple of bottles of modestly priced and ever dependable Torres de Casta. Finish with a Menjar Blanc, the delicious local cheesecake.
If large red crustaceans aren’t your thing, or you’d prefer not to burst the purse strings, then a delicious seafood paella makes an acceptably delicious alternative. Es Pla also serves a respectable menu del dia with dishes that change with the seasonal ingredients.
Mahon has an abundance of restaurants with La Minerva in the port serving excellent seafood, and delicate tasty lamb cutlets encrusted with herbs – another island speciality. The rest of the menu is packed with the tourist staples of just about every Menorcan eatery, from grilled loin of pork, to fried hake, and a mouth watering deep fried “spanish” spring roll stuffed with prawns.
If you anchor to the east of Mahon the colourful fishing port of Es Castell encapsulates the flavour of the island. Not far by foot is the boutique hotel of Son Granot, a Georgian style colonial house constructed around 1712 with an architecture unique on Menorca. Strategically located above the entrance to the Port of Mahon, the property is the first in Spain to catch the morning sun and the terraces offer exceptional views of the sun’s reflection off the sea and the Fort of La Mola. The restaurant serves local dishes that utilise ingredients grown in its kitchen garden and family recipes prepared by the owners.
Nelson’s House
Perhaps the main Mahon claim to culinary fame is the concoction of “salsa de mahonesa”. While Cardinal Richelieu was busy defeating the British at Port Mahon his cousin was cooking a victory feast which included a sauce made of cream and eggs. In the absence of cream, olive oil was substituted and so mayonnaise was created. Returning to Paris, he introduced the new garnish to the royal court where it became an overnight success. Known in Menorca as “alsa de mahonesa”, the French renamed it, as we now know it, “mayonnaise”.
If you want to do something more active after your meal than just flopping on a nearby beach, there are some fine walks to be had, particularly in spring and early summer. The northern part of the island has been designated a biosphere reserve by Unesco and is rich in flora. The recently opened Cami de Cavalls is a 200-kilometre track wrapping around the coastline and, according to historical records, has been used since the early eighteenth century as a boundary and a defensive measure. It has been trodden by Moorish, Catalan, French and English occupying forces, with look-out towers strategically placed. Follow this rough path and you will be rewarded with astounding views of the island and venture into deserted bays that can only be visited on foot, horseback or yacht. If you want to walk the whole path you need time though, and provisions, as its remoteness means it could be hours before you see civilisation again.
Menorca, like the rest of the Balearics, has suffered numerous invasions through the years but a unique worldwide prehistoric culture preceded all attacks. Megaliths constructed of huge stones are some of the most impressive in the world and give Stonehenge a run for its masonry. Get to know the difference between a “talaiots” and a “taules”, for the island has a selection. Menorcan architecture is an unmistakable element of the islands identity and the unique and meandering dry stone paths thread through the scenery, whilst dry stone walls run as far as the eye can see.
Ask what makes the island so special and you will never hear an identical reply. It plays things differently to its bigger Balearic sisters, Mallorca and Ibiza. It’s less hip and it’s definitely less happening. But that’s precisely its appeal: dreamy cruising ground, sheltered marinas, dramatic coastline with deserted anchorages, turquoise seas, unique geographical landscapes, immense natural beauty, lanes filled with street markets and sleepy shops, local harbours bobbing with fishing boats, and the warm reception from the islander. If ever you needed proof the best things come in small packages, then Menorca is quite simply it.
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