[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Day two and time to get back on the water, asap rocky. If you’ve been following my travels, you’ll know I’m partial to the odd sailing trip, fond of a yacht and lover of all things nauti (six reasons you should spend your next holiday on a boat). Plus, I’ve been wanting to go to Formentera for as long as I’ve been coming to Ibiza, which is the last 12 years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2821″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After leaving Tropicana hotel (deets on day one’s post here), we head over to the Smart Charter Ibiza (they’re the go-to for private boat trips on the island, you can book via essentialibiza.com here) HQ, which was just a whole load of boat porn, workshop showroom amazingness. But I was more interested in the one I was allowed to play on, that was the most likely to have champagne chilling awaiting our arrival.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2843″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2842″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
…..I wasn’t wrong. We were greeted by Alvaro, our skipper and the beautiful Alessandra the co-owner of Smart Charter who looked after us for the day, starting off with that nice cold bottle of Moët I’d been anticipating. I made a right bloody mess of opening it, but luckily they had lots more booze on ice for the short hop over to Formentera. I’ve only ever been lucky enough to go on sailing boats over the last couple of years when it comes to sea travel, so the speed at which ‘Gold Digger’ (that’s its actual name) ferried us over the water came as a bit of a shock. As did the “hold on tight” requests from Álvaro, hold on to the boat that was…over a few bumpy bits.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2840″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2841″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Lots of hair blowing in the wind and pre-lunch aperitifs later and we could see Formentera on the horizon. Lunch stop was a pretty special one, the exclusive Juan y Andrea restaurant set right on the beach, accessed by dinghy through the turquoise (but jellyfish-filled) waters. Don’t rock up without a reservation because it’s not like you can just cruise on over to the next spot, this is where you’ll want to spend your afternoon, so book ahead.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2839″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2817″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’m a sucker for sandy-toed dining, so wading through the shallows to reach the beach and pulling up a chair in the white sand overlooking the Med won massive brownie points with me. As did the plentiful supply of blush magnums of wine!
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2818″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2838″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2835″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Seafood paella was of course the order of the day, but not before tucking into starters of calamari, prawn carpaccio (yes, just thinly sliced raw prawns) and clams in delish garlicky marinara sauce. It’s pretty extravagant so you kind of forget that’s just the first course, but I wasn’t complaining when the paella arrived.
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2807″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2806″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Back on the boat it would’ve been rude not to finish of the rosé and crank up the tunes before zipping back over to Ibiza, so that’s exactly what we did. My photographer friend Michael (check out his Instagram) is spending these first few days here with me so there’s a lot of camera action going on, but we managed to prise him away for a couple of selfies and I got to hang out with my pal Liv who’s recently moved to the island the clever lass![/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2826″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2829″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2830″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2825″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fresh seafood, good wine, great company in the sunshine and a ride back to the island on Smart Charter’s 54ft Baia Aqua made day two a pretty memorable one.
Only criticism? Perhaps they could arrange the clearing of all jellyfish in Mediterranean waters for our personal bathing pleasure next time. That’d be swell.
kthxbyeeeeeee….check back in tomorrow for day three![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2820″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”2819″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Images: my own, Michael Vanarey Photography and Jodie DS for Essential Ibiza
See essentialibiza.com for boat charters and restaurant reviews and bookings.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
