Sailing trip to Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco

The first stage of our adventure was a cruise from Malaga to Casablanca organised by Akademicki Klub Żeglarski. We started with flight from Wrocław to Malaga to set sails in Benalmadena. Unfortunately, there was a storm raging on the sea that made it impossible to leave the harbour. After two days we finally sailed to Gibraltar.

Gibraltar is a quite small British Overseas Territory. Its most recognizable point is 400-meters high Rock of Gibraltar that is a home to few houndreds of barbary macaques. There is a legend saying that as long as macaques live in Gibraltar, it will remain British territory. No surprise that Brits treat this legend very serious. So serious, that till 1991 monkeys were under official protection of British army, and currently feeding macaques is forbidden and may cause very high fine.

Looking at the pictures it's hard to believe that these sweeties are real devils! Moreover, they are devils with kleptomania. Any object without protection will become their immediately. Except of that they usually ignore human's presence, but when disturbed they may even bite.

In Tarifa we swim in the sea on the border between Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Next we say goodbye to Europe and sail straight to Casablanca (due to some limitations of boat's insurance, Casablanca is one of few ports when we can stay).

After five days of cruise, we arrive to Morocco (Al-Muhammadija harbour), where after next two days another crew will take our ship and sail further to Canary Isles. We decide to spend few more days in Morocco, starting with Casablanca and Rabat. Next, we go to Marrakesh where we plan to rent a car.

The main point of our stay in Morocco is a night at the desert. By the way we cross Atlas Mountains with Tizi n'Tichka pass, visit Ouzarade and Todra canyon and many small villages. Except of driving in Marrakesh, using car to travel in Morocco is quite easy and pleasant.

We arrive to Merzouga too late to stay at night at the desert (the other thing is that price is way to high for us). We decide to spend a night in a hotel on the edge of the desert (where we are a bit nervous because the owner treats the only girl in our crew a bit too weird) and go the sunrise on the top of the highest dune. The sunrise turns out to be one of the most wonderful things I've ever seen.

In our way back we visit the object from UNECSO heritage list - Aït-Ben-Haddou - where some episodes from Game of Thrones were shot (you may recognize Yunkai).