This is why much of the Campo was closed yesterday

At La Atunara, La Línea
(Photo: lalineadigital/Marcos Moreno)

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR Yesterday was a special saint's day: La Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen, sailors and the Spanish Armada, and thus much venerated on the entire coastline of Spain, though mainly in the south. Originally honoured as Our Lady of Mount Carmel (in Israel, and the origin of the name Carmen), her image is paraded throughout the streets and in the water of most of the towns and villages with maritime traditions. It is an official local holiday in most if not all these places.

London 2012: La Línea man aims for sailing gold

Trujillo training at Weymouth
(Photo: grupojoly.com)

LONDON/Weymouth The full Spanish sailing team arrived on Thursday. Among them was Rafael Trujillo ('Rafa' to his friends, as might be expected), who had been training there since May 28. Trujillo, silver medalist in the Finn class at Athens 2004, is ready to sail, having spent all that time testing new his boat and sails against unfamiliar winds. He is very punctilious about getting ready; he had been worried about his equipment for some time, and indeed one of the masts split. That made him decide to use his old boat instead, as well as much of the familiar equipment. We wish him well.

67% of emergencies at sea are produced by leisure craft

SPAIN (Agencies) A recent report from Spain's Air/Sea Rescue agency, Salvamento Marítimo, said that 67% of all emergencies are produced by leisure craft. And the vast majority of these emergencies happen in the summer, from mid-June to mid-September. There are over 150,000 such craft registered in Spain, to which must be added boats that use Spain's waters and can call in an emergency. The Bay of Algeciras and the Straits had 37 emergencies reported last summer, at least ten of which involved boats used in kitesurfing and related water sports. The Ministry of Development, under which Salvamento Marítimo operates, has set up a website -in Spanish- that reminds leisure sailors what to do, how to avoid emergencies and a lot more information: Seguridad Náutica.

An historical oasis in the midst of port activity

ALGECIRAS (EuropaSur)The Bay of Algeciras Port Authority has allowed many large companies the use of its land at the port, Endesa, Acerinox, Cepsa and CLH included. But in the midst of all the industrial activity is an oasis of some 5,000 m2: the Real Club Náutico de Algeciras, or Royal Yacht Club of Algeciras. Its concession dates back to 1943 - one of the earliest such establishments in Spain -, when a group of sailing enthusiasts came together to create the club. It was originally located close to where the Port Authority has its offices today, near the Isla Verde bridge, where it remained until 2002 (photo of the original building in 1945). The club built new premises and moved to the El Saladillo dock.

La Línea sailor takes top place in Flynn Class

LA LÍNEA (Agencies) Rafael Trujillo, of La Línea, grabbed the top post in the Flynn Class ranking after coming in second overall in the Finn Gold Cup held recently in San Francisco Bay, USA. Trujillo, who began his career at the Real Club Náutico de La Línea but now sails for Alcaidesa, climbed to the very peak of his class after winning a silver medal at San Francisco in September, added to the bronze he won at the 2010 World Cup in August. Rafa, who was a silver medal winner at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and 2007 World Champion managed to knock Croat Vincec Gasper off the top of the world ranking this year.