Sail To Paradise With La Bella Verde Eco-Charters

Words by Michelle Labbe.

A day spent on the crystal clear waters of the Balearic Seas is a truly blissful experience for the whole family. And to protect this natural paradise, one boat charter company is using a fleet of exclusively solar-powered catamarans for a laid-back sailing experience that helps you connect with – and protect – Mother Nature. We hopped aboard one of La Bella Verde’s vessels for a day of island-hopping between Ibiza and Formentera…

Arriving at the meeting point in the stunning Las Salinas Nature Park, a green wooden chiringuito, Joe, the captain, welcomed us with a refreshing coconut water with ice. He explained to us that La Bella Verde manufactures its own catamarans in Murcia and has three different boats for sailing, fitting five, seven and 11 people respectively. All of them are painted in green and work with solar energy, paying tribute to he fact that they are the only company in the Mediterranean that offers eco-friendly charters.

Without further ado, we hopped onto the boat that would take us to the catamaran. On the short trip, Joe was giving us safety instructions and revealed that our first stop would be Es Palmador, the unspoilt private island located next to Formentera. Our arrival time was depending on the winds, but normally the journey across the waters takes 45 minutes. Once aboard the catamaran, it was time to put on some music and relax with an amazing mix of reggae, deep house and chill out drifting into our ears. When the famous notes of Matt Simons’ Catch And Release came on, we had to pinch ourselves when we realised that we were basically living out a real life version of the video – amazing! All our worries started to disappear…

It was a complete luxury sailing so close to the water, and lying down on the netting to face the water underneat, and with the sun on our backs, we could feel the power of nature around us. For a while, it was only us surrounded by the sea, with the mystical rock island of Es Vedra on our right, Ibiza behind us and Formentera ahead. Suddenly, the wind changed and Joe raised the majestic sails, huge, we have to say, and an incredible sight to behold. They also provided some shade for those who wanted to stay out of the sun.

One hour later we arrived at Espalmador, and thanks to the short 60cm hull of the catamaran we could land directly on the beach. Now, it was finally time to swim and snorkel in the glorious waters surrounding Formentera. While we splashed about in the crystal clear surf, Joe prepared a picnic for us. Spreading out a lovely pareo on the sand and laying out rustic wooden plates, we feasted on healthy and delicious food including an extraordinary homemade hummus made with roasted garlic, a tahini dip accompanied by broccoli and carrot crudités, and a fresh salad made with produce from Joe’s own garden including mushrooms, chard, courgette, tomatoes and goats cheese, seasoned with wasabi sauce and curry. For our main, there was a vegetarian and carnivore option; couscous with either mushrooms, peppers, roasted sweet potatoes and celery, or with succulent tuna. This fabulous banquet finished with a dessert of peaches and chocolate.

The most incredible part of this blissful afternoon was the feeling that we had a private beach, with absolutely nobody near us because of anchor restrictions. Time flew by and as the sun started to make its descend, we returned to the catamaran to sail to our next stop: Cap Des Falco in Ibiza. Leaving some 400 seagulls behind us as we sailed – quite literally – into the sunset, with Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams playing, it was a moment that brought out the goose bumps on our arms. Once we arrived at majestic mountain range, we jumped into the water, which was five metres deep at least, and had a wonderful time contemplating the immense rock formation in front of us and feeding the fish.

Around 20.00, we reluctantly accepted that it was time to return, and we left with the sensation of having dreamed while being awake, discovering that life is simpler than it seems and of course, a strong desire to repeat this amazing experience again. Joe was not only the perfect captain, but also an amazing host – and DJ! At the end of this magical day, we could truly thank the heavens for being so blessed.

Further Information & Bookings
t: +34 602 469 081
w: www.labellaverde.org