Wind, Waves, and New Pages- Part 6 of 7
If there is a top five list of the most important waterways on Earth, the Strait of Gibraltar is certainly on it. Lucky for us, (or was it careful selection of travel itinerary…) we got to experience it from the deck of a ship.
The overnight trip from Casablanca had us arriving in the Strait just after sunrise.
The Strait of Gibraltar is where the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa and Europe come together. It is the meeting place of two tectonic plates with a history of dramatic upheaval. In history and mythology, it was the end of the known world. Pass the Pillars of Hercules and you will never be seen again!
Controlling the Strait and the anchorages on either side has long been a tool of European domination. Currently, “The Rock” and its large harbor are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack has been flying over the port, forts, tunnels, and docks since 1704, but in the full scope of the Strait’s history, that isn’t very long. The Phoenicians, Romans, and Moors were there way before them.
An hour after sunrise, the Moroccan coastline came into view, along with ships converging on the strait.
By mid morning, the south side of the strait, and a Pillar of Hercules was visible…
…and then the Rock of Gibraltar hove into view on the north side of the strait. The other Pillar of Hercules was clearly “holding up the sky.”
The Rock of Gibraltar as seen from the outer pier. The west face of the rock is covered in greenery. The east face is bare rock. Because real-estate is hard to come by, the modern buildings in the foreground are built on spoil dredged from the harbor.
Gibraltar has been a well armed fortress since ancient times. At Europa Point, a late 19th century 12.5 inch gun still overlooks the strait from Harding’s Battery. In the background is the territory’s mosque, a gift of Saudi Arabia.
Looking across the Strait of Gibraltar, Africa looks remarkably close. By the time World War One broke out, artillery could cover the entire entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the British mostly in control of who came and went.
Looking west towards Spain from halfway up the Rock, it is obvious that shipping is the life-blood of commerce. Gibraltar sells fuel tax free, making it a popular stop for vessels.
Gibraltar has population of Barbary Macaques. They are known for begging snacks and snatching glittery objects from tourists. The Captain hinted that I might have something in common with them.
One of the most interesting stops we made was the WWII tunnel exhibit. We walked a couple miles in the 30+ miles of military tunnels excavated in the rock. When you visit, take a jacket. Water is constantly dripping from the ceiling. A lot of it. So much water is dripping it feels like it’s raining all the time.
At the north end of the tunnel complex, an opening called Jock’s Balcony offers a view of the territory’s airfield and well past the Spanish frontier. The green area between the apartment blocks and the runway is the local Christian burial ground. To the left, the gray rectangle with the blue-green dog-leg path is the Jewish burial ground. At the left end of the visible portion of the runway is a public road that crosses over to the border with Spain. It has railroad like crossing gates that close when an aircraft is present.
My favorite activity was walking the road that crosses the airfield. From the midpoint of the runway it is possible to get a nice view of the familiar “Prudential Insurance” face of The Rock.
We rounded out our day on Gibraltar with fish and chips at the Lord Nelson. As a self-appointed authority on the pub lifestyle, it was a great choice. For historical value, the pub is in a casemate dating to the early 18th century. For local color, we met the UK Armed Forces Women’s Rugby Team and learned about their “army man” team spirit/drinking game. The handy tip we picked up was actual Diet Coke can be had in Gibraltar markets and pubs! That fact alone landed Gib as our second favorite place on this journey.