Deia from the water – a change of perspectiveJune 29, 2017

My partner and her sister wanted to see dolphins. I realised I’d never seen Deia from the sea before. We were all ready for a change from the beach. A couple of Sundays ago, we chartered a rigid-inflatable boat with Soller-based Mezzo Magic and went for a three-hour trip to visit sites on Mallorca’s north west coast, including Cala Deia and Foradada.

Born out of a love of sailing

Chris Adamson has sailed since he was five years old and qualified as a Yachtmaster for Sail and Motor at just 19. He started Mezzo Magic in 2005 and his father Mark joined him in 2010. Back then, their fleet consisted of a single 28-foot sail boat brought over from the UK.

Today, Mezzo Magic has seven boats ranging in size from a 53-foot luxury Sunseeker Manhatttan to the 7-metre RIB, which was perfect for the three of us.

From Soller, we headed down the coast to Sa Foradada – the rock with the hole in it that you see on the postcards. Our captain, Dan, was an amiable Englishman who’d grown up in Fornalutx. He’d retired from working on big-league software projects to live the simple life with his wife in Mallorca.

Before we set off, my partner had been worried about getting seasick. It had happened to her before. She had nothing to fear. Dan kept the RIB moving smoothly through the water the whole time.

Inside the Blue Lagoon

Around 30 minutes down the coast we stopped so I could swim inside the Blue Lagoon. I stepped over a rock and swam through a 3-metre long tunnel until I was inside a cave that was open to the sky and sea. Inside the cave, the water was so blue it looked like it was lit from below.

Contemplating the beauty of nature, I noticed a plastic sweet wrapper floating on the surface of the water. What can you say?

After my swim, we headed down past Cala Deia towards Sa Foradada and the rock with the hole in it. Tucked away inside the little cala below the rock is a picturesque restaurant that apparently does excellent paella.

My partner and her sister aren’t so keen on paella so I was left contemplating what might have been.

From there we headed out to sea in the hope that we’d encounter dolphins. Dan told us that the best time to see them is around 5 pm on an August afternoon, when they follow the fishing boats back into Soller. From the look on his face I could tell he wasn’t convinced we’d have any luck that day.

In the end, it was Dan who saw a pair of dolphins – his first that year. My partner, her sister and I missed them. I’m still not sure if Dan really saw anything but I appreciated his kindness.

Apart from dolphins, it’s possible to see turtles, octopus, swordfish and all kinds of marine life, especially if you snorkel.

I don’t think my partner and her sister were particularly disappointed. My partner was soaking up the sun, the wind in her hair, and feeling great. Her sister was adding to the enormous cache of photographs she posts on Instagram daily.

For me, it was enough to see the island from the water. As we headed up the coast towards Sa Colobra and Cala Tuent, we passed the occasional ruined pirate tower perched on a wild headland. I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be a watchman scanning for Moorish sails.

In the distance, high on a hilltop, I spotted what I thought was a ruined fortress. It turned out to be the military radar tower on the top of Puig Major built by the Americans in 1958. I’d lost track of the centuries.

The overwhelming sense for me was that, even now – thank something or other – humanity only has a foothold on this island. Even the opulent Jumeirah Hotel that runs along the cliff next to Port de Soller could tumble and fall in time.

It was a satisfying feeling.

Three hours after we’d set off, Dan tied up the RIB and we hopped out, feeling exhausted and energised at the same time. ‘Thank you,’ my partner said. ‘That was wonderful. I won’t forget it. We didn’t see dolphins but…’

‘Next time,’ Dan said.

An unlikely shark

The very day we went on our search for dolphins, a blue shark appeared at Cala Major, my local beach. Oh, the irony.

Call Mezzo Magic on +34 971 942 173 or +34 664 679 875 or email enquiries@mezzomagic.co.uk. They’re friendly and professional and will make sure you have a splendid day out on the water. Tell them you know Charles Marlow and you’ll receive a 10% discount.