Spanish Inland Islands? What on earth is that? Well, you can find out here , clicking on "Directorio DIE", and as from page 34, you can see all the Inland Islands.
So how the heck did I decide to do this? Well, the answer is that after the fiasco at the Cerro Salada trig point (see my earlier entry today), while I was working away on saturday I was thinking that maybe I ought to give the trig points another chance. And when I was done working I called Vic EA5KV and asked if he fancied joining me. He was a bit reserved about it, but we went on the website anyway, to look for somewhere either never activated, or not activated in the last year. We found a couple of possible sites, but a long drive away and with the probability of having to hike to the top with all the gear in very hot weather.
Vic suggested we go to an inland island instead. He explained it to me, we had a look at the web, and since Victor lives quite near the Albufera lake, he knows where these places are. It would be closer, not so hot, and probably just as sought after as a trig point.
So bright and early on sunday morning, I picked him up and we set off. We drove through the rice (paddy) fields, a lovely natural environment full of wildlife that is a lush green in an otherwise yellow and burnt landscape.
Finally we found the place. Really, its nothing more than a piece of land surrounded by the small canals that feed into the Albufera lake, but somebody said that was an island, so who am I to argue with that?!
We set up shop. gave out a few calls, and got to work.
I did most of the operating, while poor Vic was trying to remember what it was like to log with paper and pen. I promise. the netbook log won't be long in coming now! After about an hour and a half and 150 contacts in the log, we decided to stop for some breakfast. Triple decker sandwiches for some....
And then since it was getting hot and we both had things to do, we called it a day, in spite of someone who was not happy about having his fun cut short
It's not the same as real DX'ing, or contesting, but it was fun. We might do it again someday.
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