Marina History of Santa Eulalia
Back in 1980 there was already a small marina in San Antonio catering for the rich 'yachtie' community that then frequented the posh West End restaurants of the day. An exclusive but well kept secret compared to the ascendant, and therefore declining, San Tropez of the hip magazines.
However, on the other side of the island the little village of Santa Eulalia was awakening to the future. In 1982 Ricardo Curtoys (son of the Ricardo after whom the Santa Eulalia street is named) conceived the visionary idea of a marina to compete with that of San Antonio and consequently steal some of their 'yachtie' business - or indeed attract even more of the same to the island? He organised the feasibility studies, did the costings and devised a business plan involving mind-boggling amounts of money. The deal was done on the basis of a 50 year lease - after which ownership of the development reverts back to Spain, or more precisely - to Costas.
He was a remarkable man - capable of discussing almost any subject in depth and with authority. Only a man with such vision and self-confidence would have undertaken a project on this scale, which ultimately involved more than 2,000 million pesetas, over twenty years ago. Unfortunately such a capable and self-confident personality would always find it difficult to tolerate the involvement of others in what he would view as 'his' project, but a project on this scale would naturally require a large team of expert collaborators starting right from the top i.e. government. It is hard to imagine approaching the authorities with a plan as grand as converting that rocky bay into what we see today? But that is what Ricardo did, initially to obtain the necessary permissions and licences, then to raise the best part of 1,000 million pesetas from the Bank of Spain.
Unfortunately the money borrowed from the bank amounted to only 70% of the anticipated cost of the project. At this point Frederik van Palandt, Michael Pearson, Anders Falk and a number of other high profile celebrity residents joined the project to ensure that it would eventually reach fruition. To this end plans were sent to the marketing department and berths for the next phase were sold from from those plans.
Unfortunately cash income was soon overtaken by the builder's bill and work stopped for over half a year while the bank refused to release funds until the shareholders put up their share. Their share depended on sales of berths and those too dried up when work on the project ground to a halt. A period of tense acrimony between all involved was eventually resolved when the builder was persuaded that the only way that he would get his money back, and be able to continue with his lucrative and prestigious project, was to become the major shareholder himself.
The project was finally completed - albeit a couple of years later than it could have been - and arguably made Santa Eulalia into the prosperous town that we see today. A town that owes a large debt of gratitude to Ricardo Curtoys, his two original partners and their combined vision.
Quite a long stride from the days when the Club Nautico occupied premises no larger than a large room and catered for a few fishing boats moored to buoys attached to sunken blocks of concrete. (The owners of which received a free berth in the new marina upon its completion - and for most this proved to be the best investment they ever made in their lives - and particularly in a piece of concrete!).
Enough of the fascinating history - Santa Eulalia was now a credible option to a declining San Antonio marina and even provoked a rethink of the harbour facilities of Ibiza town...
