Ibiza and Formentera to host a presentation of a book on the maritime connection between Pitiusas

The maritime connection between the Pityusic Islands is much more than just a crossing; it is a story of boats with soul that shaped the lives of generations. Soon, Ibiza and Formentera will host the presentation of ‘Parlem de sa barca de Formentera. La connexió marítima pitiusa i els seus vaixells (1900–1980)’, the new work by Xico Castelló Ferrer, edited by Miquel Costa.

The book offers a thorough journey through the vessels that operated the route during the 20th century, from the traditional llaüts used for transport to the arrival of ferries in the 1980s. Through its pages, the author brings back names that form part of the islands’ collective memory, such as the motor sailer Miguel Pequeño, the steamship Manolito, and the iconic Joven Dolores, a symbol of the beginning of the tourism boom in 1965.

Xico Castelló (Ibiza, 1964) does not write from a distance. A member of a family deeply rooted in the maritime world, he devoted his professional life to navigation. After years as a coastal skipper and senior skipper, he captained regular line vessels and excursion boats until his retirement in 2021. This technical and personal knowledge is reflected in the book, where each vessel is accompanied by a detailed description, drawings, and historical curiosities.

The work will also be presented on both islands, allowing readers to engage directly with this effort to recover an important part of local history.

In Formentera, it will be presented this Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the plenary hall of the Consell de Formentera. The event forms part of the centenary of La Unió Marítima de Formentera and the 21st Primavera de Cultura. In Ibiza, it will be presented on Tuesday, April 21st, at 8:15 p.m. at the Can Ventosa Municipal Library.

The study is a key contribution to understanding how transport evolved from the artisanal to the industrial, bringing an era to a close in 1980 when the arrival of the new ferries definitively broke with the traditional model.