Today, I had invited for a Lunch Talk. Rainer (SY Geronimo) and myself met Lothar/EA8DES, a retired sailor and passionate HAM operator. Following his adventures as a sailor, Lothar lives in Las Palmas for many years by now. True stories, no sailor’s fairy tales we shared today – some quite dramatic.
Fair winds…
Big city – big ships!
With a bit of snivelling I managed to get a mooring here in Marina Las Palmas. Manoeuvre the boat under engine, fixing mooring lines at the bow, all at the same time, is a challenge as the Marineros refuse to get on board, even in cases like myself being a single handed sailor. At the end it all worked fine but in windy conditions it will become a challenge.
As you can read from the previous blog entries, the passage was very comfortable although I am a bit tired now. On the final 5nm some dolphins showed up in a short welcome show, which made it into an overall memorable package for an ocean passage.
I look forward to explore another Canary Island over the weeks to come.
Fair winds…&…good night!
As predicted, the wind is down to 6kts and we are running under engine again. There is only 20nm left to reach Las Palmas. It is pitch dark but the illuminated city and its lighthouse are visible for quite some time already. The traffic has increased, which is not a surprise either. Approaching a new destination is always exciting. Sunrise is 7:54am but dawn will break the day one hour earlier. Our ETA is expected 9am. Looking forward to tie the lines in Las Palmas as well as meeting some fellow sailors again. Fair winds…
We are rolling through the night. The waves are a bit confusing and we have reduced speed a bit more to ensure arrival around sunrise. The wind is still stable with 10 to 13kts and the latest weather forecast indicates some potential for fog, yes indeed fog. Did not know that can happen in this area at this time of the year. We have done 60nm now, another odd 40nm to go. It is a faily bright night with half moon out giving the direction. The moon shall set around 3am, which will turn the night into pure black darkness but giving the stars a great chance to get on stage. With 3/8 of scattered clouds only, the stars will defintely take over a bit later to set the scene. Not much traffic out here. I have seen 2 ships but it might become a bit more as we get closer to the Traffic Separation Scheme between Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. I have been told, that its nothing against North Sea or English Channel but we will be on the watch. I have put up the cockpit tent as the nights got a bit more chilly recently. Today morning it was only 14°C rising quickly as soon as the sun comes out. Nevertheless I need the sleeping back covering my legs making it comfortable. Las Palmas is not only the biggest city but also has the biggest port in the Canary Islands. Unfortunately they do not accept any kind reservations. You need to call them on VHF upon arrival and hope to get a berth. Let’s see how it goes. With the exception of the sligthly chaotic waves it is a very pleasant overnight passage up to now. Fair winds…
It was a bit of a hectic day for Cornelia and Volker from SY Hexe as they are counting days towards their start of the Atlantic crossing. Straight from Lanzarote to Martinique is the plan but as we know, sailor’s plans can change.
Even for a 3000nm passage it is advisable to wait and increase the chances to catch a stable trade wind window, which ensures constant winds of 4-5bft from the northeast quadrant, the typical trade wind. This will not only ensure a faster crossing but also give comfort rather than fighting changing conditions.
Despite the hectic during the day we had a very nice farewell evening in Marina Rubicón starting with a dinner on SY Hullu Poro and followed by a couple of pints in the Flagship Pub.
As I will we throwing the lines tomorrow afternoon heading out to the ocean, it was time to say good-bye, wish fair winds…and work on a see you again!
Fair winds…
While taking this photo and heading into the roundabout I heard a penetrating and irritating whistle causing me to stop.
In a polite way I was informed that taking photos while riding the bike is not allowed in Spain!!!
Ok, 95% of my photos are taken while pushing into the pedals! I missed to ask the question, if I have to stop or dismantle from the bike while taking a sip from my water bottle. I got a discount offered of 50%. I think, that discount was granted because I had my FFP2 mask at hand to ensure minimum exposure on all aspects at that very moment. All got properly documented on the receipt after online card payment! My confidence into the “Police Civil de Tráfico” has definitely increased after they helped me to understand the local rules.
Fair winds…
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