En Route to Lanzarote 6th November 2008, 5 months away today.

With Kate being poorly and no flights out we wanted to push off ASAP to get home. What a performance to leave Agadir, really left us with a bad taste. We have such great memories of Rabat, this spoilt Morocco for us. Now we cannot recommend the port of Agadir at all. Facilities shocking, showers cold etc. It will be nice to get in somewhere and not have to shower on board. The Police race around in their golf buggy, don't have a clue what they are doing and Bear even had to wait while one reloaded his pistol before dealing with him. The chap who came aboard to clear us out was just plain nosy, kept sucking his teeth and asking stupid questions.

We finally left at 15:45 for the 232 miles to Lanzarote. First day and night quite pleasant and time for me to "get my feathers straight".

Still after my perfect sunset, port and starboard views.

Such a stunning evening, crisp, damp and a dolphin with a cough. Bear came up for his 22:00 watch and I asked him to listen for a couple of minutes "what do you think that noise was" an old man clearing his throat. "Watch off the port side" Oh it's that dolphin, do you think he's got a fish bone stuck?

In a bid to let you feel what it is like in the dark on duty. Our red reading lamp, which makes books an enchanting shade to read. GPS facts and figures, time on right is 03:09.51, beginning of my second hour on watch. Beez looks like her direction line is quite off compared to her course, that was due to the huge swell and current. Very deep water.

Day Two - 12:37 - Baby TINSON born, a boy weighing 2 pounds. Welcome.

Congratulations and all our love and best wishes to Kate, Mark and the baby - now you really are TEAM TINSON.

Baby Tinson's first sunset, he is much in our hearts and thoughts, cannot wait to get home to see Team Tinson. Once again I had an amazing experience watching this container ship come up over my left shoulder, shoot past my stern and come up to overtake on my port. Each turn of 90 degrees. Proving again our SEAME and AIS do their job. So many times we hear people on the radio "Have you seen me". We don't have that doubt.

First view of Lanzarote, Skipper 'doing his thing', the marina complex, breakwater and entry.

On the South-West coast of Lanzarote, Puerto Calero is only 10 kilometers from Arrecife Airport and 20km from the islands capital. Its geographical location is ideal for a Marina being sheltered from the island’s prevalent North-Easterly winds. The neighbouring island of Fuerteventura and the mountain range forming the coast of Punta Gorda also give protection from the strong waves rolling in from the Atlantic and the less common South-Westerly winds. In navigational terms Puerto Calero is situated at 28° 55' North and 13° 42' West. The entry here is quite dramatic in terms of depth, you go from seriously deep water to 20 meters depth over just a distance of 50 meters. You would expect huge rollers but no, only noticeable at the alarming rate the depth gauge changes.

Puerto Calero did not exist until it was dreamed up by the Developer José Calero as an exclusive retreat to provide a luxury Marina, Residential Development and Golf Course for the Island of Lanzarote. In 1983 the company Puerto Calero SA was formed and the dream started to become reality. Construction of the Marina began in 1986, which also saw the first wave of luxury villas. The planned 200 berths came into operation in 1989. Because of the initial success a decision was made in 1997 to double its capacity. In just two years the work had been completed with 420 berths for boats of between 8 and 75 meters. During this time development had continued on the infrastructure of Puerto Calero, with shops, apartments and offices being built. Every area of the marina was landscaped making it a great place to while away a couple of hours, even for those who live here. The developers have not rested on their laurels and a new retail / office complex has just been opened, the Golf course is due to start construction soon and more luxury villas have been built. Puerto Calero is certainly a part of Lanzarote that should not be missed. Indeed a real buzz ambience, our first evening a sax player wandering around, quite haunting. 

From images we found on the net, we knew the marina was very modern and avant garde. The first thing I saw was a submarine which was a bit of a shock, not what I thought to manoeuvre round. This is a tourist attraction taking people for 52 euros (adults) to see the varied underwater sea life.

After skirting round the sub, we pulled up on the right, behind the catamaran and Bear went off to the control tower to 'do his thing'. Very proud of their brass ornaments. Formalities complete, we were shown to a pontoon, told to move. A quick blind end turn from me (three point turn to you), after we were settled by two guards, stew on , wine open. Radio chirped, could we go back to the original berth allocated. More manoeuvering after lunch and finally settled to go seek a flight, now not fussy, anywhere in the UK will do...........

All in all a roller-coaster of emotions and urgent need to give up this gorgeous sunshine to get to the rain swept homeland. Total sea miles now 1879.1.