(No16) Madeira - The Canary Islands (via The Salvage Isles)

Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Fri 1 Oct 2010 22:16
Wednesday 29th Sept
 
We set off from Madeira at 0600  hrs on Wednesday morning.  There was no wind to start with, but by 0830 it picked up, so we stopped engine and had a beautiful sail in calm seas and good winds. It was the perfect weather, complete with blue skies and fluffy clouds. 
 
We had decided to go and look at the 'Salvage Islands' some 160 miles south of Madeira and almost on a direct course for The Canary Islands.  These islands are a tiny volcanic rocky outcrop in the North Atlantic and are a designated nature reserve.  Before we left Maderia we had obtained the necessary permit to land there if the occasion arose.  We sailed south and the wind strengthened until we had decided to double-reef for the night.  It was a sensible decision since the wind and sea continued to strengthen and it made a much more comfortable night's sailing.  Early the next morning a bleak and barren island appeared in the starboard bow.  The pilot book describes the 'known reefs' and emphasized the lack of surveys for the two main islands " Both have extensive off-lying dangers, the hazards being mentioned in the text being only the worst amongst many, with more as yet uncharted.  They are not named the 'Salvage Islands' for nothing!"   If that's not a warning?  We took a very cautious approach and worked our way around the east coast, keeping well outside the reefs,  then turning west along the south coast, until we reached the small sheltered bay in SW corner.  Having entered it, we decided that it was too dangerous to anchor.  There were two other yachts in there, but the lava flows and general rocky outcrops looked very dangerous and I felt very uncomfortable, not knowing the small bay.  It was a shame that we couldn't land and spend a few hours visiting, for the islands are wonderful colonies for sea birds and much other wild life.  We decided to sail for The Canary Islands just over 100 miles to the SE.
 
The new course from The Salvage Islands meant a 'close haul' sail towards a small island called Isla Graciosa (just north of the large holiday island of Lanzarote).  It was going to be close on the wind and meant that we would really have to put 'Catou' through her paces.  We had never before tested her in such conditions since most of our sailing had been 'downwind'.  It was 130 miles on a SE'ly course with a strong NE'ly wind which was blowing force 5 -6 and gusting to nearly gale force.  Some time after setting sail, we had to heave-to so we could check all was OK up for'd and that the anchor was stowed securely.  Later we hove-to again to eat an evening meal (it was too rough to cook underway).  This was where 'Catou' really showed herself.  She behaved wonderfully and she could easily manage the heavy seas with these sort of rough conditions while maintaining a cracking pace.  We continued with our 3-on, 6-off watch routine, which worked well through-out the rough night that followed.  The wind was howling for a while, but she felt very comfortable, although sleep was not easy when off watch with the thumping and bashing of the hull as she pounded to windward.  So after our 2nd night at sea, we made a landfall at the northern end of Lanzarote.   Later, after sailing up the narrow channel between the two islands, we entered the harbour on Isla Graciosa, and were quickly told by the harbour-master (who, checking his clip-board) advised us that we had not booked and were therefore unable to tie up!  First time we have ever been rejected from a marina!
 
So we headed south to a sandy bay and anchored.  It was lovely.  We tidied up, had lunch and crashed out for a well-earned rest! Then a swim in the late afternoon.
 
We are now south of the 30th parallel and only a few hundred miles from the tropics.  The weather and sea are warming up nicely!