las palmas muelle deportivo

Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Thu 2 Nov 2006 19:40
How would you like to be a dustman? This is a picture of the local refuse collectores in one of the Balearic Islands off Spain's east coast. Nearly every port, marina and anchorage has one or more of these rubbish collection boats patrolling the waters in the Islands and mainland Spain too. Something that is sadly lacking here in Las Palmas.
OK, Las Palmas port is large, a very large commercial port which can handle cruise ships, naval and cargo vessels of all sizes. Some spillage and rubbish is to be expected, all the more reason to have refuse boats, but so much of the garbage is I'm sure from the smaller boats either in the marinas or anchored in the bay. It is raw sewage, nappies, everything floats around the waters when the wind is in the right direction. This has the added effect of increasing the cockroach and rat population I'm sure, we saw a  dead rat in the water, probably drunk some of it. So, although I believe the port authority should spend some euroage on the sewage the boating community should control what they pump into the sea. 
We've been talking to friends in the club who need work doing on the hull, this can be done underwater but none of us are keen to enter the agua, for fear of catching something nasty, or bumping into it.
The pavements too are littered with doggy poo and chewing gum like you've never seen.
Nevertheless, Las Palmas, the Port and Marinas are very nice, one has to remember also that we pay nothing to anchor and something like 9 euros a night to berth our boat in the Marina, cheaper still if you pay for  long period, this includes all your electric and water for your floating home, coupled with nearly all year round sunshine, one can't complain too much. Compare this to our home port charges of 45 euros per night,  100 euros in some Majorcan marinas and even more per night in Valencia, one learns to accept some dirt (but not the deliberately dumped.
Take a look now at the anchorage and beach with our Marina in the background, and the Marina itself where Chaser, centre of the picture, on pantalan 16 is currently berthed. How good does that beach look!
I've always found during my working life that the people that moan, winge and gripe are the ones with nothing to do. We had a quiet day yesterday, so I'll shut up, jump up to the cockpit and enjoy a little sundowner before going out for dinner, or maybe to the Varadero Clubhouse where you can watch the sun go down and sip a Bacardi and Coke at 5 euros (for two!) Isn't life a bitch, and we haven't started yet, only 24 days to go, can't wait.

JPEG image

JPEG image

JPEG image