Madeira - La Palma
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Fredag 29'e Oktober Pos 28:40.742 N 17:45.983 W Bob will comment below Avgång från Madeira Onsdag kl 06.30 i mörker. Lars väckte mig när han vinschade in vårt ankare nr 2 som låg i aktern för att båten inte skulle rulla så våldsamt under natten. Den stora kraftfulla skotvinschen plöjde upp 15-kilos ankaret trots att det låg 30 meter ut på 10 meters djup, det var en rejäl lerklump som kom upp. Seglade sedan i god vind och efter 12 timmar hade vi gjort 100 distans av totalt 240. Vi hade slör och gungade lite obekvämt så Conny och jag gjorde ingen nytta under däck, vi borde ha tagit varsitt plåster. På torsdags-eftermiddagen anlände vi till La Palmas nya marina, den invigdes för bara 3 månader sedan och är kanonfin. En sen lunch på marinans pizzeria fick bli belöningen. Stor tvätt av hela båten på kvällen, det blir mycket salt och ytrost som går att skrubba bort. Här på La Palma är det betydligt varmare med 30 grader i skuggan, skönt. Vi har hittills haft väldigt bra väder och inga busiga vindar. Idag fredag så har vi startad dagen med en maskintvätt i marinans tvättmaskin, Lars har handlag med sådant. Hela båten blev full av tvättlinor och tvätt. Sedan har vi hyrt bil och kört en 15 mil upp och ned på vulkanen som i princip täcker hela La Palma. Den är 2350 meter hög och det var många många hårnålar innan vi var uppe. En enorm krater längst upp och vägen snirklar längs kanten. Det sägs att halva La Palma kan hamna i atlanten inom 10-500 år när kraterns västra sida ger vika. På toppen fanns ett antal rymdobservatorium och annan utrustning. La Palma är väldig grön och på bergssidorna växer en väldig tallskog som delvis verkar brandskadad. Nu är vi tillbaka i båten och just nu håller Maxsea support i Denver på och kollar vår sjökortsdator via internet, vi skall tydligen få en uppdatering via mail senare. Hoppas att detta löser vårt problem så att vi kan segla vidare med riktiga sjökort. Varma hälsningar Bob: Continued… as searched downwind into the harbour we saw the boys off the German classic yacht moored across from us rowing desperately against the wind with our dinghy in tow ! When they reached their yacht we shouted them to advise them of our demise (the shame) and they rowed over to pick up Lars . A bottle of “Bells” later and a little redfaced especially Anders the knot-tier we departed for shore and picked up the car. It was a fantastic day out the scenery the roads were as spectacular as the scenery with sheardrop roads with no crash barriers to several kilometer long tunnels that twisted either rose or dropped along their route with the result that you could start a thousands feet up in the clouds and be nearly at sea level in blazing sun when you reappeared. On the tour up we paused for a beer at a wayside Bodega (It was after 12 and Conny was gasping. We then resumed our travel over the top having started in a semi-tropical landscarpe of prickly pears cactus and bamboo to pine forests and some very exotic looking roadside flowers. When we got down to the coast we headed west to Porto Moniz with the old town on the hill but a very modern tourist mecca and harbour at sea level. Lunch and off again driving back around the southern coast. During the trip we did stop at various locations to take pictures but this was usually accompanied by cries of anguish from all but Lars as overstrained limb muscles of the recently abused owners registered their protests (That walk from the mountain top yesterday had taken its toll) Pausing at Ribiera Brava for coffee and brandy (For medicinal purposes) we arrived back in time to hand the car back and for me to get the last “Telegraph” on the newsstand. Back to the boat a couple of G&T’s (Medicinal) and hobble into town for dinner, hightcaps and early to bed ready for a prompt start for 27102010 Wednesday Day 10 0600 I ‘m woken by the sound of the engine starting, Lars and Anders are raising the dinghy and preparing us for departure. My services and offered and declined so I retreat to my bunk until a civilized hour. 0830 On deck, we hammering along at 10+ kts in brisk East north easterly. By now were all up and breakfast is the first order of the day, coffee and a cheese and salami sandwich accompanied by a boiled egg with our without cavier (I kid you not these Swedish boys really now how to live !) Having tried to look useful we repair to our books or knitting or whatever one does at sea, after all we are a bit supurflous as the autopilot is doing the hard work of helming, the wind is pretty constant so theirs no need to fiddle with the sails, the only rocks are the ones were heading for and their several hundred miles away (I know Lars has a thing about them). So apart from keeping a lookout now and then to make sure were not mown down by a super container ship, though even there we have theAIS (Automatic Identification System) which tells you what ships are in the area, their course heading and when they are going to cross your path so its mainly the smaller now commercial boats we have to be wary of and we don’t have much company at the moment. Its been getting pretty rocky rolly as the day has progressed and the seas have built to about oneandhalf metres and with the wind has us rolling up to 20 degrees and crashing down the surf. But no matter 12 o’clock comes and the beer ration is duly served without incident, 1300 Lars serves a beef stew with some of that very nice Maderian bread. This fine until a mistimed move by Anders sees him applying a stew poltice to a rather sensitive are, thanks the Lord he didn’t spill his beer. We settle down to a quiet afternoon again with Anders doing his washing, Conny sleeping, Lars reading, and I have repair to the Throne despite the foredeck getting the occasional wetting, but having noticed the seat is dry I assume its safe. All is well with a few near misses, then a biggy and a saltwater enema. Dinner is another culinary delight from Lars with beef strips in a sauce with rice served with a glass of two or red, then shifts having been decided, I’m on midnight to 2am, so it off to bed for a few hours doing battle with the bedding as we bounce our way along. 28102010 Thursday Day 11 Midnight, the moon is up thought its disappears occasionally in the cloudy sky the air temperatures is 22C and were still making good time though winds have come round a touch and decreased. Lars points out a ship on the AIS which we can just see on the horizon and departs. I spent half and hour cooling out in the moonlight, there’s something magical sailing along under a starry sky with a moderated sea and just the music of the water as the boat slices its way through the seas and hum of the wind in the rigging. Then time for a read, head light on light a Cyclops but they are great. Anders takes over at 0200 and when I take my watch at 0800 I suddenly see what looks like land ahead in the mist and clouds on the horizon. Were still 30nm off but the binoculars confirm my sighting just before they disappear into the clouds again… The island slowly grows until we can make out details of houses the observatories on top of the mountain and then even the many banana plantations. 1400 sees us entering port, we are greeted by the marina staff with the toilet key and most impotantly the key to the Wi-Fi link. Nothing is happening until To be continued……. |
