La Palma - Gomera + foton
Dawnbreaker
Lars Alfredson
Mon 1 Nov 2010 11:50
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Gomera Måndag 1'a November
pos 28:05.317 N 17:06.520 W
Bob will comment below
Anlände La Gomera på Lördagen den 29'e vid
17-tiden efter en jättetrevlig segling i lagom vind. Bara 45 distans den
här dagen.
Lördagskvällen avnjöts på en trottoarrestaurang med
lokalt vin. De pratar nästan bara spanska här trots att det börjar bli lite
turistiskt.
På Söndagen bev det en vilodag med en kortare
promenad och därefter bad på den svarta sandstranden. Lite konstig känsla att
bada på en svart sandstrand. Lunchen blev svensk sillunch med sedvanligt
tillbehör och därefter vila för övriga matroser, undertecknad sover ju bara när
det är mörkt.
Sedvanlig Happy Hour vid 18-tiden och sedan middag
på lokal Pizzeria.
Hyfsat tidig sängläggning då vi planerar att segla
till Tenneriffa idag Måndag.
På måndagsmorgonen träffar jag en holländare som
berättar att det är väldigt ont om båtplatser på Gran Canaria, Las Palmas lär
vara stängd för alla som inte deltar i ARC-seglingen till Västindien. Han
berättar också att Los Christianos på Tenneriffa kan vara stängd. Vi har
tänkt att segla via Tenneriffa till Grand Canaria och vara där senast på
fredag
Vi skjuter upp avgången och går till ett
internetkafe och får kontakt med Marina San Miguel, som ligger lite längre bort
än Los Christianos på Tenneriffa, vi ringer dit och får bekräftelse på att vi
kan få en plats imorgon Tisdag. Det får bli en dag till här på La Gomera, det är
kanon här så det blir bra.
Varma hälsningar
Bob:
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 looking like 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 it disappears into the clouds again. The island of La Palma slowly rises out of the sea until we can make out details of houses the observatories on top of the mountain and then as we get closer, the many banana plantations. 1400 sees us entering port, we are greeted by the marina staff with the toilet key and most importantly the key to the Wi-Fi link. Nothing is happening until 5pm as now were in Spain its siesta time so its off to the Pizza Café on the dock for a beer or two and something to eat, a check of the facilities which are the best I.ve seen and back to the yacht to try out the Wi-Fi connection and catch up with E-mails I can't get a signal so return to the Café where with five bars (signal that is not drinks) I make contact with the outer word and clear the spam out of my box then have a go at uploading some pictures to my facebook page having read comments from my nephew Tom .. thanks Tom I am living the dream !! Lars report into the Marina office at 5pm and that when we learn that the Marina only opened in July, which explained the empty berths and the pristine appearance of the Facilities which even had toilet paper !! Almerimar please note. SS& Shave and were presentable enough to hit town and look for a suitable restaurant.Very clean and very nice verandahd buildings line its cobbled streets, unlike Funchal in Maderia its not over crowded with tourists, how refreshing but consequently there are fewer restaurants. In our search for a suitable eatery, we find the Yacht Club located in a fine old building with a great carpeted staircase leading to libraries and lounges, a restaurant and bar. We decide we'ed prefer to dine outside and find a very nice restaurant on a small square complete with fountain. Along with a fine meals of Duck, Steak and Fish, several bottles are sampled including the local wine which is quite distinctive. On the way back to the boat and having passed a closed paper shop I pressed my nose to the window see a Telegraph on its rack inside and make a note to revisit tomorrow. 29102010 Friday Day 12 We start the day doing the washing in the marina facilities putting out to dry while we head out to explore the Island. As is our custom we hire a car and start the long twisting drive to the rim of the volcano at 2350 Metres and well above the clouds as we discovered. The roads are a continuous series of hairpin bends, enough to make a seasoned sailor feel sick. We are rewarded with breathtaking views on the way and especially from the rim of the Caldera from where you can see all the way down to the coast. The scenery is so enormous photography cannot do it justice Having taken some three hours to get to the Observatories at the top (The British Isaac Newton telescope, remotely operated from Edinburgh University is here) we start our downward journey until we come across a nice Bodega where we stop for lunch. We eventually hit the coast some hours latter and stop for a Brandy and coffee and watch the works of a new massive harbour project that is going on at Tazacorte on the western coast. Then its across country back to the marina at Santa Cruz de la Palma just in time for a visit to the Supermarket to restock on essentials and for me to visit that papershop and purchase yesterdays Telegraph at vast expense. We revisit last nights restaurant and return to base The Marina of Santa Cruz de la Palma is located at 28.40'.4 North 17.46'West 30102010 Saturday Day 13 Arising at a civilized hour, breakfasting readying ourselves for the day, we set off for the island of La Gamora some 40nm away. The island is a single volcanic stump with an area of some 375 Sq Km and a population of 18,000. It resembles half a sphere with deep ravines, fertile green valleys with steeply terraced slopes and dense dark forests leading up to the almost central peak of Montana Garajonay at a height of 1487metres.. With its limited airport most visitors arrive by ferry (Fred Olsen runs a large car catamaran and a small high speed passenger boat) from Tenerife. Arriving around 1600 we find the marina is choc a block and after some discussion with the Harbour Master we are directed to the only free hammerhead and pontoon big enough for us to tie up to. Its very pretty marina and unusual in that its is part of a living village not the usual artificial development. The area has many carefully manicured gardens, flower beds and trees both Date Palm and some very exotic and ancient local forestry type trees in the square. Black sand beaches are to be found either side of the marina with clear warmish 24degree seas which we try out. The marina Wi-Fi is blanked out due to forest of masts, so we find a somewhat exotic café sporting marine trophies from visiting sailors hanging from nets that festoon the ceiling that has a free service for its patrons. We dine in a family run restaurant and are advised by the daughter our waitress that the wine is not what it says on the bottle but the product of her fathers vineyard and a very fine product it is ! 31102010 Sunday Day 14 Everyone is up early .. the clocks have gone back ! all except mine which for some inexplicable reason I put forward. This causes some consternation whilst waiting at the marina office when a passing soul ask me for the time !! Lars leads us on the inevitable walk which ends up at the black sand beach and swim, a halt at the café on the prom for a beer and to dryout then more walkies, I find a paper in a little kiosk in the square and back to base for my wallet and for Lars to pick up the empty gas bottle. He heads to the mini market where we espied some during our walk and I head for the cash machine to add my contribution to the kitty. We meet a little later, as for some reason the Shop won't sell him a bottle and they instruct him to another. I join him and another route march ensues in a vain search for the elusive shop .. in the end we admit defeat and return. A magnificent traditional Swedish lunch of herring in various sauces, potatoes and crispbread intersperced with shots of Schnapps .. Aqua Vite.. and Vodka watered down with the occasional beer. After a long lunch and little lie down ! its "Teatime", coffee and a brandy to revive the spirits and before you know it its "Happy hour" then its time to go ashore ... and people wonder if you don't get bored at sea ! A pizza tonight and so to bed ! |
