Tenerife

Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Sun 22 Nov 2015 21:36
Marina Santa Cruz is noisy and dusty, we were here over 15 years ago and there have been a few changes but its still work in progress. The rough ground has been tarmaced over, the portacabins have been replaced by a new block with office and showers and more pontoons have been added. If the Marina is still work in progress so are the boats there. It is full of boats preparing for voyages. Spares are obtainable, Carrefour will deliver provisions and fuel is delivered by mini tanker. People stay as long as it takes to get their boat ready to move on and to wait for the weather window they want.
A city of contrasts, at one end the façade at the front with narrow run down streets behind and at the other the modern city area lively and busy with plenty of shops, restaurants and parks.
Having made sure that our preparations were progressing we spent time looking around both the town and some of the Island. A day with a Fiat Panda, which coped well with the mountain roads as did Sarah who was driving, enabled us to get out to the other side of the island visiting La Oratava a town with lovely old balconied buildings and splendid gardens. We then went up the valley toward Teide (3718m) and into the volcanic lunar landscape before returning along the backbone of the island with amazing views down to the sea and across to Gran Canaria 30 miles away. We didn't go to the top of Teide as we didn't have time to walk up, the cable car costs 25 Euros each and you have to book to go up the last part to the top at least the day before.
While here we also met again Ullar and Ellen from Estonia on Troll, we met them in Falmouth, where we were tied up on opposite sides of the pontoon. Also Inga and Thomas on Saga who we have seen a number of times since Madeira.
Its now Sunday and we have escaped from Santa Cruz and sailed south to San Miguel. Another good days sail, running before the wind with just a scrap of headsail up at six knots down the ‘acceleration zone’. The wind is still howling so we will wait till morning before making a decision on when to continue to La Gomera.

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