Bahia de Abona 28:09.6N 16:25.6W

Lotus
Thu 5 Nov 2009 16:36
it's time to catch up with us folks, we've been a bit slack on the blog recently but have had friends visit and very sporadic wifi coverage.
 
Anyway, having spent a few days in Santa Cruiz ordering new solar panels and a fast battery charging system(okay we really spent days wandering around the streets, sitting in cafes drinking beer and lying on the boat), we headed off in search of a free anchorage out of the city. 
 
On our first night we failed to find such an anchorage, we thought we'd have a look in Candeleria harbour which the pilot showed as a small fishing port, with slim possibilities for a visiting yacht.  However, we thought we might be able to pull up alongside a fishing boat to raft up.  On turning around the end of the breakwater and into the harbour we discovered that it had been changed into a marina and already half way in, with very limited space we decided the safer option was to find a berth.  We managed to shoehorn ourselves onto a tiny pontoon, really meant for a 20foot boat; as there was no one about we decided to spend the night.  In the morning we were not only berated for occupying a private berth which was clearly too small for us, but also for having swam in the pool of a private club and for having a beer or two in the members only bar. 
 
Whilst walking in town we happened on a small bakery with piles of 25kg of flour in the back store room. Having been unable to find bread flour anywhere else we quickly purchased 10kg carrying it away in a bright yellow flare canister.
 
John's old university pal and his family happened to be holidaying in Tenerife and met us on the boat the next day.  We left the marina and had a fairly windless day, trying to get some sailing in with them.  We ended the day in Bahia de Abona, ferried them ashore in the dingy and joined them for a few beers which was a nice end to a great day.  We returned to the boat at anchor and stayed put for the next two days.
 
Bahia de Abona is some 20 miles south of Santa Cruiz, a little village with purpose built swimming quays with exit ladders and some great snorkelling off small cliffs and boulder slopes.  The fish were fantastic, many brightly coloured with electric blues, bright green and multiple stripes - you really knew you were in warmer water here.