Week ending November 1st

Nightsong
Sun 8 Nov 2009 18:53
Dear Blog
 
A good week with Sarah and Tony tho' 2 incidents nearly wrecked it. On Sunday we decided to go straight to the eastern Canaries rather than pay another visit to Gomera. Luckily I checked the engine b4 we left and was horrified to see that the 3 of the 4 lock nuts which hold the flexible shaft coupling onto the flange at the back of the gearbox had come off - mercifully the bolts had not sheared so we bought new nuts and tightened them up again - and the problem has not reoccurred. Explains why the engine was so noisy on the trip back to Tenerife from La Palma.
 
So we had a good beat in a NE F5 to a beach off the SE corner of Tenerife and a beat and motor up the east coast to a very Spanish resort just south of Santa Cruz de Tenerife called Puerto Radazul - very high skyscrapers next to the marina but a good berth stern to on lazy lines. Up early and leave at 0900 hrs for Las Palma de Gran Canaria - no bloody wind and we didn't actually bother to put the main up all day. Good meal ashore at a tapas bar in the old town (but a long walk!!) 
 
Next day we left at dawn (now 0700hrs after the time change) for Graciosa, a small island off the north of Lanzarote, a distance of 120 miles - no wind AGAIN as there wasn't for all but 3 hours of the voyage. Still very hot. And a wonderful view of the 12000ft El Teide from 100 miles away at sunset (see below). But very fed up with all the motoring
 
This mountain sure dominates the Canaries - the 2 Daves, Keith and I saw it from 60 miles away in the other direction. At dawn we anchored off a lovely beach called Playa Francesca on Graciosa. Then on in the evening the 2 miles to the town on the island which is called La Sociedad - very beautiful with the northern cliffs of Lanzarote so close. Small marina with no shore power but fun!
 
The next day at least we did sail all the time but only 25 miles or so - anchoring for the evening off the Castello de San Gabriel at Arricefe. Ashore for a couple of drinks before dinner and then Tony (sober he swears!) went and slipped down the steps (no tread on his Crocs), fell into the sea and cracked his forehead open. Bad wound and we should have gone to hospital there and then but he did the next day from Puerto Calero - and got a stitch in it. Luckily the EU NHS card and Sarah's great Spanish meant this cost nothing!
 
Chris and Clare McCann arrived that day and we spent the Sunday doing a tour of Lanzarote including a great bus tour of the wonderful volcanic national park of Timanfaya (alas without Tony who was nursing his wound). Good tapas ashore that night!
 
 
Lanzarote was a real joy - very different to the other islands and not at all the lanzagrotty of repute. Apart from 1 skyscraper in  Arricefe and a few 4 storey hotels, the Cesar Manrique policy of only 2 storey allowed has been strictly adhered to and the white paint of all the houses give it a real charm.
 
Boases left on Monday and we left Lanzarote for the last 2 islands Isla de Lobos and Fuerteventura - to make 9 Canary islands visited in all!