Week ending 17th October
Nightsong
Mon 19 Oct 2009 14:58
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Dear blog
Before I forget I better get this up to date. Just
had another lovely week in the western isles of the Canaries- weather has been
wonderful and we and the Loomes have spent a lot of time on Gomera and then gone
back to La Palma. We left Los Gigantes marina last Sunday 9th October and
anchored for lunch under the magnificent Cliffs nearby at a Barranco called
Masta Bay - enormous 1000ft high cliffs as this picture shows
 then on to San Sebastian of La Gomera, our first
visit to the capital and where we just squeezed into the marina. Next day we
went on to Santaigo on the south coast of the island and had a rolly night under
the hotel where Bob and Sue had spent a week 5 years ago. Next day on to the
west coast of the island for a second visit to Valle Gran Rey which we all loved
- had a more comfortable night than the previous one 'cos we put out a kedge
astern and this held us head to the swell. Ashore for coffee and shopping in the
morning before leaving for Santa Cruz de La Palma - a 40 mile trip which we
sailed in light NE winds for most of the way. Arrived about 7pm and found
the same berth in the empty marina as we had had 2 weeks before. Ashore for
excellent tapas at Taburiente a recommendation from the Lonely plane guide. Next
day I did another expedition up to the 8000ft Pica where the observatories are -
this time we actually saw the volcano and the 3 other islands, El Teide on
Tenerife, Gomera and El Hierro. Back on Friday the 60 miles to Tenerife,
starting at first light of 8am and getting into Puerto San Juan by 6pm. another
fine and quiet anchorage = next picture shows the famous wl Tiede from 40 miles
away - with the Code 0 flying
 Most curious thing about the Canaries is the almost
total absence of sea birds (and sea mammals too as far as Bob and Sue were
concerned) . Also the fact that the Canarians obviously do not like the sea at
all - there being far fewer little pleasure/fishing boats around than on
mainland Spain (or the very seafaring Portuguese).
Final picture shows Bob and Sue leaving the boat at
the San Miguel marina, Tenerife where they left us to spend 2 days up the
mountain for a well earned rest!! - the 4 of us managed to consume 30 bottles of
wine in 6 days, a record that we shall probably not beat for a while! Until the
Boases at least
 Thanks Loomes for your great company. Now for the
Chadds and Wicksteads - hope the weather lasts 'cos eating down beow will seem
very strange
AJB
18th
October
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