A new year
Persephone... Cruiser/Racer
Nigel & Karen Goodhew...
Tue 3 Jan 2017 11:43
Then we strolled the few yards to the Plaza las Americas, where the show was getting into full swing. The Canary Islands each host a New Year gathering, but Canary Islands TV move around by rotation between the islands to cover a different one each year, and this year it was La Gomera's turn. So there were cameras, lights and some glitzy presenters to introduce the new year. I remain ashamed to say that, even after nearly 6 months in Spain, my grasp of the language is minimal to nil. Especially when it is spoken rapidly and at high volume.....which is the default style. So I cannot tell you what was said, or how the new year was heralded, save for the impression that it was highly anticipated and the enthusiastic staccato was designed to enhance that impression.
Then we had the fireworks! The show was very impressive...from the beach, thankfully downwind of the marina, lasted nearly 20 minutes, and was loosely set to a pulsating latin beat. We downed our champagne, full of appreciation and wonder for the show our hosts had put on.
I discovered that, since the recession, there have been years without fireworks, and that the splendid show we witnessed might have been staged in some small way to " catch up".
On new years day, the grib files were studied, and after a great deal of analysis, we decided to postpone our departure. It's been established that we will try to sail in company with Win2Win, which will be fun. And that we are doing this trip for enjoyment. There is a distinct lack of wind in the Atlantic along our route south and west, but apparently no prospect of flat seas. The prospect of rolling around for days without wind is not attractive, and can cause wear and even damage to the boat and sails, so we wait for more stable conditions. I guess the jet stream is disturbed; the dead patch, or doldrums, are created by stray low pressure systems which are to the north of us in the azores....those should be streaming north and east and dumping snow in the Alps....which are apparently desperately short of the white stuff.
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