The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) will depart Las Palmas for St Lucia on the 19^th November, but in the Meantime the ARC+ which goes via the Cape Verde islands leaves Las Palmas on the 5^th November. So on the evening of the 4^th we went to visit our friends and say goodbye before the set of the next day.

Marie and her delightful daughters had spent the day buying fruit which was now happily swinging in its hammocks to keep it fresh for longer, while Kim and Eric (left) had been completing the last minute checks.

Kim made the Gin and Tonics before settling in to his big chair where I thought he looked most comfortable and relaxed, all ready for the 800+ miles to the Cape Verde Islands.

Rather than waving goodbye on the dock we drove up in to the mountains and watched then sail by from a distance

Then it was time for lunch in an awesome restaurant high in the mountains built entirely in a cave

A complex network of little dining rooms, we sat at table 19.

Caroline’s suckling pig had some of the best crackling ever, The photo shows not only that I failed to hide the fact I was eyeing it up but also that I was bordering on dribbling. However my goat stew (quite rightly served with a spoon) was equally delicious.