In many places we go to we see intrepid French sailors in tiny old boats making serious voyages. Las Palmas is no exception. Recently we had an older French couple moored alongside in their 40 year old boat (they'd had it for most of its life). Without wishing to libel them I’d guess they were 70ish, and had just come across from Morocco and are crossing the Atlantic for the fourth time soon. “This time we might have a third person, normally we do it with just us two.”

 

More recently a young couple arrived, and a few days later a rumble on the pontoon announced some heavy incoming. Those of my sort of age will remember the song “Right said Fred”, and the memorable lines: “now Charlie ‘ad a fink an he said look Fred, I got a kind a feeling, if we remove the ceiling, wiv a rope or two we could drop the blighter through”. So with a bit of a “lash up” attached to the boom, and only a little Latin noise, a new engine was winched aboard. Remarkable, especially bearing in mind that they have sailed 600m to get here, and are probably going to do another 2,700 in that boat.

 

 

 

 

At the other end of the scale we had another French construction arrive, the Queen Mary 2.

 

 

 

Tomorrow Salila is moving to the Vela Latina, a sort of annex where all the catamarans will be berthed. Its a club that sail some interesting classic boats, with what are called “lateen” sails

I’m not sure whether this is a privilege or punishment. It seems very nice, and its a bit closer to the bars, but I’m still not sure. Apparently wifi, pronounced “whiffy” in some parts here, had not been invented when the boats were developed in Roman times, and that's good enough for them.

I may have to resort to the free wifi at the Sailors Bar.