Puerto de Mogan

Talulah's Web Diary
Paul & Anette Morris
Sun 23 Jul 2006 15:22
Decided to sail to Gran Canaria and not La Palma - wind in the wrong direction again!!   What a sail that was!   We reduced the sail area to 3 reefs in the mainsail and the jib, and we still had too much.   The wind grew to force 8 and the seas in the Canary acceleration zone were steep.   We decided after a while to roll away the jib, and just sail on the mainsail.   The seas just got bigger, and we had lots of water in the cockpit (something I mean to complain to Lagoon Catamarans about as they claim that water 'never' makes it back to he cockpit!!!) - what do they know!?  I must admit to being frightened for the first time as we hurtled down waves at ridiculous speeds, and with only just the remotest amount of control. 
 
We were just about to start streaming warps from the transom in an effort to slow us down, when we passed behind the lee of the first cape of Gran Canaria, and we slowed right down and then found ourselves in an almost flat calm!   We could not believe the change that happened in the distance of about 2 miles!   So we started the engines and just motored along the coast to Puerto de Mogan, where we are right now - enjoying the sunshine, wine and comparative safety of one of it's bays - heaven! - this is what we signed up for.   And the bad weather en-route?   Well, it has made an impression on me enough to start reading everything I can on heavy weather sailing - and putting some other stuff  (storm jib, drogue etc) on m UK shopping list.
 
Some snappies below of Puerto de Mogan in Gran Canaria........
 
1.    Alongside in the Marina as we took on water, and went ashore for a few beers!
2.    At anchor in the Bay at Puerto de Mogan
3.    Another shot of the anchorage (a little lumpy at times) at Puerto de Mogan

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