28:7.8N 15:25.6W Back to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Niord's Big Adventure
Tony Gratton
Fri 1 Dec 2023 19:09
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Sunday 5/11/23 Pasito Blanco to Las Palmas, Gran
Canaria
Distance covered 35.5nm. Total distance to date 1930
nm.
We are up early and manage to leave by 9:30 in hot
sun and no wind. A long day's motoring lies ahead against the prevailing
conditions, and this is Niord's first test since her big engine service. We keep
a close eye on the bilges with a little apprehension, but all is good
thankfully. The dunes at Masapalomas pass by under a hot and sunny sky. By
mid-day we enter the wind acceleration zone, and the wind jumps from a F2 to F6,
then rises to a F7. We bash ahead into the massive swell and wind. It is a
measure of how far we have come that neither Karen, Niord, nor I bat an eyelid!
By 2pm we start to see the first of the fleet of 100 or so ARC+ boats which set
sail today from Las Palmas. They are flying downwind, and having much more fun
than us! We continue to see more and more of them as we head North. An
impressive sight!
By 5:30 pm we are moored at the fuel dock, which is
inconveniently closed. We complete our arrival formalities, and wait for the
marinheiros to escort us to our berth, the same one as before. There is a stiff
breeze blowing beam on to our berth, but we get in without incident. We have
just tied up when a 50-foot sail training boat arrives on the pontoon opposite,
so Tony lends a hand. All goes well until the skipper decides to do some fine
adjustments. He nearly gets his stern line around his prop, then manages to get
the lazy line wrapped around it! In the meantime, another boat, arrives
next to us. The skipper struggles and gets in cross-wise with his bow into our
side. We fear the worst, but luckily the curve of Niord to the bow saves
her.
We collapse with a dinner of pasta and a well-earned
bottle of Kanonkop!
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