Leaving Madeira

Yacht Ariel
Henry Adams
Sun 28 Oct 2007 12:53
Leaving the marina this afternoon to anchor somewhere nearby, and leaving Madeira tomorrow for an anchorage in the Ilhas Desertas tomorrow which look forbiddingly like a giant jagged black spine coming out of the water. Then a day and a bit down to the Ilhas Selvagem, even smaller and 120 miles from anything at all. They're both wildlife reserves but we've picked up permits to anchor for a day or two at each and go ashore if conditions permit. We'll try to upload some entries in the next few days but will be largely incommunicado except on our mailasail email account. After that, it's a day and a bit to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria where we'll get settled in for three weeks before the big crossing.
 
In other news, the rental car was a great plan - we hit the island's extreme mountain roads with some small-car attitude, of which you will doubtless be hyperbolically informed by 'the crew', and climbed (by road) the 2nd highest sea cliffs in the world.
 
A big night out, too, for us on James Anderson's boat 'Cleone' for a top Fosh-brewed curry, some beers, wine and whisky the other night/morning. They do look funny these boats with things like standing headroom, heads and running water...
 
H