28:59:8N 13:29:15W

 

Twilight was never so good.  After four days and three nights at sea, we made landfall on the smallest and northernmost Canary Island of Graciosa, anchoring in crystal clear water.  As the sun set we poured ourselves a huge Dark and Stormy.  For the uninitiated it’s the classic sailors’ tipple – rum and ginger beer.  Did it hit the spot or what? 

 

After a solid 10 hour sleep we went into the tiny harbour where the ever friendly port policeman found us a spot to tie up on the ferry wharf as the marina was full.  We could only stay two hours but managed a quick look around.  What an amazing place – sand tracks, no formed roads and just a handful of Land Rover taxis!  The architecture was classic Spanish – lowrise and whitewashed and the houses were right on the beach with beautifully tended gardens.  Wished we could have stayed longer.

 

The volcanic landscape on these northern Canaries is spectacular but you wouldn’t run many sheep to the acre – in fact we’ve decided they could probably only farm lizards.  Not a blade of grass in sight and it never rains (until I put the washing out this afternoon!)....so desalination plants are everywhere.

 

After lunch we had a ripping sail around the north of Lanzarote to Costa Teguise, halfway down the east coast.....passing loads of low rise holiday resorts built for the English package holidaymaker.  As we anchored in the bay a huge applause went up.....well yes, we did anchor quite nicely....but nothing special.  Then we realised it was from the Irish bar where the English fans were spilling out onto the pavement to watch the soccer.  Hmmmm..might not stay here too long!!