La Gomera

Aurelia
Shirley and Michael Webb-Speight
Fri 8 Dec 2006 21:10
We are now at San Sebastian on La Gomera which is 25 miles west of Tenerife. Arrived at 0100 after completing 110 miles in 14 hours. Came down here from Las Palmas in quite a blow - boat spending lots of time at 10+ knots and occasionally we hit 13 to 15 down some of the bigger waves. At one point the wind hit 40 knots so it was quite boisterous! I spent too much time below and had my first chunder of the whole year - much celebration by the crew! wind speed in the Marina tonight is 29 knots so pleased to be tied up in a sheltered spot!
Hired a car today and went for a walk up in the National Park - just like walking around in the bush on the west coast or Stewart island. The kids loved the walk in the bush and the volcanic scenery is stunning - green rainforest laden with dripping mosses on the windward side where the trades are forced to drop their moisture - cactus and rock slides on the downwind side of the hills. The landscape is etched with deep ravines as the ancient volcanoes have been rapidly eroded.
Now the forecast is saying gales for the next two days, so we are not too keen on leaving in that - might hang out here for a couple of days to see what happens. We will wait till tomorrow and decide then...