Sunday 6th December: San Juan, Tenerife
Awelina of Sweden
James Collier
Sun 6 Dec 2015 19:45
The alarm clocks went off at 06:30 while still dark and we were off by 7am as we have at least 70 miles to go and we were anxious to arrive before pitchy dark. We were bound to a different island, Tenerife, and round its southern point and half way up the west coast to a small fishing village called San Juan where some friends (Steve and Toni) have taken a villa for a few months.
The wind was from the SE and force 4 to 5 so a strength and we made good progress 'til round the southern tip of Tenerife, when we had to motor to keep up speed. There are several completely purpose built resorts here, complete with imported sand, and rather unsuited or unwelcoming to yachts to we had to keep going as it got dark. But at the last of the light we arrived at San Juan and anchored just outside the harbour. Pretty rolly but ok in the SE as the cost runs SSE - NNW here and we had a little shelter and anyway the wind had dropped to F3. Sure enough our friends were waiting on the breakwater head and we rowed ashore and had a convivial evening and a great meal. It was so good to see them both so relaxed as well; this retirement thing has much to recommend! Plans made to go and visit the volcano (mount Tiede, 3717m and really properly conical) tomorrow, however the wind is a bit strange at the moment being from the SE and off the Sahara so it's incredibly dry and rather full of red dust and not entirely to be relied upon. All the ports are 'designed' for winds from the NE which are predominant and not so secure in winds from other directions.