32:30.69N 16:30.53W

Cordelia and Richard joined us for the trip to Lanzarote, which we planned to break up with visits to Islas Desertas and Selvagem Grande, both protected nature reserves on rocky islands which require permits to anchor.  They’re long-extinct volcanoes, with dramatic layers of sandstone, basalt and ash.

We followed Galatea out of the marina and sailed downwind for a couple of hours on port gybe to the tiny anchorage, which is the island’s only sheltered spot.  On our final approach we sailed through a pod of dolphins which appeared to be feeding just offshore.  There were a couple of mooring buoys in the bay but we thought we should trust our anchor instead, as Galatea had already done.  The bay was so small though that we decided to double-up and we took a line to one of the mooring buoys too.

The island really did seem to be “deserted”.  No flora or fauna in sight.  Not even under the water.  Just the wardens’ hut with three people who went out in their RIB to take samples, readings or whatever around the coast.  Apart from Galatea and Infinity, there was just one fishing boat which joined us in the anchorage for the night. 

Protected from the swell, we had a respectable night’s sleep but sunrise for us was a long time coming due to the enormous cliff we were under.