La Palma to Tenerife
Sweet Dreams
Roz Preston /Ed Phillips
Fri 21 Oct 2022 08:32
Afterwards despite some appalling navigation from yours truly, summarily sacked in favour of the much more reliable Mr Richard Phillips, we managed to find the route through the lava field. The sight of ruined houses and banana plantations brought home how a natural disaster decimates a community, even though it happened slowly and as far as I know, without casualties. It was a sobering experience.
We left La Palma for Tenerife on Wednesday for an overnight sail to arrive on Thursday. As La Palma’s high peaks receded in our wake (proper sailing, heeled over with main and Genoa until the wind dropped) La Gomera took shape to Starboard and to our amazement Tenerife came into view at 60 miles distance. The highest volcano is over 3000 metres and is visible from a very long way off. As darkness fell, the lights of Tenerife competed with the stars to illuminate a swift passage across the water, to arrive much too early for our destination marina which opens at 9am. It is rather strange to find that marinas in these parts keep office hours! Time and tide etc etc.
So here we are in an industrial wasteland outside Santa Cruz on Tenerife. The pilot book that we rely on for information about Marinas and anchorages describes this place as remote and tranquil! It is not, it’s noisy, dirty and very very hot!
Time is not wasted on this boat. Thanks to Ed and Dick the anchor chain is freshly painted and the extra 10 metres are about to be added. Then we are off to see what this island is all about.
Sweet Dreams out.
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