28:28.001N 016:14.580W

After a few days repacking Talulah in preparation for the Atlantic, and waiting out horrendous winds,  we went and anchored off Punta Papagayo for a couple of days, where we swam, snorkelled and scrubbed the bottom of the RIB (dinghy) which was covered in barnacles since Portugal!

On Saturday 14^th Nov we set off on our 28 hour sail to Tenerife, where the gusting winds sadly died to almost nothing ….. however, as we were nearing Santa Cruz  on our second day, we were overcome with that “we’re not alone out here” feeling and suddenly realised we were surrounded by several pods of pilot whales.  One pod of between 20-30 of these 6 metre long beautiful creatures swam (ever-so-slowly, spouting huge amounts of air with a loud whoosh…) within feet of Talulah, and then under us, and up the other side!  It was an awesome sight, and our tiredness faded very quickly into joy.  The whales stayed close with us for about half an hour. 

We arrived in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, yesterday, and will probably spend a couple of days stocking up with yet more stuff for the Atlantic, and climbing EL Teide, at 3717m the highest mountain in Spain, before setting off possibly to the island of Gomera, or maybe even straight across from here…

Our anchoring spot in crystal clear waters off Punta Papagayo, Lanzarote.

Can you imagine our surprise to discover the beach in the background was full of nudists – big, ugly, slow-moving ones.  Not quite the Playboy mansion.

Trying to finish the chapter, racing the rapidly fading light.

Ali fruitlessly trying to raise the marina in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Hey there big fella!  Big, lazy, slow moving, gentle Pilot Wales in the Tenerife / Gran Canaria channel (a bit like the nudists, but more interesting and dignified)

Mother and Calf

Breakaway Pod