Canary Islands: Las Palmas,Tenerife,Gomera

November 15-November 28 2021

After 2 weeks of ARC preparation, courses, boat inspections parties and fireworks the start finally arrives. Only one problem … no wind. The bane of sailors. Most people think that sailors biggest fear is that “vicious storm“ and while storms make for exciting movies ;racers and cruisers universal worry is a lack of wind.

ARC the night before

Sunday brought a parade of beautiful boats and the locals turned out for the annual sendoff.

Energetic Finnish training crew ”Helena”
Beautiful Swan 112 “Pauline of Skanor”
Locals turn out for the sendoff
Spanish navy / customs boats officiating the start of the ARC

Meanwhile back at the dock we castoff for the start of the race and motor sail to our first anchorage on west Gran Canaria , Puerto de Sardina. Then the next morning motor sail to Tenerife to explore the most populated island of the Canaries.

Jim,Fabian,Larry
Motor sailing can be exhausting

Tenerife:

The largest island with the largest population; has the tallest mountain in Spain, Mt Teide. It is a volcanic island with harsh volcanic landscape. Her beautiful sandy beaches are created out of imported sand from the Sahara.

The people are friendly . Santa Crus ,the capital, is fun to explore with numerous parks, walking trails and interesting architecture . One of the most famous buildings being the Auditorio Tenerife, stunningly beautiful.

Celebrated Thanksgiving going to my first Opera at Tenerife Auditorium

We spend the next few days exploring Santa Cruz and getting Infinity ready for the crossing.

Setting a soft shackle for the twin headsail
Do you think we have enough food?
We just need a few more nets

On the way down from Ipswich Infinity was the largest sailboat in every marina … until we arrived in the Canaries. Soon you see what you always knew that someone else always has a bigger boat. Unless you’re Jeff Bezos but then it is only a matter of time before someone has a bigger boat than Bezos.

As they say it is not the size but the way you use it and enjoy it.

Bayesian a Perini Navi 56m arrived Tenerife this morning

Gomera:

Snow on Mt Teide

Cold rain in Santa Cruz for the past 2 days put snow on Mt Teide . We sail down to Los Cristianos and find a rolly anchorage for the night. In the morning we catch a Fred Olsen ferry to La Gomera for a tour of San Sabastian, Columbus’s reported departure point.

We saw a small Columbus statue but no church or big memorial. It is almost as if the island is not interested in celebrating Columbus or his history. The bay is closed to yachts today but offers great protection and would have been a sanctuary for 3 small wooden ships.

Exploring the town we meet 4 ex military guys who are entering the Atlantic Challenge, a rowing race from Gomera to Antigua. Unbelievable …always the unexpected on our travels. Makes our trip look like a luxury cruise.

See you on the other side.

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