La Palma

We decided to leave Garachico with a night sail to give ourselves a greater selection of destinations. In other words to keep going if the going was good. Plan A was Santa Cruz de La Palma, plan B Tazacorte and plan C Gomera. It's good to have options.

In retrospect, the night sail after so long in Garachico, a very sheltered,calm, flat water marina was a mistake. I felt queasy getting back on the ocean and in the night we couldn't see what the sails were up to. Our speedo wasn't reading correctly, the vhf was playing up again and the crew were a bit rusty from 6 weeks off!  When the wind and sea state got up in the acceleration zone between the islands we had trouble slowing the boat down and the autopilot belt snapped.

So plan A, the nearest destination was chosen - Santa Cruz, La Palma's capital

We radioed the port authority for permission to enter marina La Palma as the port is busy with ferries, cruise liners and cargo ships.
We berthed on the reception pontoon whilst it was still dark and slept until the office opened.

A very nice town, lovely marina office and facilities and a mini Spa supermarket and cafes facing the marina. We had read that the marina suffers from surge and swell and yes it is 'rolley' like being at anchor but probably very good for keeping your sea legs.

We did some sight seeing and stocked up on cheap tobacco and recovered for a week.

The Balconies

Note the balconies house the toilet

Maritime Museum

Beautiful Square complete with bandstand above cafe

Garachico

At Garachico we caught up with Phillipe and Imelda (S/V Pilhaouers). It was great to see them again. They had hired a car and we went with them to La Orotava for a day out, incorporating a picnic in the mountains. A good day.

The beautiful gardens in La Orotava

Phillippe, Miles & Imelda

Whilst at Garachico our son Zak flew out for a weeks holiday. There were many fiestas at that time of year, every weekend it seemed, the biggest was to celebrate the eruption of mount Tiedi that almost kiboshed the town, only celebrated every 5 years and was quite spectacular.

Zak & Alison 

Fantastic Floats

Fiesta celebrating the volcanic eruption

The marina is only a few years old and very pleasant. One of our favorites. If you are visiting yourself by boat take care near the marina entrance as on the port side there are a couple of partially submerged rocks that are not marked yet. (A west cardinal I would suggest) so stay well to starboard and you will be fine. We were warned previously by an email from 'Pilhaours', very grateful.

Marina entrance (note the white water-submerged rocks!!!!

Very smart marina. spoilt only be the sound of traditional Canarian music being pelted out at full blast by a local power boat behind us, when he wasn't at work. He also had his phone connected to his stereo by bluetooth so all of his calls and message/text notifications - you know that annoying whistlng ditty that Samsung have- were broadcast as well.

 You know I'm not one to grumble (MUCH) but that music is bloody awful. we put on our stereo so we couldn't hear his but I think he could hear ours 'cos of the wind and turned his up louder. I didn't want to get into a volume war, although we have a pretty good stereo onboard so we went below decks and listened to ours there. I didn't complain because it was fiesta time and didn't want to upset the locals.

I think he must have been telt by somebody because after about 3 occasions he turned it down really low or not on at all. Thank God.

There was no wifi at the marina but we got a good connection at El Roque cafe, 10 mins walk.

Radazul to Garachico. At last!!!!!!!

We left Radazul early Sunday morning (28 June). No wind to speak of, but with our super smooth hull (Hempel Racing White) we made over 6 knots instead of the 4.5 knots with a dirty bottom. the repacked stern gland wasn't dripping (it should a bit) so I adjusted it with 2 huge spanners. Now ok!

Approaching the Punta De Anaga NE corner of Tenerife and an acceleration zone, the wind blasted us at 30 knots on the nose. Our speed fell to 1.4 kn at one time. This reminded us of Cape Vincent ( S/W Portugal ) but after 2 hours the wind ended.

So with the wind in the wrong direction or not at all we motored all,the way to Garachico.

   El Teide, Tenerife's volcano

On approaching the harbour entrance we remembered the warning email we had received from S/V Pilhaouers about uncharted rocks but even the prior warning did not prepare us for the looming slabs of rock just beneath the surface on our port side, with unbelievably no warning bouy or markers.

A Spanish family In an RIB whizzed along to warn us of what we had just seen. Thank you.

We berthed safely in this beautiful marina and hope to catch up with friends.........

Radazul Marina - In the boatyard

We left Santa Cruz to sail to Radazul, a short journey, 6 miles south.

   Leaving Santa Cruz

When we arrived at the visitors pontoon it was in a poor state. Cleats full of old ropes and Alison & Gene had problems securing Artemis. Alison badly grazed her Knee. We spent a night on a berth before being lifted the next morning. Pretty straightforward, plenty of staff to take ropes and very good communication.

List of works:-

Jet wash

Sanding

Repair to damaged rudder (la Caruna)

New max prop anode ( fitted 3 months ago - missing!)

Hull anode

Refitting of rope cutter

Head sea cock replaced

Anti fouling

Stern gland repacked

Hull cleaned and waxed............phew!!!!

Whilst in Radazul boatyard we had hoped to take advantage of the close-by beach and swimming area. The first time in the water Alison's knee reacted badly to the wet and I sliced my toe on something sharp in the water. No swimming for Alison and it was scorching!

The Hiperdino Supermarket was up the hill, not any hill but a great big hill. Quite a task in the scorching heat, however they did deliver. You couldn't get a stick of bread near the marina but the cafe was good  with coffee ( large) at €1.

Gene decided that after 5 months on Artemis that he would like to return to England. He missed English food, friends, family and amazingly 'British Weather' ( too hot to skateboard!). 

We saw him on the bus at Santa Cruz bound for Tenerife South Airport on the 26th June. Whilst we were in Santa Cruz we hunted down a decent tobacconist and stocked up on smoking tackle as Radazul was bereft of tobacco, papers and filters ( we like to roll our own and have done since we were college kids).

After a week we were gladly back in the water and preparing for our next destination............

Las Palmas to Santa Cruz

We decided to leave on the same day as s/v Pilhaouers heading for Tenerife. They were bound for Garachico while we headed for Santa Cruz for essential maintenance. Although they was little wind, the sea state was beautifully flat and calm. Our most comfortable journey yet, steak and chips were on the menu and we had a shower so as to be fresh on arrival. Unfortunately the welcome we received at Tenerife marina came down to two words "No English" and that was not a language difficulty. So we turned south and headed for Santa Cruz Marina Atlantico (plan B).

    Leaving Las Palmas

   Gene

   Watch out Fred Olsen's about

The marina is very quiet considering it is only a short distance to the city. We used the washing machine for the first time since Brest, only €5 for a large load. We usually wash by hand on Artemis.

We didn't enjoy the city, very different to Las Palmas, the people not so nice and the city very busy.

We received a friendly welcome in Santa Cruz Marina and stayed a few nights whilst we arranged for Artemis to be lifted at either a nearby yard or somewhere further down the coast. We received a very quick response by email from Rosario of Radazul marina (approx. 6 miles away) and arranged for the lifting of Artemis.

Gran Canaria, Las Palmas Birthday Bash

We stayed at Las Palmas Marina for 2 months. it is the cheapest marina in the Canaries and we paid extra for wifi which we could receive on the boat and was very good. Kept our son Gene happy.

Las Palmas is a great city for shopping. Many malls and high street brands. We particularly liked the second hand chandlery where we bought 15m of anchor chain, a diving knife and grease, delivered free of charge. Also the charity shops were good for a bargain. Carrefour and Hiperdino will deliver groceries to the boat, no problem and although we didn't visit them there are many cheap hairdressing salons. Dentists on almost every street so we took the opportunity to have Gene's braces removed as they had been on him for years and causing him discomfort.

We particularly enjoyed the gardens behind Saint Catalina Hotel and the nearby museums.

Gardens behind Saint Catalina Hotel

The 1st June was Alison's 50th Birthday and celebrated with Phillippe, Imelda (s/v Pilhaouers) and Diego. I (Miles) baked a fruit cake that went down very well and we all had a fantastic night with much merriment. Alison's presents were a new camera from me, a beach umbrella from Gene, 2 hand made courtesy flags from Imelda, a Spanish fan from Phillippe and from Diago a day out shopping in his car - machos gracias!!!!

Alison's new fan

Phillippe strumming, Miles working the fingerboard

Alison's Birthday cake

While at a major marina we had our Raymarine equipment repaired and a new cockpit speaker for the VHF. Our mains electric went "Pop" one day so we had Israel the electrician do some rewiring. We met a young man named Alex via Diago whom scaled our 60ft mast to fit a LED bulb in the tricolour. (Our todo list is getting shorter!)

One day walking back to the marina we bumped into Norbert (s/v Eos) whom we had crossed the Bay of Biscay with, many months ago. After seeing him we joined him for coffee and a catch up.

After 2 months it was time to leave.........