We last ‘reported’ (Blog 2) from Corralejo, a
government-run port on the north east coast of Fuerteventura, where I had
joined Mike after flying back from a 5-day visit to the UK.
Corralejo port with Island Drifter
‘centre stage’
– on a very wobbly pontoon
We had to wait a day or so for the
strong waves and wind to decline before we could head north back to Arrecife,
the capital of Lanzarote, where we were due to be joined by Max and Sue Walker
for a 10-day cruise.
Max and Sue, soon after their arrival,
enjoying
a sundowner in the cockpit with Helen
Max is the Principal of a yacht delivery business and has been for the last 25 years. Previously he worked in British Steel before managing a couple of steel stockholding companies and then setting up his own business. Mike first met Max when he crewed for him on a delivery in 1998. Subsequently much of Mike’s yacht delivery work as a skipper came through Max.
Max at the helm of Island Drifter
Two years ago Max and Sue sailed
with us down the east coasts of Lanzarote, from Arrecife, and Fuerteventura.
This time the weather looked perfect for a circumnavigation of Lanzarote. Our plan was to sail during the day and to stop
at night in the principal ports, marinas and anchorages on the island.
Route taken on our anti-clockwise
circumnavigation
of Lanzarote with Max and Sue
Caleta del Sebo harbour in Isla de
Graciosa,
as seen from the shoreline
[see Blog 2 for other photos of this
interesting port]
Sue and
Helen walking in Isla de Graciosa between the anchorage at Playa Francesca
and
the port of Caleta del Sebo
Island Drifter at anchor in
Playa Francesca
taken by Mike from the dinghy
Max and Mike returning in our dinghy from
Caleta del Sebo where they had purchased a Pink Dentex
in the fish market for supper. A superb fish!
in the fish market for supper. A superb fish!
Max and
Helen checking the anchor chain, which at first appeared to be caught around a
rock, in Papagayo bay. Proved a
non-problem!
Marina Rubicón, where we stayed for a night
– a
beautifully landscaped location
Puerto
Calero marina where we also stopped – and refuelled
On our return to Arrecife Helen
presented her friend Tanja Waschkowitz, who runs the marina office, with a
scarf for her birthday that she had knitted during our cruise.
Helen
knitting a scarf in merino wool and silk as a birthday surprise for her friend Tanja
Tanja, who manages the marina office,
modelling her scarf
Next day, once Max and Sue had packed
and left by taxi for the airport, we reorganised the boat ready to move to Gran
Canaria – the third largest island in the Canaries archipelago. It has a
resident population of nearly a million, over half of whom live in the capital
Las Palmas. The island’s principal characteristic is that it is a continent in
miniature due to its great variety of weather and landscapes. The north of the island is green, cultivated
and often cloudy; while the south is hot and dry, suitable only for cacti,
goats and sunworshippers.
Relief map of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria’s major features are
its central mountain ranges, its barrancos (dry river beds) which radiate out
from the centre and its enormous sandy beaches and dunes at Maspalomas in the
south.
Mountain view in the centre of the island showing
Roque
Nublo in the distance to the left,
which we walked up to (see below)
Maspalomas beach and dunes
at the southeast corner of the
island
Two years ago when we were in Gran Canaria we moored our
boat in the enormous Government-owned marina in Las Palmas on the northeast
coast. It proved an excellent location from which to explore the island by bus,
car and foot.
The 1200-berth government-owned marina in Las Palmas, the capital
of Gran Canaria
Anchorage at Las Palmas
This time we soon rediscovered that there are very
‘limited’ facilities for visiting yachts on the rest of the island, other than
at the holiday resorts on the sheltered south coast and possibly, if pressed,
at Puerto Aegete on the northwest corner, which we visited two years ago. We had previously recce’d the south coast
yachting facilities by road. This time we wanted to visit them by boat and
enjoy the excellent weather and facilities they offer.
Chart of Gran
Canaria showing
principal ports, marinas and anchorages
Puerto Aegete, a small ferry port, on
the northwest corner of Gran Canaria, which we visited two years ago
It is 150 nautical miles from
Lanzarote to the south coast of Gran Canaria – hence a 30-hour overnight
sail. Conditions were perfect for a
heavy cruising boat like Island Drifter – a 25-knot northerly wind and a
2-metre swell which enabled us to either broad reach or pole out and sail
downwind all the way to Maspalomas at the southeast corner of the island.
Island
Drifter’s route from Lanzarote to Gran Canaria
As we approached the sheltered southern end of the island,
with only 10 nautical miles to go to Puerto Rico, the wind dropped, as
anticipated, to almost zero. We
therefore turned on the engine only to discover that the exhaust elbow on it
had cracked and was leaking profusely, thereby risking the engine overheating
and seizing. To get into port in the
minimal breeze, we hoisted the lightweight genoa and were able to sail slowly
in just 5 knots of breeze. Meanwhile,
we repaired the exhaust elbow with a ‘plumber’s bandage’. We therefore only
needed to turn on the engine for the last 50 metres to enable us to manoeuvre
in the port. (As it happened, our splint on the elbow had set like steel and
completely stopped the leak!)
Exhaust elbow with a plumber’s bandage
holding it together
Sailing west in negligible wind with our lightweight genoa
along the south coast towards Puerto Rico
We went to Puerto Rico first because
we had arranged to meet our Norwegian friends Sverre and Gunhild Faugstad who
were in the second week of their fortnight’s holiday there in an apartment. We
originally met Sverre in the Shetlands in 2011 when we had a pleasant evening
introducing him to the subtleties of malt whisky. We last met them in Bergen in
2013 at the start of our cruise of the north coast of Norway up to the Lofoten
Islands and Tromsø in the Arctic Circle.
Sverre
outside the Mariakirken in Bergen, where in 2012 he was managing its 5-year-long restoration
The resorts on the south coast of
Gran Canaria are popular holiday destinations for winter tourists from northern
Europe who go there to get away from the short daylight hours and very cold
winter weather at home. It is no coincidence
that the area is sometimes referred to as ‘South Oslo’.
The south coast of Gran Canaria has a micro climate of its own, in that the inshore coastal waters’ weather seldom correlates with the weather forecast – albeit the offshore weather does. The whole southern coastline benefits from facing the sun all day and is protected from the strong prevailing northerly winds by the island’s mountains to the north. It generally enjoys a light variable breeze in the morning with a stronger southerly sea breeze in the afternoon that usually dies down by dusk.
The two marinas and town beach in Puerto Rico are surrounded by steep hillsides to which white holiday apartment blocks appear to cling.
Puerto Rico marina viewed from road
above
Unfortunately the development engulfed the old fishing harbour. Anchoring, unprotected from the elements, is now only possible outside over rock. Everything is very different from what it was back in 1950!
Puerto Rico as it was in 1950
Like many Norwegians, Sverre and
Gunhild are both enthusiastic walkers. We joined them for two hikes in the
mountains in the San Bartolomé area.
Roque Nublo, the second highest point
on Gran Canaria
A late
lunch of tapas in the shade in San Bartolomé after our walk up to Roque Nublo
The route of our second walk, based on data collected by Sverre’s
hi-tech GPS watch. Note the 726
calories we supposedly expended!
Sverre,
Gunhild and Helen on our hike
around San Bartolomé
Before leaving Puerto Rico for
Puerto de Mogán we
replaced the boat engine’s broken exhaust elbow following advice given by
Lindsay Rufford, the owner of Seapower Marine, our long-time diesel engineers
in Ipswich.
We were joined on our short coastal cruise to Puerto de Mogán by Sverre and Gunhild, who subsequently returned to Puerto Rico by water taxi after lunch on board Island Drifter.
Sverre and Gunhild at the helm of Island
Drifter
on our way to Puerto de Mogán
Mike and
Sverre preparing to hoist the
lightweight genoa to help us sail in light airs
Lunch on arrival in Puerto de Mogán – tuna fagioli
Tuna fagioli,
incidentally, is a splendid ‘store cupboard’ meal for ‘yachties’, particularly
in a warm climate. It takes very little
time to prepare and is delicious. For
two people: simply mix together 200g of tinned tuna, 400g cannellini beans,
half a thinly sliced red onion, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, juice of half a
lemon, crushed garlic clove and chopped flat leaf parsley (if available). Serve with two fat ripe tomatoes generously
sprinkled with rock salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tuna fagioli, a splendid
‘store cupboard’
standby for ‘yachties’
Puerto de Mogán is one of the oldest and better-known marinas in the Canaries. The surrounding marina village, nicknamed ‘Little Venice’, has been developed into an attractive, modern holiday area with good accommodation and facilities overlooking the marina.
Puerto de Mogán marina today, as seen from the road above
Puerto de Mogán viewed from marina pontoon
One of the tunnels under the houses that give
Puerto de Mogán its
nickname of ‘Little Venice’
Puerto de Mogán in 1970
After a couple of days in the
marina, where we sat out a gale while it rained almost continuously, we moved
out to the adjacent anchorage where there was a Russian cruising boat with an
affable young family on board.
Puerto de Mogán from the anchorage
with our fellow cruising boat, the Russian Lady Mary, in the foreground
The anchorage provided outstanding
shelter, under a large cliff, from the prevailing northerly wind and had good
holding in sand at a depth of 10 metres. It was free (!), quiet at night and
was within easy reach, by dinghy, of the town.
Island Drifter at anchor off
Puerto de Mogán under a protective cliff
On our passage from Puerto de
Mogán to Anfi del Mar, our third port of call on the south coast of Gran
Canaria, we briefly pulled in to the bay at Tauro, which is allegedly being
developed into a new resort that will include a 500-berth marina, as well as
two 18-hole golf courses and an ‘extensive range of leisure facilities’. It was particularly interesting for us to
see the early stages of a development.
We now more fully appreciate how much effort went into creating the
holiday resorts and marinas along the south coast.
Tauro, a new holiday development
and
marina ‘in the making’
Anfi del Mar, where we next stopped, is
an immaculate, albeit small (93 berth), marina, surrounded by landscaped
gardens and a large sandy (imported) beach. It was built, together with the
surrounding time share resort and hotels, in the 1990s.
Marina at Anfi del Mar with
landscaped gardens
Time share apartments built in local stone against a cliff
Not surprisingly there was no spare room for visitors when we arrived. The marina manager was, however, happy for us to leave our dinghy in the marina when we went ashore and also to fill up with water.
As it happens, we preferred to anchor in the quieter adjacent anchorage together with half a dozen other cruisers. A good location with easy access to the resort's large, high-quality supermarket and to buses along the coastal road. The anchorage had good holding in sand at a depth of 10 metres and was very well protected from all directions other than the south.
As it happens, we preferred to anchor in the quieter adjacent anchorage together with half a dozen other cruisers. A good location with easy access to the resort's large, high-quality supermarket and to buses along the coastal road. The anchorage had good holding in sand at a depth of 10 metres and was very well protected from all directions other than the south.
Island
Drifter at anchor off Anfi del Mar resort and marinaWe wanted to stay next in Puerto de Arguineguín, an old port which is government run, in contrast to the other, privately owned, marinas and resorts along the rest of the south coast. Arguineguín is a small but busy fishing harbour which still retains a vestige of its original character – the colourful old town around the port having changed remarkably little over the past few decades. It still primarily caters for the locals, rather than tourists.
Port and boatyard at Arguineguín
Dramatic mural on Cofradía de
Pescadores building
Old town of Arguineguín viewed from the
boatyard
Some
of the local inshore fishing fleet in Arguineguín
Unfortunately both the port and
old sandy anchorage were full of local boats.
It would have been possible for us to have anchored among a group of
live-a-boards and some serious cruisers outside the shelter of the port
breakwater in 5 metres over slab rock and stones, but the holding is supposed
to be poor and we would not have been comfortable leaving Island Drifter
to go ashore – so we regrettably gave anchoring a miss.
Local and live-a-board boats in the
rocky anchorage outside
Arguineguín
We did, however, take time to look around the old town and bought two Sama de Placa which we had filleted from the Cofradía de Pescadores (Fishermen’s Cooperative) before returning by dinghy to Anfi del Mar where we were anchored. It was worth buying the fish if only to watch the fishmonger’s skill filleting it with an enormous razor-sharp blade.
Fish counter at the Cofradía
de Pescadores, Arguineguin, where we bought Sama de Placa fillets
As it so happened, our extended stay in Anfi del Mar
coincided with the middle week of the Six Nations Rugby Union tournament and we
were able to easily take a bus along the excellent coastal road to Puerto Rico,
where there were several sports bars showing the Welsh and English games on
consecutive days.
Road along south coast of Gran Canaria
On our next passage, from Anfi del Mar to Pasito Blanco,
we pulled in to look at the anchorage behind Puerto Cementero on the Punta Tarzo promontory. As its name suggests, the port is a
commercial harbour which supports a cement works – and has no room or
facilities for small craft. Its dusty grey buildings, silos and chimneys are
conspicuous from all directions on the south coast and are quite unmistakable.
Puerto Cementero – a commercial,
yacht-unfriendly harbour
conspicuous from all directions on the south coast of Gran Canaria
The adjacent anchorage is not referred to in the pilot book. It is, however, used by owners of
live-a-board yachts at anchor along the coast for shelter in south-west gales
when other anchorages are untenable.
The sandy anchorage lies 100 metres offshore in 5 metres of water off a
small, rather attractive hamlet. Given
the dust blowing from the cement works, it would not be worth stopping for
long, other than for refuge.
View of beach and local fishing hamlet
from ‘anchorage of refuge’
near Puerto Cementero
Pasito Blanco, our last ‘port of
call’ on the south coast of Gran Canaria, is a private development. It is surrounded by houses and bungalows –
mostly second homes for people living in Las Palmas or mainland Spain. Located within a gated community with manned
barriers and round-the-clock security, it is a very secure, although somewhat isolated
location, some three miles from Maspalomas, the largest holiday resort on Gran
Canaria.
Marina and holiday development
at Pasito Blanco looking east
There’s a small, sandy
well-protected anchorage to the northeast of the marina entrance which we
checked out – but we decided to give it a miss and instead enjoy the marina
facilities for a further day before moving north to Las Palmas, the island’s
capital. We heard rumours while here
that permission has been granted for another marina to be built in the
anchorage. Regrettably this has been a trend in the Canaries and explains why
there are so few reasonable anchorages left.
Empty anchorage outside Pasito Blanco
marina entrance
The 388-berth marina has a good
boatyard and a range of boats of generally high quality. We were most impressed (and fortunate) soon
after arriving when we watched a commercial sport fishing boat come in at
midday with 8 large (25kg) tuna. When
we asked if we could purchase some steaks, the owner simply cut off a large
chunk, enough for three meals, and gave it to us with his compliments! The particular fish was an albacore – white
tuna – which we have never had fresh before.
It was delicious!
Medallions of albacore (white tuna)
Our theoretical 35-mile passage north from Pasito Blanco in the south of Gran Canaria to Las Palmas, the island's capital in the north, was very different from the 150-mile downwind sleigh ride we enjoyed on the passage south from Lanzarote. This time we had to tack all the way against a 20-knot headwind and choppy, 2-metre waves. As a consequence we ended up sailing 75 miles and taking 16 hours to do so.
Using our inner stay sail to help sail into a 20-knot headwind on our passage north from Pasito Blanco to Las Palmas
We've stayed in the government-run Las Palmas marina before, know the area well and like it. At £7 a night (as compared with £45 in London!), in the centre of a colourful and active major city with easy access by public transport to almost anywhere on the island, it's a bargain!
Part of the enormous marina at
Las Palmas with the city skyline behind
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