Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
The wind is blowing from the NW at 25 knots and has been constant, with a swell of 3 meters, since we left Gibraltar. Our cook is not well so we have to do our own cooking. We read, watch videos, work talk and think about home. We attempt to fish on the way, as we heard the yellow fin Tuna are huge here, but it is too rough.
We arrive at Lanzarote, the first in a group of seven Canary Islands. We are moored in a very good new marina at 'Puerto Calero'. Lanzarote is about 52 Kms long and 10 Kms wide. It is mostly black volcanic rock ( moonscape), from the 18th century eruptions. All the houses are white and no higher than 3 stories. The only other colours that predominate are doors and windows of blue and green. Very little grows here and what does has to be sheltered from the wind by lava rock walls.
Our mission is to find surf. There is plenty of swell from the northwest. The problem is the wind is blowing the same direction. Ged Hart and I hire a van and head off to explore the island.
We head south to 'Playa Blanca' thinking the swell will wrap around the headland. No. We head north to ' La Santa' which has rough waves. The next day we head back to La Santa where we found some rough rideable waves. The wind shifts more to the north and we find on the east coast at 'Punta Mujeros' and 'Jameos del Agua' some sheltered south facing points with quiet good shoulder high waves.
The longer you stay here the more you start to enjoy the stark landscape. There are great sculptural pieces at almost every junction or roundabout. This is the work of the late local artist 'Cesar Manrique'. A lot of the the sculptures are of colourful mechanical pieces manipulated by the wind.
Manrique built a home in underground volcanic tubes ( tunnels ). On top he built a modern art gallery which is now a museum. This is a great visit. He also designed a large restaurant in a massive volcanic tube at Jameos del Agua. A feature of this is an underground lake that is the home of blind albino crabs.
There are some very good sandy beaches and the water is quiet warm even though its is winter. Many of the tourists at present are older English and Germans. Niels says that when Christmas holidays come it will be exceptionally crowded.
An Icon of this island is a car sticker designed by Manrique, which Paul wanted to buy. We then spent a frustrating 3 days looking to buy one for him.
We leave Lanzarote and cruise to Tenerife about 12 hours overnight, arriving in the very impressive city of 'Santa Cruz'. After we are cleared by customs, Ged and I take off to explore the west coast to search for Surf.
It is a very mountainous sub tropical landscape with lots of colourful houses. We head to ' Bajamar' and 'Punta del Hidalgo', reported to be one of the top surf spots.
The coast is rugged with large surf breaking on rocky shores. We don't surf this day but swim in one of the amazing natural sea baths with huge waves breaking over the walls. The next day I take off with Niels and Barry ( the butler), to Bajamar. We meet a very good friend of Niels who has lived here for 25 years. He explains the local rules about where we may surf and tells us that the local surfers are very aggressive if you encroach on their territory. Even to the extent that they may break into, or burn your car. The bay here has quiet a number of good breaks although we have to walk over quiet rocky ground to get to them, they are uncrowded and the surf is excellent and we are not encroaching on the locals special waves.
It's now time to leave and finish what has been a great European Odyssey.
9 and 1/2 months. Seven thousand nautical miles in the Med. visiting 8 countries, 38 Islands, making new friends, eating beautiful food. Wow, but now glad to be going home.
Black Pearl's new destination is the Carribean.
Mick
- comments