Archiv

CW39 2001

23.09.2001 - 30.09.2001

It's midnight, Sunday, September 23 and we're surrounded by the Atlantic. 80 miles still separate us from our destination.
We also brake our presumably last round of standing guard into 3-hour shifts. Tom from 9pm to midnight, Andi from midnight to 3 am and then me until 6am.
At 5.43 (local time) the GPS says it's another 50 miles. By now we're almost down to counting every single mile we made, or rather that we got closer to our destination.
The night is over and for a reward we get a magnificent sunrise.

That was at 7.20 a.m. and exactly one hour and seven minutes later Tom yells: "Land!" Now it won't take much longer! But, for the last miles we have to use the diesel engines again. And, as if making up for that, we see dolphins again. It's just so beautiful, every single time, and always worth mentioning it. Well, the reliable trade winds that usually blow here really let us down, unfortunately. Probably the hurricane Felix mixed up a few things here on his way to the Azores. But we made it: we crossed waters 2730 meters deep, passed through a mighty thunderstorm, travelled for 7 days and nights - to be precise 170,5 hours and 653 nautical miles that we covered. And now we're here!

5.30 p.m., the anchor is lying on the ground in the Bahia del Salaso situated in front of the island La Graciosa and the cork is popping of the champagne bottle!
WE'RE HEEEERRREEEE! Jippi!
That really deserves a toast!
We're happy to be here, that we made it, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings and nature.
La Graciosa is a natural preserved area or island in the North of Lanzarote. The Straight of Estrecho del Rio, which is just half a nautical mile across at this point, divides the two islands. Still, there are people here who simply swim across, to Lanzarote. A whole group of swimmers are just crossing this Straight, without a boat accompanying them.
La Sociedad in which pretty colourful fishing boats are lying is the islands only harbour. Thomas and Andi are going there to find out, if we can check in there. We can't! What a pity.
Which means that we can't stay here a little longer so we'll go on tomorrow. After a nice dinner and a night cap we get into our bunks and each of us can sleep undisturbed all night, even without swell and the rumpling of the engines.


On Monday morning industrious fishermen are out with their boats really early. Thomas watches them catch and bring in a school of sardines.

Then they take them back to the harbour to celebrate the catch. One fisherman stays behind. It's especially amusing to watch him since he's fishing with a rod with two hooks and he actually always does pull out two fish with this thing - every single time he pulls the rod out of the water. Not bad! Finally we can jump straight into the water again, right after getting up. That's so nice! Then we have a lazy breakfast and towards noon we make our way to Puerto Naos, the harbour in which the biggest fishing fleet of the Canaries is located. We the Genaker set we sail nicely along the coast, with the sun shining. After almost 30 N.M. we reach Puerto Naos. There's not much room here. The whole harbour is full of sailing and fishing boats - everywhere. There are two jetties, but those are also full.

Nevertheless we did find a place and just go there, simply squeeze in-between. In the late evening we make the acquaintance of our "neighbour", a very unfriendly guy from Switzerland.
Apparently he thinks we're getting to close, but if there's hardly any room, it can't be helped. What he actually should know himself! Oh well, there's got to be people like him as well.
It's not exactly beautiful here, but that was not to be expected. After all, fishing harbours usually aren't anything special. But there is something special here: fish jumping meter high out of the water, and not even small fish. What we're not getting is the possibility to go ashore without getting wet. Everything is closed off, or only accessible over steep rocks where you can't land the dinghy. So we can't check in here either and our little shore liberty is cancelled. Well, then we'll stay aboard and go on to Arrecife, the capitol of Lanzerote, tomorrow.


At 8 am on Tuesday morning our anchor is already weighed and we're leaving Puerto Naos. The anchor manoeuvre was one of a kind. Thomas was steering and joggling around in total precision until we had our anchor freed and could leave the harbour.
We're, so to say, just hopping round the corner, to Puerto de Arrecife, where we can check in.
Arrecife means reef - and there are plenty of those around. So we have to stay alert, even on this short trip, because there are really mean reefs around and there are even some right in front of the harbour entrance. Arriving there the world immediately seems a lot friendlier. We have a nice place, a friendly neighbour from Brisbane and we can even go ashore here, which Thomas and Andi do right after breakfast. While the men take care of the formalities II "fix up" the ship.
To check in the two men actually had to almost go back to Puerto Naos with a taxi.
In the afternoon everything is taken care of and we leave Arrecife and make our way to the Islands most beautiful sand beaches, Playa de Papagayo.
The surroundings of Playa de Papagayo are a nature preserve and can only be reached by crossing a sand strip - and only on foot - and are really totally untouched. The new hotel complexes are getting closer, but the beautiful beaches are (still) spared.
Not only the beaches and their surroundings are impressive, but Lanzarotes nature in general. Distinguishing and beautiful to look at are the white washed houses with their green or blue windows and doors.
The island is divided form North to South by a mountain range and volcano craters and strips of cinder cover wide areas of the island. The peculiarities of the land made the farmers inventive. For example they plant grapevines of the Malvasier wine, onions and sweet potatoes in small craters made from volcano ashes that suck up the humidity in the air. As far as rainfall is concerned Lanzarote has a desert climate in which it doesn't rain very often and even clouds are supposed to be rare. So we do experience something unusual: there are clouds and not to few, but the sun eventually makes it through and what more do you want!


Wednesday, and there are still plenty of clouds in the sky and the weather forecast announces winds that make it advisable to stay on the South coast.
Nevertheless we weigh anchor around noon and go - no, we don't go, we sail to Playa Blanca, 3 N.M. further on.
Since there is no room for us in the harbour itself we drop anchor in front of the harbour and in front of Playa Blanca and take the dinghy ashore.
Actually we wanted to get some water here, in the harbour, since ours is, strangely, almost gone. And we actually didn't use that much water?!?
But if you don't have a regular berth there unfortunately is no way to get supplies from the harbour. Well, that's ok, after all we do have a de-salting machine on board and then well just start that one up.
Water was not our only reason to go to Playa Blanca. At last we can get a Süddeutsche Zeitung (German newspaper) again, and, we did book flights, after all we do need to take a break for service. And this service will really be one, not like in August! A service for men and machines and since it will be a large service it'll take a little longer, that is, until the middle of November.
But for now we're still on Lanzarote and since Playa Blanca also is a rather unprotected area we're not staying, but going back to where we came from, to Playa de Papagayo.


And since it is so nice here we're also spending Thursday at Playa de Papagayo. So we don't just admire this absolutely beautiful beach from afar we get into our dinghy and drive to the beach. There we wander over the finest sand and also over volcano rocks. There are really some nice and cosy spots and niches, which are well visited. Today is the 100th day of our journey and we want to propose a toast to that. So we're having a glass of champagne for a sundowner. To the next 100 days!
As if we'd ordered in advance there's a magnificent sunset, as if the sky were on fire!

Later in the evening our little place gets rather uncomfortable though, since the wind is getting rather strong and has already changed directions. If the wind gets any stronger we won't be able to stay here, because we're being blown right into the bay. So we hold a little meeting and - just in case - decide where we will go to, if we have to leave. But by midnight everything is quite normal again and we stay and can got to bed. Friday, and about time we moved on. Not that we wouldn't have liked to do more sailing in the Canaries, but very unfortunately, those highly praised winds from the Northeast aren't here. So we take off to Isla de Los Lobos and we can actually sail a few miles.

Los Lobos is an island in front of Fuerteventura and is also a nature preserve on which reportedly only one fisherman and his family live. Getting to the mooring places around the island will have to be done very carefully again. Endless reefs surrounded by this amazingly clear water. We drop anchor close to a magnificent lagoon. It's also separated by a reef. A Frenchmen really dares to enter the lagoon with his dinghy during high tide. Well, he'll have to wait for a chance to get back, since there is no way of getting out of that lagoon during low tide. Have fun!
Besides pleasure-trip boats coming here, one after the other, from Corralejo, we did find a very beautiful and cosy spot here. After all the tourists left again Andi sets out with his snorkel and fins and returns after a great experience: he saw a really big ray and that quite close.
From here we have a good view of the Fuerteventuras endless sand beaches that are unfortunately covered by clouds, but we are spared.


Saturday, September 29, and today we're leaving for Puerto Calero, the harbour in which SILVER BLUE will stay until we return and where we'll have our ship serviced. The service for men will be done in Germany, because I'm not going to take my appendix across the Atlantic.
So we set off for our last 11 N.M. It's hard to believe, but on this short leg a huge thunderstorm hits us. And it makes us wonder. Clouds are supposed to be rare and a thunderstorm even rarer. That's really hard to understand!
So we reach Puerto Calero under a cloudy sky at 3.30 p.m. and fasten the ropes that'll stay for the next weeks. But that's not the end, not for today and not quite for this week. Cleaning up is due. Thomas and Andi take care of the outside of SILVER BLUE and I the inside, at least the first part. Then we still need to find out where what is and finally we go out for dinner.

Since there will be nothing to write for a few weeks now, this weeks log doesn't end on Saturday, but on Sunday, September 30, 2001. Breakfast under a clear blue sky. Ok, a few lonely clouds are still up there, but only very few. Refreshed we continue cleaning up. There's a lot to do, let's get started. And now we also find out, why we had such seemingly high water consumption. The hot water boiler is leaking! And since one shouldn't only work, we go to a restaurant for a little snack. Today we have to say good-bye to Andi, after 2,5 weeks. He's leaving today. Maybe we'll meet again aboard? And this would be the time to send greetings to Andis' girlfriend Bille in Munich.

Now, last week we didn't have one and this week it's coming right at the end, but deserts always come at the end: the culinary excursion - quick and short today.

Crepe with oranges and …

1 orange per person
1 glass Nutella (a nut based bread spread)
Grand Marnier
Crepes

Bake crepes according to basic recipe
Filet oranges, and if you like let them soak in Grand Marnier over night

Cover crepes with Nutella, place orange filets in the middle and roll them up. If you didn't soak the filets in Grand Marnier you can simply sprinkle some on before rolling them up, or not use any alcohol at all.
If you like it hot, heat the Grand Marnier for a short time on the oven, pour it over the crepes and light it!
Enjoy!


When and how we'll continue after our service?
We want to be on our way again from November 15 onwards, and you can find out about the how and where right here.
Same time, same place!
So long
Greetings from
Diana and Tom