Lanzarote

As per usual we have had difficulty in reaching the internet. We have tried many times to “publish” photos, but had no success. This is because we were not able to use an internet café in Isla Graciosa.

We left the marina and went to a lovely bay beyond Playa Francesca (PF). Here Jeremy snorkelled and was amazed. Later we returned the short distance to PF where the holding for the anchor was good, but Jeremy squashed his third finger on his right hand while anchoring. Kathy swam ashore and back, followed by a shower on the stern. It was just as well we did return to PF for there were winds of over 20 knots at 0400 and ten boats left the anchorage before lunch. By the afternoon it was calm and hot. With only five boats in a large bay. Jeremy went snorkelling again and this time he managed to swim with a shoal of fish, see some amazing black sea urchins and many highly coloured and also striped fish – WoW!

On Friday 260908 we motored around the Island of Graciosa. (We needed to charge the batteries.) We anchored off a beach on the NW (using Simon’s charts on the Laptop). Here we both snorkelled, but the bottom was sand and uninteresting. This was Kathy’s first snorkel for many years. HOWEVER, the beach was popular with nudists and Jeremy was kept … busy in the galley (Ha Ha Ha adds Kathy). Kathy also feels it worthy of mention that there were four nude females fishing from the rocks. Despite being some way away, Jeremy’s new and amazing Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ18 was able to pick out the finer points of their casting technique.

For the next two days we went snorkelling morning and evening in PF as it had a variety of aquatic life and several interesting reefs on which to explore. We also had to return to Caleta del Sebo twice for supplies and water from the shower. The island was very small and between 10 and 5 it was invaded by boats from Lanzarote carrying tourists. Generally there was enough room for everyone. The only downside was the wake that the ferry left as it passed within a few metres of the anchored boats. The island gets no rain. But it rained lightly three times while we were there. The rain carried a fine, brown/red dust from Africa which settled on everything. In the port there were THREE supermercados, which all carried the same basic goods. All in all it was an unusual, volcanic, barren island with sandy beaches and good snorkelling.

On Monday 290908 we left Graciosa for Lanzarote. We sailed and motored down the coast in sunshine, stopping to anchor at Arrieta for lunch and continuing to Puerto Marmoles. Here we anchored off a busy container wharf so that Jeremy could “log” in with the Policia National. When he found their offices, it transpired they opened from 8 until 2. He returned to the boat where Kathy had cooked a delicious meatball supper (remember them Hal and Patrick?).

Next day Jeremy duly logged in and had the passports stamped for the first time. We then moved about a mile to Puerto Naos. Here we anchored three times and still dragged a bit. As we tried to chain the dinghy ashore we were chased off the mooring ring by a local who told us to chain and padlock to a rock. This we did and went shopping. Naos had excellent chandleries and we purchased everything we needed including sheer pins for the outboard. After the supermercado, we returned to find the tide had risen and the rock and chain were a foot under water. This was further compounded as the chain had inexplicably caught under a huge boulder and the dinghy was straining to stay afloat. After struggling with a combination lock a foot below the surface, Jeremy lited the rock around which the chain was locked. This released the chain, but the second finger on Jeremy’s right hand was badly squashed. Only two fingers left! The boat was now dangerously close to a quay on the leeside of the harbour. We launched; Jeremy rowed to the pontoon for water; he then went to “Shanty” to give them some pilotage information – we had met the Dutch family in Cascais, Portugal – ; Kathy was shouted at from the shore for being too close to some other boats and then we left. Not our favourite spot.

Arriving at Arrecife, some two miles south, our friend from “Aventyr” pointed out a mooring, which we gratefully picked up. Just as we were finally securing it, a German boat immediately ahead of us (“Rose Erensee”) told us that it was only a small block. Jeremy changed into his snorkelling apparel while Kathy cooked a delicious mince and tatties meal. The block looked okay, but the satellite alarm was put on anyway (it went off at 0700 the next morning at low water). At 2300 just as Kathy was going to bed, Jeremy picked up a WiFi signal and managed to post last weeks blog, but as usual it would not upload the pictures. He tried with the Pringles tin as Simon had suggested, but failed and it began to RAIN HEAVILY. It’s not meant to do that here!