18th August
We had an early start, 7.30am departure from San Miguel to try to get well underway before the wind became too strong. It wasn’t one of the better journeys with the wind almost on the nose in big seas making for a very wet passage indeed. Back in my wet weather sailing gear for first time in weeks. Got in around 3pm and slept for 2 hours. Saw Nigel and Tracy who had arrived here yesterday. We had dinner and prepared for another early start.
19th August
We headed out at about 08.30 am on our final leg of the first part of our journey to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. We sailed in the company of Tracy and Nigel on Relentless for much of the passage. We sailed on a reach in the morning and by the afternoon, a close reach just making it round the point to Las Palmas without having to tack. We were unable to make contact with the marina on arrival at 6pm and discovered they were closed for the afternoon so we stayed on the visitors pontoon, leaving only to go to another yacht’s assistance due to the skipper losing his steering gear. Just before our rescue mission he found it again so panic over and again we tied up. Had dinner and a few glasses of wine to celebrate our arrival at our destination.
20th August – 3rd September
We were allocated a berth on pontoon J, number 53. Apparently a good berth as we are an early arrival for the ARC. At the end of the J pontoon there is an area where it all happens in November for the start of the ARC. The moorings are side by side with no finger pontoons, using a mooring line to hold the boat in place and lots of fenders to ensure you don’t damage or get damaged by the boats on either side. We started bow to, but realized it was just going to be too tricky to climb over or through the pulpit and drop down onto the pontoon. We changed to stern to and created a marvelous gang plank from the fender plank and the dinghy davits for hand rails! Nigel from Relentless was horrified having just spent a couple of hundred pounds on a ‘real’ one. The next few days were spent working on various chores, maintenance and repairs on Aislig Bheag in preparation for our break home for the month of September. Our plans were altered slightly when John had to go home at short notice to attend a family funeral so I spent a few days on my own taking advantage of the time to have a look at the various shopping malls. A look was as far as it went given the budget and the space! Nigel and Tracy also headed home as their holiday had come to an end. It was sad to see them go as we have become good buddies.
John returned and we spent the final week before returning to the UK for the month of September. During this last week we hired a VW Beetle to explore the island for a couple of days – much of the accessible coast line is given over to tourist resorts but when you travel off the beaten tracks in land into the hills, there are still many un spoilt villages and towns. Teror is a lovely wee town with lovely wooden flower-laden balconies. The remainder of the time was spent preparing the boat for the ARC and for leaving her whilst we go home. I shall next write before we leave for the ARC in November.
Alison