Canarian Cruise. Pre sea checks!

capnsensible

capnsensible

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A friend of ours asked me a while back if I would show him and his wife around the islands. Jenneau 45, a yacht mark I happen to know extremely well. So yeah, let's do it.

We had to get them and my cousin who is super good crew to get flights booked so we took a punt on the weather and picked mid October as the trades are often settling in by then and temperatures still nice. Luckily, for our departure date of Friday, everything is looking good for the next week. So etd Friday afternoon. First stop, the marina in Santa Cruz, La Palma. About 210nm.

Next leg will be to El Hierro. Flexible on when we leave La Palma but I think they will find that 3 days is enough and mebbe 2 in El Hierro. After that depends on the weather. 270 back to Lanza, they may fancy a longer trip but Fuertaventura is always uphill. Wind and current. I would like to nip in to the new marina at Morro Jable to break it up a bit, knowing that they've spent a few days there already.

So crew sorted, outline flexible passage plan sorted. Will book berth on Friday morning for Sunday arrival.

The yacht is well maintained and looked after. Engine serviced last week. Only snag is an ongoing issue with the cruising chute halyard wearing. This has been photographed to death buy human and go pro. Still not an obvious problem but I suspect halyard has not been fully hoisted. To be trialed at sea.

Will victual on Friday morning, including spare gas bottle. May get a couple of roast chickens from marina restaurant for Friday supper. Fuel on way out. Gonna top up. May need it later in week. Can get fuel in LP but nothing in El Hierro. Always pays to have back up for return journey.

Short mob practice after leaving marina and off we go. Will put some piccies on at various places.

They are excited!!
 
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In previous years I've done a couple of circuits which is great, every island has its own personality.

These were a bit more 'laddish' though. :D

The first time three of us set ourselves a challenge on a Hanse 44.

Visit the 7 main islands and spend an overnight on each. Have a look around the local port and have a couple of nice cold lagers. Find a decent restaurant and round off supper with a measure of Areuchas, the local Canarian rum. Crack on in the morning. This involved coffee during dock departure and breakfast on the hoof once the sails were set.

It was fab but you have to have the right people!

Second time was on a Jenneau 35. Same challenge. Caught more fish though.

Both took about 10 days, around 540ish nm rhumbline, bit more over ground.

Slept well after!!
 
Best laid passage plans....

Minor tweak really. The are 2 marinas in La Palma. One on the east coast in the capital and the other on the west coat. I picked the first option as its always got space and discarded the other as its often full. So we made a berth request to Santa Cruz. Full because of a tegatta! However, Tazacorte, my first choice has offered us a berth wich we've taken. 3 nights, 128 euros including services. Its always worth booking for anywhere in the Canaries.

For anyone heading that way, they've asked for copies of ships papers, insurance and crew passports.

Rubicon has a couple of webcams so I'll post the time were on the diesel dock and wave at the camera!!
 
That was earlier. In now around 1145 so about 44 hours.

First 24 hours 146nm. Nice beam reach in 15 to 20 knots. Tad rolly but not too bad. Wind as forecast dropped off and finally put donk on at midnight.

Bit of traffic back between the main islands. One skipper called me up to say he intended to alter to port to cross our bow and was I happy. Nice chap.

Mostly routine trip though .....plus a couple of pods of dolphins.

Plan to leave Wednesday morning early.
 
capnsensible said:
Can get fuel in LP but nothing in El Hierro. Always pays to have back up for return journey.
Click to expand...

I’ve only been to El Hierro as a land tourist and I may be misunderstanding you but I was surprised by “no fuel in el hierro” given the fishing boats in La Restinga (which I’d say was a more diverting place to spend a couple of days than the Pueto estaca anyway). This would seem to confirm fuel availability: Port of La Restinga | Puertos Canarios
Again, apologies if I misunderstood
 
The last three ports we’ve stopped at had diesel for fishermen but wouldn’t sell it to the public, perhaps same there. We’re in the UK and Ireland so baffled by their reasoning as we get red anyway (not Ireland so makes more sense there)
 
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