Canaries anchorages

[steveh]

Hi

Can anyone recommend any good anchorages in the Canaries. Heard that there are not many. Don't like marinas so looking for some good places to anchor on different islands.
Thanks in advace. Steve

 

[Sea Devil]

It's about 5 years but I anchored in most of the islands or found really inexpensive ports - the ATLANTIC ISLANDS book by RCC published by Imray is probably worth the dosh -
Lanzarote - you could anchor FOC in Arricife bay - 100% safe also good anchorage in Isla Graciosa - La Sociadad - nice bay - alway some liveaboards there.

I think Fueutaventura was difficult - it really is windy there but the Geman port was fairly cheap and you could anchor off in Morro Jable.

Do not remeber paying to anchor in Las Palmas - Gran canaria or in the Teneriffe bay at Los Christianos - Gomera and La Palma were off the beaten track and good places to visit.... Get the book maybe?

 

[AndrewB]

I was there too about that time. I agree Arricife/Port Naos is a very good place to start. On Fuertaventura we spent several days in Gran Tarejal on the south coast - a huge harbour we had entirely to ourselves, anchored in the middle. Dull town, but a good chandlery. Tenerife: Las Galetas was full of liveaboards and the holding was very poor Our guide said anchoring was forbidden in Los Christianos but there were plenty of yachts there so we joined them and had a good time, leaving the boat for several days as we toured the island. No charges for any of this.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[Anonymous]

Michael, While we have been planning to leave Falmouth for the Med at the beginning of July, we have toyed with the idea of making our way more or less straight down to the Canaries and winter there, making our way to the Med early in 2006. The two things worrying me are whether we will be able to find a safe marina or harbour, so that we can get back to the UK over Christmas for a few weeks, and secondly the weather constraints (prevailing conditions) that might make passage to and from the Canaries difficult at those times. Do you have any views?

David

 

[Sea Devil]

David hi,

Sounds ok - Time wise. there are lots of 'proper' marinas in the Canaries where you can leave the boat pretty safely. Not that cheap but not UK prices!

Watch out for the 'wind acceleration zones' they are explained in the pilot books and normally you can see the surf line but none the less you need to reef before you get into them!

Coming back will be a bit of a slog - Probably you will only be able to lay Maderia very close on the wind (run the engine on tickover to cheat a bit closer) You then need to find the right weather window to get from Maderia to the Straights - I got it wrong last time and spent almost 10 days trying to beat there and ended up knackered in Tangier - quite a nice place to recover in!

 

[snowleopard]

Re: Graciosa

we got the permit to visit the salvage islands before leaving madeira. we motored into the 'harbour' on selvagem grande and scooted out smartish. anyone who leaves a boat at anchor there must be very brave or well insured!

 

[Spacewaist]

Safe Marina where you can leave the boat

I have left my boat in Puerto Mogan, Gran Canaria a number of times. Very snug an well protected with a local husbandry company ran by Anglos/Aussies to look after it.

IMHO it's the best place to leave, but its not set up for yotties so not much scope for having anyone doing serious work while you are away. Havent been there in five years though.

 

[AndrewB]

Anchoring at Mogan?

The anchorage outside the marina at Mogan is really quite exposed. There are a few mooring buoys which we used for a stopover, but I wouldn't want to leave a yacht there! The marina itself is safe enough, of course.

As the marina was full the first time we went, we found an overnight anchorage in a shallow bay called Veneguera a couple of miles west of Mogan. Steep, stony beach with just one tiny isolated beach cafe, mountains behind, just a mule-track for access. Fresh snapper and cold beer on the rough balcony that evening, with the yacht bobbing at anchor below and a glorious sunset over Tiede, just us and the proprietor, was one of those great cruising moments.

 

[Anonymous]

Michael, and the others who replied. Many thanks for that. I shall order the book forthwith! While I am about it, to save P&P, are there any other publications or pilots I could do with? Might it be an idea for us to make our way to the Canaries coast-hopping down Morocco? Or take that way back - I note your comments about getting back via Madeira; we would love to stop at Madeira either out or back.

If you or anyone else would like to sell me the pilot I am prepared to make a sensible offer. Same applies to paper charts covering the passage Gib to Canaries plus Madeira, plus the western Med, but I have all I need to get down from the Solent to Gib. I don't need particularly modern charts or updated ones as I will alway plan to have the latest C-Map cartridges (I don't feel happy unless I draw a pencil line on a paper chart).

 

[Sea Devil]

Very dodgy to coast hop down Morocco to Canaries - The shallows come out for several miles and there is lots of surf - not a very user friendly coast - I should hang on for Cmap - someone will almost certainly give you one on the way as a present.

 

[philmarks]

I may be wrong, but I recall that the RCC pilot recommends May as the best month for working up from the Canaries to Gib. However this may be a bit late for Lemain.

 

[Anonymous]

Phil,

May would suit us fine. It's very tempting but we'll decide after the passage to Gib when we will know our minds better.

David

 

[Zeus]

Where is the geman port that you refered to ?
I dont know it , I sail the Canarys frequently but cannot remember such a port
Zeus

 

[Sea Devil]

It was on Feutervanteura - only one or two on that island - used to be an old U boat port from ww2 - they victuled there before heading across the atlantic for Trini to hit the convoys assembling... big sandy horseshoe beach - new marina area with a sort of square in the middle - all german - a few U boat commanders in the crowd...

 

[Zeus]

Re: Graciosa

My Dear Brian, those two Portuguese soldiers that you met in the salvages are actually two biologist and they are not there to repel Spaniards as you put it, these biologist are doing a wonderfull work cataloging the colony of Corys shearwater and other marine life. The Salvage islands where discovered by the Portuguese in the XV century and and have remained portuguese, ( the Gibraltar question is another kettle of fish, but there is not enough paper! ) I am Spanish and live in the Canarys and can assure you and all the readers that when I and my crew (all Spanish) sail to the Salvages I am made very welcomed as indeed we reciprocate when we all sail on the Canarys- Madeira regatta every two years.
Fair winds, Zeus^

 

[Zeus]

Yes I know, its called el cofete, you were kucky to anchor there as its quite exposed , it must have been a nice day, those rumors of U boats are only rumors, the descendant of the german family that used to live there (nice big fortress type house) say that they never saw anything at all.
Zeus
Please see my web too, if you have time!
www.canarysailing.com

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[Zeus]

Re: Graciosa

hello Brian, yes its true that the oil you get from the shearwater suppose to have curative properties, in the old days it used to be a medicine, we have colonies in the uninhabited island of Alegranza, its forbiden to catch them or disturb them, they say they make good eating ,a mixture of fish and meat. I must say that I have never "enjoyed" eating them,
Nice to hear from you, thank you for the compliment, now I must close until another day
Zeus

 

[Zeus]

Re: Graciosa

Hello David
When you get as near as Fuerteventura, give me a ring and I will be able to tell you how the berth situation is in Gran Canaria, I might be able to get you a place if it is at all possible. As to when will be best to sail back to the Med, once you get here, I will get you in contact with the person that runs a sort of advice bureaux for yatchties that are sailing anywhere in the world, he can tell you exactly when to start your homewards journey and give you plenty of tips
Fair winds
Zeus