El Hierro - La Restinga or Puerto de la Estaca

[ncounties]

I've chartered a Beneteau out of Santa Cruz de Tenerife later this month, and I thought the crew and I could start our week with a... ergh... gentle overnight passage to Hierro... (Don't worry, they're aware of this plan, and we started our last trip there with an overnight from Galletas to La Palma along with a visit to Garrachico and La Gomera later in the week.).

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on the two Hierro marinas, in terms of facilities, and as a base for doing some sightseeing on the island etc. If you could just go to one, which would you choose?

 

[capnsensible]

Restinga. But no marina berths for visitors, go alongside harbour wall. Sightseeing difficult. No taxis based there. There is an occasional bus.
Love it, just stroll around old town mebbe walk up past hotel to headland. Diving superb.

I really like it but no more than 2 nights.

 

[ncounties]

Thanks for the advice - will aim for there so. Perhaps after one night I'll go up to the Estaca for Marina facilities for the crew, as all going to plan the next destination will be Valle Gran Rey.

 

[capnsensible]

Enjoy yourselves!

 

[ncounties]

So, I am reporting back on my experience. The harbour has been taken over by Sengalese vessels. The whole southern pier, save for the fuel berth has been taken by rafted up migrant vessels or life boats. These migrant vessels are also taken up space on the hard to the east of the harbour.

We were allowed to take one of the last remaining spaces on the eastern side of the south breakwater at 1400 after a 19 hour passage. This didn't however stop a trumped up security guard telling us to basically get the f*** out at 2300 - even trying to take our lines off when we had even the engine on or anything ready(!!!) - when yet more migrant boats had been picked up south of the Canaries.

Despite us emphasising that we had drank some wine, he didn't care. He told us to anchor outside the harbour in strong southerlies (?!) or on the southern end of the western pier which would have destroyed our vessel given then swell there.

After much argument, we cut our losses and headed for Estaca which was thankfully free of migrant vessels - but for how long given how full Restinga is - and idiotic security guards.

We hired a car for two days and travelled round the island which was beautiful and were thankfully able to forget the horrendous experience in Restinga. Until Spain - and the whole of Europe, Ireland included - gets a grip on what is happening, I would advise against going to Restinga, and even check that Estaca is still available for sailors.

 

[capnsensible]

Sad to hear what's happened to Restinga. Not been personally for a year now, guess getting overwhelmed with immigrant boats has changed things. Sad in many ways.....

 

[ncounties]

A beautiful village - hopefully normality returns one day soon.

 

[westhinder]

We noticed a number of similar migrant vessels in several harbours on Tenerife last week

 

[GHA]

Salvemento been out the last 2 nights & came back with a deck full of people here in Arguiniguin. Heartbreaking.
Those poor people. Give what little money the family has to some crooks & go into the unknown with a very real risk of death as the life they have is so awful.
A reminder right in front of your face that our lifes of luxury unimaginable to so many fellow humans is only made possible by the poverty endured such a large proportion of the world who work for pennies to make our lives affordable to us.
Not overburdened with empathy these forums. Go hide the poor people, don't want to see them when on holiday. such a first world problem. Maybe reflect for a moment on just how increadably lucky we all are here to have been born where we were when we were.

Imho of course.

 

[capnsensible]

We noticed a number of similar migrant vessels in several harbours on Tenerife last week

Sadly in every island now. As the Med routes are being shut off, they are back to the far more dangerous Canary routes.
Have seen the poor state of some of these arrivals. What a world where they have to risk that for freedom. Bit of a risky topic here though.
For some background, try Ryan and Sophie sailing on YouTube. We know them well and taught them to sail. They are now very experienced and last time we saw Ryan we were waving him off on his single handed transat adventure from Lanzarote. Acouple of days out he got involved in the rescue of a hundred or more migrants at sea. He can tell the story. It left hm very shaken, but for me, what he did for those poor people was heroic.