Tried lanzarote - what about other canary islands/ports ?

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tcm

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I seem to be caught on the treadmill of atlantic circuitry; swmbo strongly approves of me trundling a boat to various sunny destinations and she pitches up via Gatwick.

Anyway, see, the thing is, for nice easy pootly weather i have to clear off out of the carib sometime in may, and also be out of biscay mid august ish. So that means at least three months from mid-august to late november is spent hanging about in canaries (which is also Approved by swmbo cos again, nice and sunny )

I was in Porto Calero last year which was very okay, and thanks again to those who gave me that steer. I mite easily go again... but I wonder, are there other nice canarian places worth hanging about in for three months, where i could leave the boat now and again.

Las Palmas is out cos the ARC go there and I don't have time or inclination to do the mandatory seminars or 1-week pre-departure daft bunting installation. Also swmbo has seen that it's a bit godawful lowlifey in rodney bay marina with manky restaurants and dozy rubbish service so that's that...
 
Apart from Las Palmas, I have only been to Puerto Rico and Mogan on the south coast and they seemed quite nice - but that was 21 years ago.
We stopped at Santa Cruz on Tenerife for provisions in 1994 - commercial harbour, but an interesting place to visit, with an amazing market.
Gomera is supposed to be a very nice place to visit.

It sounds like the Med is out of bounds for you?

I trust that when you head west next winter you will avoid the lowlife manky places mentioned above and visit nice civilised places like Barbados instead....... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We might see you in Bermuda next month if you are stopping there on the way across - or the Azores, although you will probably be ahead of us by then - I am crewing for a pal here who is sailing his boat back to England. Have lots to do in the next few weeks before we head north!
 
TCM, I spent a few winter months (2006) in the Marina Rubicon at Playa Blanca right on the Southern tip of Lanzarotte. About 40 minutes from the airport, all the usual bars, resturants etc either at the marina or a short, easy walk from Playa Blanca town. Not too many union jack shorts or 'lads,' most go elsewhere.
Be aware though! it has been "discovered" by the ARC and tends to fill up before they all go off to Las Plamas and dress up as pirates. An ARC lady asked me "Why have they allowed you here, if you're not on the ARC?" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I went down to Las Palmas to buy stores for the crossing after the ARC had gone, as already stated, there is a great, cheap market there.
 
Fairwinds website www.znoy8.co.uk\index.html is as good a desricption of sailing round the canaries as you'll find. Also this page written by same guy http://www.bluemoment.com/portguide-canaries.html . I use these probably more than noonsite or the pilot book (Thanks Nick!) I'm in Santa Cruz at the moment, €12 for 10m boat with free lx & water. Haven't been here during arc time so don't know how busy it gets. Las palmas definitely out though you might just squeeze into the anchorage. I've found I much prefer Spain as opposed to the expat holiday places like Mogan(lovely though it is) & Rubicon etc etc. Gomera's nice, Las Galletas (not in any pilot books yet) good, basically anywhere with a good fish market! But plenty to see and generally reliable weather, with the odd hire car day, the centre of Tenerife is just an incredable volcanic landscape. Would you come straight down from Biscay of sail the Rias first? I did Biscay in July and came down here in November - the following year!
Some drunken ramblings here as well www.conachair.co.uk
 
Yes Gomera is nice,also a safe place to leave a boat, but be aware, that you will need to either fly or ferry to Tenerife,for any flights, adding considerably to trip costs.
Also landing back in tenerife after 1900, means you are in for a long wait at the airport, because the last ferry leaves Los Christianos about then.
The ferry terminal closes until about 0600 next day
Lots of boats left Marina Tenerife, when they started applying Cruise Ship size taxes and fees to the berth price.
Supposedly that got sorted out, but I did get burned by this while waiting for a haul out at Anaga.
As regards Las Galletas, the only people I know, who have been there, have either had problems with the local boats, or been broken into, while ashore shopping.
Club Varadero in Las Palmas Marina is nice, but costs a bit more than most Canary marinas (not been to Mogan for some time) However, you do not get turned away due to the ARC.
Also Las Palmas has some pontoons you can stay on, but I think you have to pay a year up front to get put on one, IF there happens to be space available.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Lots of boats left Marina Tenerife, when they started applying Cruise Ship size taxes and fees to the berth price.


[/ QUOTE ]
All sorted now, I'm paying just under €12 for 10m boat with water & lx, brand new shower block & laundry as well. Bit bouncy on the pontoons today though as there's 20Kn southerly blowing swell straight up the docks. (edit, just noticed I'm in marina del atlantico, not tenerife. Same deal though, they used to charge lights dues or something here but don't now)

[ QUOTE ]
As regards Las Galletas, the only people I know, who have been there, have either had problems with the local boats, or been broken into, while ashore shopping.


[/ QUOTE ] Again that seems to have been sorted out now, Think it only opened as a marina recently, new security barriers just fitted and marinero around 24h. La Palma sounds nice, might go there once this southerly goes away. Not sure about flights to/from there though.
 
Can confirm that puerto mogan still nice 10 years ago. It also has an associated hotel complex for extra visitors, oooh I forgot your boat is bigger than the complex....
 
Another vote for Puerto Mogan - very pretty, if slightly tourist little place on South coast of Gran Canaria. Book ahead however, even out of season as there is not much space and you may be turned away (2005). Disappointed by Santa Cruz which was industrial, noisy and surrounded by unattractive barren landscape!
 
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