Waiting in the Canaries

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shamrock

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www.tydewi.co.uk
This is the year we cross the Atlantic, the plan is Ipswich - Falmouth - Canaries - Antigua

I'd like to go south across Biscay in August for fairly obvious reasons, plus the crew can use summer holidays to come with me. Then return to the UK before doing the next half in November / December. A little early maybe but the family really want to be in the Carib. by Christmas.

Where is the best place to leave a 48 foot boat unattended in the Canaries during Sept / Oct - do I need to book ahead, how to ensure security, any other things to note?

thanks

Nikc
 
If you do not have a specific reason for going to Antigua first, may I commend to you Barbados as your first port of call in the New World?
OK, you have to sail a slightly longer distance, but everybody who makes the effort to get here always stays much longer than they initially anticipated - lots to see and do here! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
A good point, and one I've seen you make before! Am seriously considering it, although the choice of Antigua is that my wife and I chartered there for our honeymoon so we are familiar with Antigua / Barbuda / St Kitts. That might make it a little easier to ease into the liveaboard life given that doing so with two young kids is bound to have certain elements of stress!
 
Fair enough, thats a good argument for going back to Antigua!

Although the approaches to Barbados are very straight forward, and the Customs procedures are not too complicated, although the anchorages off Port St Charles and in Carlisle Bay can be a wee bit rolly.

If you make Barbados your first port of call in (say) mid December, then you can still always go on to Bequia (an overnight sail west, 100 miles) for Christmas and New year, which is always excellent - I havent been for some years, but the last time we were there the anchorage was chokka full, with good craic in abundance.
You can always then potter up the island chain at leisure to Antigua, and perhaps as far as the BVI's, before making the run to Panama.
I think this would be a better way to get to Panama rather than say along the South American coast - at least this would be my prefered choice.
 
Ah, you make an assumption my friend.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

There is no run to Panama - we want to take our time and visit friends all along the US coast, including being lucky enough to know someone who lives on Martha's Vinyard....

So we plan a winter in the Caribbean, thence to the bahamas and florida, then on North as far as possible before coming back for another winter. After that, plans are less certain but as we are going to move ashore again in British Columbia during 2009, we may look for overland shipping to e.g. Seattle. Much as I might enjoy Panama and the lengthy hike up the mexico / US west coast, I expect my wife and kids may have something different to say!
 
Ooops, sorry, yes, I was assuming you were going to sail to Western Canada.... that would be a long haul for sure out into the Pacific and then slowly swing north!

Re your trip up the Eastern Seaboard, might I suggest that you go north one time, perhaps via Bermuda and then onto Newport Rhode Island? I have done that trip a couple of times, and it is fairly straightforward. Once you are up there, you should definitely go through the Cape Cod Canal and up to Maine - everywhere around Penobscot bay is lovely (just beware of all the lobster pots though!).
You could spend the summer up there, and then work your way southwards as the Fall occurs, and end up in the Bahamas or BVI by Christmas.
The shortest distance for trucking your boat to BC might be from the Gulf of Mexico (I havent looked at a chart) - or maybe just sell her in Florida, and get another one when you get up to Canada?

Whatever plan of action you decide on, I am sure you will have a wonderful time!
 
Erm . . . may I be so presumptuous as to be the first person to actually attempt to answer your question?

I would recommend San Sebastian marina, La Gomera, as an excellent place to leave a boat for a couple of months - safe, secure and not expensive, with a very helpful staff. Only a short ferry ride from Tenerife, so not expensive to get to.

You can read a brief marina report HERE

- Nick
 
Two marinas I would consider are Las Palmas and Marina Rubicon in Lanzarote. Lots of ARC boats are delivered to Las Palmas early and left for months. Rubicon is relatively new has lots of space and is secure. My personal choice would be Rubicon (make sure you stop in Graciosa on your way down).

Choose carefully because the Canaries can get bad weather and not all marinas are safe for unattended boats.
 
I'm also considering similar plans - bringing a boat from UK to Canaries some time July - Sep and then over in Nov/Dec so suggestions on any other marinas worth considering would be welcome.

And at risk of contributing to all this thread drift can I echo bajansailor in saying try to drop by Barbados on the way over (or at some point on your tavels) It's by far the most fun of all the islands - I may be a little biased here - best restaurants and nightlife by far. Yacht Club has just been revamped too...
 
haven't done the trip but plenty report in here. From them and others, the combined results seem to urge one to get to the canaries *early*. As an indication, some insurance only covers a biscay crossing between 1st april and 15th August. Fastnet 79 storm was on 13th august.
 
I'd agree with Nick, Gomera is a nice fairly small marina, and when I was there very helpful staff. It feels more secure than some other marinas that will allow quite a bit of swell in.

Easy to get to by fast cat from Tenerife, it parks next to the marina a 5min walk to the boat.
 
If you put the boat in Las Palmas and aren't taking part in the ARC they will turf you out early November to make way for the ARC fleet. That will be too early for the crossing so you'll have to move on. A good compromise would be to stay there till the end of Oct then cruise the islands for a month before setting off.
 
Thanks to all for their replies thus far - I am contacting La Gomera to enquire about space and will let the forum know how that goes.

Exciting times - I'm off to the US embassy on Monday week for a 10-year visa application, trying to get a clear answer from the Canadians about immigration, planning the rest of the refit, organising crew and all the rest. It would be a full time job if I didn't already have a full time job!
 
Seems like there will be a few forumites in Canaries this autumn, could those of us hoping to be out there set up a rival to the Cherbourg Run? We are planning an Atlantic Circuit starting June/July. We are thinking of doing ARC in our boat, Jigsaw, as we have our twin 9year old daughters with us and looking for company for them.
 
There are definately a few of us going to the Canaries this Autumn. We are in no rush to get to the Canaries, so I am not sure about a Cherbourg Run - unless you want to take 4 months getting down there. I love the idea of a forum burgee though, so we can identify each other & meet up on the way.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you make Barbados your first port of call in (say) mid December, then you can still always go on to Bequia (an overnight sail west, 100 miles) for Christmas and New year, which is always excellent - I haven't been for some years, but the last time we were there the anchorage was chokka full, with good craic in abundance.
You can always then potter up the island chain at leisure to Antigua, and perhaps as far as the BVI's

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That's a good plan in my experience! Others have more up to date info on the Canaries than me so I'll leave advice about that bit to them!
 
Like others I'd advise booking sooner rather than later, around ARC time the marinas do fill up. If you have no luck in La Gomera I'll add Puerto Mogan on Gran Canaria to the list, very secure from the weather and a pretty marina as well.
 
I'm planning to get there early December after the carnival has left Las Palmas, expect to be there till the New Year. Let's have that burgee. Are there any suggestions as to design (eg "mooning")? - ok porbably not a good idea given sensibilities.
 
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