Sail Lanzarote to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria 25 to 26 November 2011

Las Palmas on Gran Canaria is 95 nautical miles WSW of the Rubicon Marine on Lanzarote,  so is just too far to be able to sail during daylight hours. Consequently, we checked out of the marina at 1200hrs 25 November (have to pay extra day if leave after then) and anchored just outside the marina to wait for 1600hrs, the ideal departure time.

As the Grib Files indicated that the wind would veer from NNE to NE during the night, we rigged up the pole on Starboard so that when the wind veered such that we were more or less on a dead run, we could furl the Genny which would be on port and pole it out  easily on starboard from the cockpit without having to go on deck.

By 16.30hrs we raised anchor and shortly afterwards were briskly sailing on a broad reach in a NNE 5 to 6 Bft with 2 reefs in the main and 2 reefs in the Genny making over 7 knts SOG.

Bye bye Lanzarote

 Fuerteventura to port 

 During the starry, moonless night the wind slowly lessened to a 4 Bft and veered as predicted to the NE. So we furled the Genny and pulled it out on starboard on to the pole and goosewinged our way running downwind.

During the night the faithful AIS warned us of potential close encounters with in total three ships which we called up on Ch16 and confirmed that we had been seen and that avoiding action would be taken. 

By 0715hrs dawn was breaking

 and at 0735hrs we were treated to the sunrise

 0940hrs Las Palmas comes into view

 By 1130 hrs we had checked into Las Palmas Marina and were back on the same Pontoon L just a few boatslots away from where we spent last winter, having had a very pleasant nightsail.

Distance covered 97 nMiles in 19 hours of which only 2 under motor, average speed 5.1 kts

Below is overview map of Las Palmas

Hike Lanzarote Rubicon & walks to Punta Papagayo 23 Nov & Pta Pechiguera Nov 24 2011

 Rubicon Marina, South coast of Lanzarote , Canaries

 Market day at the marina 23 November

  

En route eastwards to Punta Papagayo, a 2 hour round trip walk from the marina

 Punta Papagayo in the distance on the right

 Looking back towards the marina

 Along the west side of the Papagayo peninsular are several sandy bays

  Looking down from the Punta

 Fuertaventura in the background

Views on the way back to the marina

 24 November walked westwards along the waterfront to the Lighthouse at Punta Pechiguera, a 10 km roundtrip

past the beach where Jeannette and Margreet have enjoyed several swims

 same beach

 same beach

 view towards the ferry port of Playa Blanco

 Playa Blanco

 Looking east to Punta Papagayo in the distance right of centre

 another protected swimming beach

the lighthouse at Punta Pechiguera

Sail Agadir to Lanzarote 20 to 22 November 2011

 The Grib Files indicated that the afternoon of 20 November would be a good time to leave Agadir, Morocco for the 244 nautical Mile sail to Lanzarote, course 247 degrees True , ie SW.

The wind was forecast to be in force 4 to 5 from the North, slightly NNW to start with then moving through North to NNE - perfect for our trip

 

We had planned to leave at 1300hrs which would give us ample daylight to negociate the reported fish nets off Agadir. However, due to a misunderstanding with the Immigration Officers (we did not realise that they had to take our passports to the main port to stamp us out and that , with the current state of communications, this process could take 2 to 3 hours.

Our passports were duely returned and we exited the marina at 1600hrs.

It was a veritable nightmare getting through the maze of

fishing nets close to the marina  but

luckily made it without snagging the prop. The

nets seemed to completely block the marina

entrance - row after row after row of lines of

little floats - so impossible to see a clear route

through. We had been  warned that a boat had recently left at night and had to dive to clear the prop so we were alert but didnot expect so many so close to the marina. 

We had to reverse several times and feel our way through.

The Grib file wind predictions were more or less spot

on direction-wise so we were beam reaching most of

the way. 

 

As is often the case, the actual wind

strength was a bit higher than forecast - we had

frequently 20 to 25 knots with gusts of over 30

knots. 

The last few hours we were making 8 knots.

 Found this reluctant passenger reclining on a cushion in the cockpit- Squids and Flying Fish often leap out of the water and end up on deck

Had a couple of close encounters with passing ships - AIS was once more invaluable allowing us to call up the ships and agree avoiding action

 Approaching Punta Papagayo, the headland at the southern end of Lanzarote at 1000hrs on the morning of 22 November

 J suffered a bit from the mal de mere - very unusual
- otherwise a very good trip.

 Safely moored in the Rubicon Marina on Lanzarote at 11.45 hrs 22 November.