2016 Sail Las Palmas to Arrecife

1500 hrs Saturday 3/12/16 we left our berth in Lasp Palmas and, after filling the diesel tanks at the fuel pontoon, 

 

we set off on our 115 nmile voyage to Arrecife on Lanzarote. We chose to start our trip mid afternoon so as to ensure that we would sail through the gap between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote during daylight - there are often wind acceleration zones in the gaps between the islands and it is much easier to handle these in daylight.

Passed close to a ferry boat

 

Sailed for an hour or so after leaving Las Palmas but the wind then dropped to a light WNW 1 to 3 Bft, so we had to motor for a few hours

 

Beautiful sunset

 

By 2345hrs we had cleared the shipping lanes between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura

 

For some time, we had seen lights directly ahead of us but there was nothing on our radar nor anything on the AIS. Finally, when we were a few miles from each other, our AIS told us that the lights were from the cruise ship Mein Schiff 2 and that it was on a reciprocal course making 12 kts - all lit up like a huge Xmas Tree. So when we were 3 nmiles apart, we called them up on VHF Ch16 and they politely agreed to change course - we passed a mile apart at around 0030 hrs.

 

By 00200hrs the wind had increased to a pleasant WNW 4Bft so we unfurled the Genny and started sailing

Dawn breaking as we approached the gap between the islands

 

Broadreaching in 15 kts apparent wind making over 6 kts

 

Grip files showing also our position ( blue dot)

 

Entering the gap

 

Shortly before this photo was taken we entered one of the infamous accelleration zones with the wind speed increasing fronm 15 to 30 knts in a matter of seconds giving the autopilot a problem ( we had too much sailup for these gusts) requiring a bit pf hand steering. Luckily the wind soon died down again to its previous speed.

 

The south coast of Lanzarote

 

1400hrs entering Arrecife harbour

 

We moored in Arrecife's new Marina de Lanzarote on berth K16 with the help of the very friendly marina staff after a trip of 115 nmiles in 22.25 hrs of which 9hrs motoring. Average speed 5.2 kts.

 

 

2016 Sail La Palma to Las Palmas

At 0745hrs 29th September 2016 we saw off our friends Tom & Annie who left Santa Cruz marina heading for La Gomera. 

We then downloaded yet another set of Grib Files and decided that, after all, this was the best day to leave for the coming 10 days if we wanted to have a chance of sailing back to Las Palmas the most direct route north of Tenerife. 

 

So, Mike returned the hire car to Orlando in Los Cancajos, taxied back for €8, and we cast off our lines at 1215 hrs and headed eastwards for the northern tip of Tenerife,  90 nmiles away, course 084 degrees

 

Leaving Santa Cruz

 

 

The wind was a gentle NE 3 occassionally 4 and the seas quite calm. We tried sailing a few times but the angle was too tight for us to be able to safely clear the northern coast of Tenerife. So we ended up motor sailing most of the afternoon and night. In contrast to our trip to La Palma under a Full Moon two weeks previously, we were now at New Moon and the night was very dark.

We rounded the NEastern tip of Tenerife at 0700 hrs 30/9 and were able to sail more south. At 0740 we were able to sail at 60 degrees to the NNE 4Bft wind 

By 1030 hrs we had cleared the Traffic Separation Zone and could set course 117degrees for La Isletta, Gran Canaria and free off further, sailing with full rig on a beam to broad reach.

 

 

 

 

Around 1600 hrs the wind dropped to a NNE 3 Bft and with quite a swell running, our sails started to flog and progress was slow.  So,  genny furled and motor on .

 

At 1930 hrs we were moored back in our berth in Club Varadero, Las Palmas

Total distance 146 nautical miles in 29.25 hrs average speed 5 Kts. Motored 21 hrs, sailed 8.25 hrs

2016 Sail Las Palmas, GC, to La Palma

The weather forecast looked good for the planned 150 nmile sail from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to Santa Cruz, La Palma

 

So, at 0800 hrs 17 September 2016, we left our mooring in the Club Varadero, Las Palmas and headed NW to round the NE tip of Tenerife.

After motoring north to clear La Isletta, we set course 329 deg to the entrance to the traffic separation zone between Gran Canaria and Tenerife and sailed with 1 reef in Maisail and Genny on wind vane set to 48 degrees to wind making 5 to 6 Kts SOG in a NNE 4/5 Bft wind.

 

 

After rounding the NE tip of Tenerife we freed off and sailed on a beam to broad reach in a NE4/5 Bft wind on a course of 269 deg to Santa Cruz making 6/7 kts SOG. 

It was a wonderful night sail under a full moon.

As we approached La Palma , the wind dropped to a NE 4 Bft.

 

 

 

Santa Cruz getting closer

 

 

 

 

Moored in Santa Cruz, La Palma marina at 1030 hrs 18/9/2016 after a sail of 147 nmiles in 26.5 hrs, Average speed 5.5 kts.

During the whole of our stay in Santa Cruz, there was quite a surge in the marina. Luckly there were quite a lot of empty berths so the helpful marina staff  tried to give every boat a double berth and advised us to moor on the upwind finger so that we would be blown off most of the time, saving our fenders.

After a neighbouring boat had a mooring line snapped and damage to its fairlead due to the surge, we put extra mooring ropes on Dutch Link including two lines over the vacant neighbouring berth to keep us off the finger when the wind dropped. We understand the marina is planning to modify the entrance to the marina so as to reduce the surge in the future.

2016 Sail Santa Maria to Gran Canaria 1 August 2016

The weather forecast looked good for our 730 NMile sail from Santa Maia  back to Las Palmas - wind direction mainy from the NE starting off light as the Azores High was centred over the Azores, increasing to a 4 Bft with the chance of a 5 Bft after a couple of days.

 

 

So we left Vila do Porto Marina, Santa Maria at 0845 hrs Monday 1st August 2016 in calm seas in a light ENE1 Bft wind. 

 

Shortly after leaving we noticed that reef nr 1 was not properly rigged so Mike corrected this

 

The wind remained very light but slowly increased as we motored at 5 to 6 knts out of the Azores High. 

At 1645 hrs the next day (2/8) the wind had increased to a NNE3/4 (around 10 knots) and we unfurled the Genny and started sailing on a beam reach on course 137 deg at 5 knots SOG.

 

 

The sunset around 2030hrs - beautiful sky just before dark at 2123 hrs

 

The wind strength steadily increased during the evening to 16 kts and at 2240 we furled the Genny to the first reefing point.

At 0530 hrs 3/8, dawn was breaking

 

By 1400hrs the wind was 16 to 18 kts from the ENE , sailing 60 degrees to wind at 6 knts 

 

 

 

Via our Satellite Iridium phone/redbox equipment, we downloaded the latest Grib Files from   Which indicated that the wind would increase further during the next couple of days

 

So we put 2 reefs in the mainsail and 2 reefs in Genny - had a mishap in lowering the Mainsail resulting in snapping the starboard Lazy Jack line - briefly motored into the wind to rerig it.

Sunset 2150 3/8/2016, Sailing in NE 4 BFt making 5 to 6 kts

almost cloudless. seas getting choppier

 

Wind steadily increased during the night gusting upper 20's with the sea becoming rough with waves breaking over deck and sometimes water coming over the sprayhood into the cockpit.
The wind increased further during the morning of 4/8 gusting 34 kts {7 Bft} on the beam so put in the3rd reef and furled the Genny to a very small sail. Waves 2 to 3 meters, sun & cloud. Speed 5 to 7 kts course 136 deg.

Had another rough night 4 to 5/8 with wind often over 32 knots from NE and 
at 0330 hrs wind suddenly dropped  and then headed us.

We finally got sailing again with autopilot on 50 deg app wind setting as Track setting would not handle it. We were sailing with 3 reefs main in  a 6/7 Bft 25 to 34 kt ENE wind and small genny making only 4 to 5 knots - any faster and Dutch Link behaved more like a submarine with waves 3 to 4 meters high and white 
horses everywhere. Waves occassionally breaking into the cockpit.

At 0415 hrs 5/8 reached for the Genny reefing winch and felt something slimy - turned out to be a squid that had come on board with one of the breaking waves!

 

The wind stay in the 6/7 Bft range until around 0420 hrs 6/8 when the world changed for us.

Mike gat a call from Jeannette who had the watch, to say that the mountainous waves had miraculously 
disappeared and the  wind was down to a pleasant 4 Bft.
So 3rd reef out (only 2 in now) and gradually unfurled Genny we were saiing 
at 55 degress to a nice NE 4 at 5 to 6 knots with hardly any water over the deck and could 
almost stand up in boat without holding on - wonderful.
Mike went to the forepeak to retie the anchor which had become a bit loose.

Time to relax

 

Ship ahoy

 

Las Palmas's La Isletta in view

 

Just about to enter Las Palmas harbour with an almost Full Moon to greet us

 

 

21.30 hrs moored in our berth at the Club Varadera , Las Palmas having covered 731 nautical miles in 5.5 days, average speed 5.5 knts , sailed 4 days, motored 1.5 days