Las Palmas Anchorage

Thursday 20th saw us wondering around the marina where we found Kat for a quick chat and generally mooched around watching the ARC circus. Later that evening Danielle arrived from Puerto Rico and we all (Daniel, Lauri, Annina, Kat and the three of us) sat aboard Doris for Honey Rum and Curry!

The next morning (Friday) we hired a car with Lauri & Annina and we went exploring around the island seeing the sights and trying to find an old car tire (sea anchor) and gas bottles filled for Aliisa.

We finally said farewell to Mr Crute around 5pm as we dropped him at the airport. Despite the horrific crossing he had to endure, I’m guessing this isn’t the last time Doris wecomes Mr Crute back aboard.

It was really good to see you again dude – we are already missing ya!

Back at the boat, we had some food and got an early night as Lindsey’s cold was starting to get the better of her.

Saturday morning saw us getting up late and we spent the afternoon with Kat who was on a mission to get a bikini and sunglasses for her crossing. It still feels strange knowing that we both started this little adventure together over a year ago and now she is crossing the Atlantic separately from me – irony!

Kat really has done well to land a position on one of the largest and most luxurious boats in the ARC a brand new 65ft Oyster! – It makes Doris look like a second hand dinghy!

Later that eve I picked Kat up from the beach again to watch the fireworks, which ended before I even got her back to the boat! We sat and talked for a while and before I knew it, it was gone 1am. It was an emotional farewell at the waters edge and we reflected on times gone by and the fact that she hadn’t really had time to get her head around what she was about to do. I have to say it was a weird feeling me rowing back to the boat and her walking off to the marina.

Sunday morning – ARC departure day. We woke and made our way ashore to watch the boats leave. (Un)Luckily, Kat had already left the marina and unbeknown to me had sailed right past Doris at anchor as she saw us rowing ashore, probably for the best as to actually see her depart may have got messy.

Lindsey and I spent the remainder of the afternoon rowing back and forth filling the water tank using cans from the taps on the beach. Lindsey has decided to stay with me aboard Doris at least until the Cape Verde islands.

Monday morning and the anchorage was now half empty compared to the pre ARC departure. We went ashore and washed every bit of dirty laundry we could find (my first washing since before Biscay!) and had showers in the marina facilities having ‘borrowed’ the key from some of Lindsey’s friends.

After returning to the boat we comprised a shopping list to get us to the Cape Verdes. Daniel of Luna came with us to the HyperDino supermarket where we managed to fill two trollies including more than a few fruit & vegetables, including cucumber of all things!!!

After paying we caught a taxi back to the beach which turned out to be a mini adventure due to the taxi driver first taking us in the wrong direction and then scratching his car due to impatience. The final straw came when Lindsey kept the change! Luckily, we were able to just get everything in the dinghy although I nearly lost Lindsey over the side resulting in wet jeans.

Back at the boat it looked like chaos with shopping everywhere. It seemed impossible to lose this much shopping inside the little storage space available. Not able to face it anymore and with Lindsey close to death due to her ever worsening cold, we ate pizza and went to bed.

Tuesday morning saw me get up and attack the shopping, managing to get everything stowed with room to spare. We have finally decided on a plan of action. As follows:

We will leave Las Palmas tomorrow morning (Weds 26th) and sail to the south of the island, drop anchor for some food and sleep before departing for Los Christianos on South Tenerife and then finally a day trip to Valle Gran Rey on the west side of La Gomera to do PADI OpenWater courses before leaving for the Cape Verdes.

Rubicon Lanzorote to Las Palmas Gran Canaria

Despite winds to F6 forecast we decided to leave the anchorage and set sail for Las Palmas late Tuesday afternoon. With just the headsail out we made an easy 5kn+ and due to the wind being behind us and the growing swell decided not to bother with the mainsail.

About one hour into the trip just as we were approaching the channel between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, where the sea gets a bit confused, Mr Crute developed his thousand mile stare. A few minutes later he was clawing for the windward rail and heaving his guts up! I did have to debate whether to continue as we were only one hour into a twenty hour passage. Eventually, he went below and tried to get some sleep. The seas got progressively rougher with me insisting that Lindsey get her waterproofs and life jacket on. It was strange to now have crew who I was responsible for.

Progress was quite fast with Doris doing around 6kn and surfing to 8kn+ in the 3m swell only interrupted by Doris falling off of the odd steep wave. Mr Crute later told us the only way he knew we were not going to die was the fact that he could hear that Lindsey and I were chatting in a relaxed manner!

Not really much else to report aside from it wasn’t the best passage for either Lindsey’s first aboard Doris or Mr Crute being a non-sailing type. Lindsey cooked some pasta which considering the conditions and the fact she had no idea where anything was stored, tasted amazing!

I helmed throughout the night while Lindsey got a few hours sleep, with Lindsey relieving me for an hour or so in the early hours. Mr Crute’s passage consisted of 2 hours on deck (1 hour each end) and about 18 hours with his eyes gaffa taped shut below!

When we finally sighted land the following morning, the depressing sight that is Las Palmas with its army of cranes guarding its entrance made us want to continue to somewhere nicer and were it not for Mr Crute’s flight in a few days time would have done so.

We also received a DSC call from Aliisa who were already anchored and they told us on no account to swim in the water it was so polluted!

We managed to find a spot in the busy anchorage and could see all the ARC boats in the marina opposite. With the anchor dug in we all fell asleep.

Later that eve we went ashore for some food in the ‘Sailors’ bar and to get some supplies and got a call from Kat who had landed a position on an ARC boat ‘MatchMaker’ which is a 65ft Oyster! Arriving back onboard Doris, Lindsey introduced me to Honey Rum – I’m hooked!