Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – 8 March 2009
We arrived in Las Palmas last Sunday the 1st after 5 days at sea from Gibraltar!
Overall it was a comfortable passage however we did a lot of motor sailing because of the light conditions which of course we will not be able to do on the next leg!! However we were keen to push on so we used our precious diesel so we made good time in 5 days! I guess the good news is that it was a lot more reasonably priced in Gibraltar (0.59p per litre)and even cheaper here we understand! Certainly a lot different than we paid in October for a litre in Corfu @ 1.48 euros!
Anyway the staff at the marina were very welcoming and efficient so our check in went seamlessly for a change!!! We were tied up, power on and checked in within 40 minutes of our arrival. At the end of that process a lady by the name of Lorna (on a boat just along from us) came along to welcome us and during the course of chatting invited us for drinks and then subsequently dinner! She and her husband Lee (Americans) and their two children – twins Elliot & Eden aged 6 years - are travelling also across the Atlantic leaving any day as well! They have been waiting for some parts for two weeks which have now finally arrived!.
We had a very pleasant evening sitting on the aft deck of their 60 foot Catamaran! We also met another French couple both named Dominique and their little son who were also on board for dinner.
So we were pretty up to beat on local knowledge by the end of the evening which was great news, however the next day we ventured only as far as the marina bar to pick up mail and spent the remainder of the day relaxing and watching a couple of great movies lent to us by Lee and Lorna!
We have made several trips into the main part of town where a fabulous a food market is located - - Mercado Centrale - which sells produce, meat, fish and seafood and poultry and pretty much everything else right down to fresh herbs.
To my delight the surrounding area was also littered with excellent Asian shops so was able to stock up with products that I hadn’t seen for a very long time!!
This place certainly has a great feel to it – great selections of bars, restaurants, shops etc and unlike many Mediterranean towns in winter it has a lively feel, I guess it is a warm retreat for many people in winter – the temperature today is 22 degrees! The public beach adjacent to the marina is absolutely pristine – very impressive!
It has been a bonus to have met Lee and Lorna and spend time with them during the course of the last week and hopefully we will see them soon in the Caribbean!
So we are leaving today – Sunday - on our journey across the Atlantic – nearly 3000 nm and probably will take between 3-4 weeks depending on the wind! It is known as the ‘milk run’ passage – well I believe that when we experience it’ but if that’s the case it will make the comparison to our North Atlantic passage a walk in the park – here’s hoping!
Once again Murray Aldridge will keep our blog posted and we will pickup normal email where we get to the Caribbean or if you need to contact more urgently contact Murray Aldridge. We will not have a mobile until we return to NZ now!
Leg 3 is about to begin – not what we expected to be doing however we are organised and in good shape and spirits!!! Of course we are looking forward to getting to the Caribbean.
Lots of Love
The Jolly Rogers
Overall it was a comfortable passage however we did a lot of motor sailing because of the light conditions which of course we will not be able to do on the next leg!! However we were keen to push on so we used our precious diesel so we made good time in 5 days! I guess the good news is that it was a lot more reasonably priced in Gibraltar (0.59p per litre)and even cheaper here we understand! Certainly a lot different than we paid in October for a litre in Corfu @ 1.48 euros!
Anyway the staff at the marina were very welcoming and efficient so our check in went seamlessly for a change!!! We were tied up, power on and checked in within 40 minutes of our arrival. At the end of that process a lady by the name of Lorna (on a boat just along from us) came along to welcome us and during the course of chatting invited us for drinks and then subsequently dinner! She and her husband Lee (Americans) and their two children – twins Elliot & Eden aged 6 years - are travelling also across the Atlantic leaving any day as well! They have been waiting for some parts for two weeks which have now finally arrived!.
We had a very pleasant evening sitting on the aft deck of their 60 foot Catamaran! We also met another French couple both named Dominique and their little son who were also on board for dinner.
So we were pretty up to beat on local knowledge by the end of the evening which was great news, however the next day we ventured only as far as the marina bar to pick up mail and spent the remainder of the day relaxing and watching a couple of great movies lent to us by Lee and Lorna!
We have made several trips into the main part of town where a fabulous a food market is located - - Mercado Centrale - which sells produce, meat, fish and seafood and poultry and pretty much everything else right down to fresh herbs.
To my delight the surrounding area was also littered with excellent Asian shops so was able to stock up with products that I hadn’t seen for a very long time!!
This place certainly has a great feel to it – great selections of bars, restaurants, shops etc and unlike many Mediterranean towns in winter it has a lively feel, I guess it is a warm retreat for many people in winter – the temperature today is 22 degrees! The public beach adjacent to the marina is absolutely pristine – very impressive!
It has been a bonus to have met Lee and Lorna and spend time with them during the course of the last week and hopefully we will see them soon in the Caribbean!
So we are leaving today – Sunday - on our journey across the Atlantic – nearly 3000 nm and probably will take between 3-4 weeks depending on the wind! It is known as the ‘milk run’ passage – well I believe that when we experience it’ but if that’s the case it will make the comparison to our North Atlantic passage a walk in the park – here’s hoping!
Once again Murray Aldridge will keep our blog posted and we will pickup normal email where we get to the Caribbean or if you need to contact more urgently contact Murray Aldridge. We will not have a mobile until we return to NZ now!
Leg 3 is about to begin – not what we expected to be doing however we are organised and in good shape and spirits!!! Of course we are looking forward to getting to the Caribbean.
Lots of Love
The Jolly Rogers
posted by Alpha Crucis at 3:18 AM
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