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We left Olivia and her yacht Galaad in La Graciosa after an epic delivery . We take the next step in his adventure, heading for La Gomera in the Canaries.
A stopover apart
As of 2018, La Graciosa is officially the eighth island of the Canary archipelago. Its main village, where the marina, fishing port and ferry terminal are located, is La Caleta Del Sebo.
The island has around 730 inhabitants, 5 craters and no source of drinking water. Water is transported by ferry and supplied by an underwater pipeline crossing el Rio, the passage between Lanzarote and La Graciosa. Four ferries run regularly throughout the day to the port of Orzola, to the north-east of Lanzarote.
In Caleta del Sebo, as on the rest of the island, there are no tarmac streets, only sandy tracks. Only the area around the port is cemented and partially asphalted. On its two pontoons, the harbor accommodates around 20 visitor berths, as well as a handful of sailboats and small craft, and some inshore fishing boats.
Stingrays can be seen strolling between the catways on an almost daily basis, in crystal-clear water.
With my snorkeling gear ready, we set off with our dog Oban, barefoot and barefoot, along the sandy paths of La Graciosa.
It's August, and while the marina is almost empty, the first ferry at 9am brings its hordes of tourists to enjoy this small island, both desert and paradise.
From September onwards, the port will be filled with sailboats passing through on their way to the trade winds. In the meantime, we take the opportunity to go for an early swim and discover the sub-tropical fauna of the translucent seabed. In the evening, once most of the tourists have left, we enjoy the charm and calm of this timeless island.
Lanzarote, from north to south.
On August 17, we set sail from La Graciosa for Arrecife on the island of Lanzarote.
around 25 miles separate us from the capital of the island known as "the island of 365 craters". First, we try the tricky anchorage at playa del Castillo, but to no avail: our all-terrain anchor doesn't catch on the flat rocky seabed, and the 25-knot gusts of wind decide us to head for the marina.
The atmosphere here is very festive, with bars, restaurants, music and funfairs - a far cry from the hushed atmosphere of La Graciosa. A two-day stopover and we're off to the south of the island, to the Playa Papagayo anchorage. Busy during the day but calm in the evening, the water is a welcoming turquoise.
While waiting for the weather window announced in 48 hours' time, which will enable us to head west, we're heading 8 miles further south, to anchor at Lobos Island, north of Fuerteventura.
Once past the main crater, we turn to port. We should be well sheltered here, but a strong westerly flow, bypassing Lanzarote and accelerating between Fuerte and Lobos, creates an uncomfortable chop. We'll have to wait until mid-afternoon to find some calm again, thanks to the thermal.
The anchorage area is quite small and we play elbow to elbow between the buoys reserved for touring catamarans. A short trip ashore reveals contrasting landscapes. Here and there, mounds of lava rock, as if giants had had a rock fight!
Zones of brackish water form lagoons where glasswort and other algae grow to adorn a sort of shallow aquarium.
The small lagoon, bordered by a few stone fishermen's cottages and opening onto the sea only via a very narrow channel, is a popular spot for splashing around. Note that you have to swim to disembark on the island, as there is no possibility of mooring a dinghy on the stone quay reserved exclusively for the small ferry.
In the evening, we "borrow" a tourist buoy to spend the night further inland from the anchorage. At sunrise, we leave the anchorage and head for Tenerife.
Vamos a la Gomera!
According to the weather forecast, we should have 20 knots of northerly wind, easing off to 10 or 12 knots. The wind will be constant in direction but variable in strength throughout the day.
Swarms of flying fish herald the arrival of dolphinfish on the prowl: on 4 occasions, the line became taut and we ended up not putting it back in the water for lack of space to store them in the cooler!
A good part of the night is spent motoring, without passing any other boats. Around 11 p.m., we pass just north of the DST to the east of Tenerife and begin to see the glow of the Punta del Roque Bermejo lighthouse. This lighthouse is perched on the cliffs of the Anaga, a densely wooded and rainy region to the north-east of Tenerife, in stark contrast to the rest of the island.
We stopped the engine and sailed at barely 2 knots, allowing us to rest as we sailed along the north coast of Tenerife overnight. In the morning, the wind gradually picks up. A zone of acceleration a few miles from Los Gigantes, the cliffs to the north-west of Tenerife, could prove violent. As a precaution, we take in 2 reefs in the mainsail and reduce the genoa.
At a good pace, we can now head for the port of San Sebastian de la Gomera. Crossing the channel separating the two islands diagonally, we admire the northeast coast of the archipelago's second-smallest island.
The clouds cling to the dizzy heights, while the swell beats the dark, jagged coastline. The landscape may seem hostile, but at the same time it hypnotizes us. In the wide channel, the wind joins the current and the water bubbles, Galaad is buffeted by an anarchic chop, almost to the very edge of the harbor.
Fenders and hawsers in place, we pass the tip of the long concrete breakwater protecting the small bay. A perfectly welcoming backdrop awaits us: a palm-fringed beach, a small town with colorful houses and, to starboard, the entrance to the marina. The marinero indicates a berth, and we've arrived!
In the square, shaded by huge ficus trees, is the El kiosko bar, where we enjoy "una cerveza" while recalling the stages of this 1500-mile journey in three stages.
Already some excellent memories. For the time being, we'll be sailing between the islands of La Palma, Tenerife and El Hierro. In the meantime, we're enjoying the mildness of La Gomera.
