Napping is encouraged…”what’s not to like?”

 

Having woken around 3am in London, I reached Madeira 7 hours later.  Descending over dramatic, terraced and volcancic landscapes, spying many a terracotta roof and more or less skimming the sea as we touched down, I was excited.  That instant feel of warmth on my face as I left the plane.  In my head I was yelling, shouting, screaming to everyone on the plane, everyone I could possibly think of….

“I’M ON HOLIDAAAAYYYY!!!!!” ….but of course, just in my head.

Two around 5 ft 2″, seriously tanned individuals were standing waiting; clearly taking in yet another new arrivals area they were experiencing, looking pretty chilled but with a slight background look of ‘I hope she didn’t miss it’.

There is nothing quite like the familiarity of family.

A drive around the pretty stunning and heebie jeebie inducing, winding, mountainous roads of Madeira for the day.  We had some good limes in the car catching the parents up on London life and hearing the juicy details of their trip so far.  A little local market in the hills to stock up on fruit & veg and a fisherman’s town watching the salt fish drying and back to “Quinto de Lorde” to the marina (what a grand name!).  By which point my night had caught up with me and the relaxed smiles and soothing sounds of my happy parents sent me into pleasant snoozing against the window of the wee blue Chevy they had hired for the day.

I woke up excited to revisit my sailing roots that had been on somewhat of a hiatus for 15 months.  Basking in sunshine we set off out to sea, no destination in sight.  Bliss. Sitting on the side deck dangling my feet over the edge as we rolled along I regressed to my childhood day dreamer self, imagining animated cartoon sharks leaping out the water to nibble at my toes…and such like.  It took me a little while to find my inner sea balance with the roly atlantic swell but I was happy to take a bit of feeling a tad queasy later on in the day to gaze out at the horizon while sunning myself.  What’s not to like.

Naturally the open ocean lends itself to incredible sunsets on the horizon.  And as I woke up from my doze at 8:30pm, I was oh so very content.  A sport with great views, sense of adventure/achievement where napping is necessary if not, encouraged – must get rest to maintain focus on watch of course… (All that fresh air, and being outside all day, with so many colours too! What can I say – exhausting for us London workers).

Our stop off was a nature reserve island 180 miles from Madeira, remote would be the ideal way to describe it with the surrounding view of sea…everywhere.  A lot of rocks and a lone boat anchored didn’t make it look like a particularly sheltered overnight spot but it was good to be settled for the night. A toured walk (not allowed unaccompanied) up the back of the small hut where the island rangers, researchers and volunteers “lived” in their stays there, we explored the island.  Seized the chance for a swim in the sea before we went on for the further 100 or so miles to Tenerife.

Catching sight of the peak of the volcano on Tenerife before the sun went down was quite magical as we could still glimpse the Selvagem islands behind us yet we were still 70 miles out.  A sail by full moonlight and a stunning sunrise silhouetting one other sail in the distance and pink skies over El Teide (the volcano) brought us into Tenerife and by lunch time into the buzzing city of Santa Cruz.  My first experience of a marina literally on the edge of a city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversity of holiday was topped off with exploring, Spanish shops and reminiscing of my previous Tenerife visit in 2013 with my band.  We passed an outdoor classical concert, tree filled squares and Cuban cigar shops.  Much queso, mojo and red wine later we took the sleepy skipper back to the boat.  Markets, reading, wi-fi and prawns filled my Friday. How could the idyllic-ness possibly be continuing. 

On the last day we rented a car and drove up the mountainous roads to El Teide.  Passed the point where I had filmed a music video 18 months previously.  I was not impressed by the sight of clouds but we kept going up and up the windy roads through the clouds to the stunning blue.  Incredible views, incredible food (again!) if a little breezy at such an altitude.  Winding our way back down we turned off for Arafo to El Puertito de Guimar a small town by the sea.  Here we stopped to visit a friend of mine’s parents who live there (who I’d never met) and gave us true local hospitality. Out of the tourist areas and main cities is always the most real.

 

Got a friend of a friend whose sister’s friends uncle lives in a random country you’re going to – get in touch. It is always worth it.

Leaving paradise didn’t seem like a particularly viable option after such a wonderfully varied, stunning, tasty and relaxing week (what’s not to like!?) but a last cortado de leche leche in the airport and at least knowing I had a day of weekend in London before work eased the pain.  At least a little, tiny bit.  

Can’t help but think: thank goodness I’ve got adventurous parents doing this amazing thing in these beautiful places – great visit spots – what’s not to like?

 

Selvagem Swim, Raising the Waterline, Tenerife Tormentas, Sail to the Startline.

Quinto do Lorde (Madeira), Selvagem Grande, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas Gran Canaria: 5th October to 23rd October. 346 miles, 2 days 20 hours at sea of which 1 day , 6 hours under power.

Well here we are 2316 miles , three months and one week out of Rhu at the ARC+ startline at Las Palmas Gran Canaria. Less time to blog as the start draws nearer and I am still hoping to see some more contributions from crew to complement skipper’s perspective of the storyline and pictures!

 

Second daughter joined us in Madeira early on Sunday 5th flying in from chilly London two days after the last crew left so we took the opportunity to hire a car for a day – the smallest Chevvy I have ever seen. Handily located just a few kilometres from the marina, the airport is dramatic at Madeira, all on stilts over the ocean with a full service boatyard tucked underneath – no living on board allowed presumably for security reasons. We did an afternoon circuit taking in the north coast and the winding mountain roads, taking in a village market and finishing in the picturesque fishing village of Camara de Lobos just west of Funchal.

With our pass sorted for the remote Selvagem Islands 160 miles away we refuelled (as we now do everywhere!) and set off from Quinto do Lorde at noon on Monday 6th. We were treated to a great sail for the first 80 miles with a NNE 4/5 and a near full moon with quiet seas. Arrival before nightfall was key so we maintained progress with the engine to reach the tiny anchorage to join one other yacht. We anchored at the second attempt in clear water – although still rather close to the swell breaking on the rocks. There was much activity ashore with a dozen or more folk evident (guide book says only 2 x residents = a warden and a biologist!) with a small navy supply vessel lying off and much RIB traffic ashore with supplies and ferrying the change in ‘watch’ the following day.  Numbers were swelled by summer volunteers.

Walking ashore at Selvagem is not allowed unchaperoned and our 10am landing on Wednesday 8th coincided with the four from the other boat – with few communications and little formality (though our boat name was ticked off), we set off on a 1.5 hour trek  with one of the volunteers (a lawyer from the national parks on his first visit) doing translation for us.  The habitat of the islands has been carefully restored (rat and rabbit eradication) to regain the environment for seabirds, plants and small reptiles.  We felt privileged to experience this remote place, to learn a little of it and to have had quiet enough weather to confidently leave Exody at anchor.  Returning to the boat mate and crew took to the water (first time for the whole trip!) and the temperature was deemed warm enough!  The newly fitted deck shower came into service and we were soon ready to set off south for the 100-ish miles to Tenerife at 15.00.

With some west in the northerly wind we were able to make our course under sail at about 5 knots.  The stunning sunset and equally arresting moonrise (full moon) were accompanied by a clear view of Tenerife, with the 3,700m (12,000ft) high El Tiede visible clearly from 73 miles!  After 40 miles the wind died at midnight so we were back to motoring the remaining 65 miles to arrive luchtime Thursday 9th at our prebooked marina berth within the busy commercial harbour at Santa Cruz .  The final approach was between four huge oilrigs –  under refurbishment in anticipation of the prospective and very controversial oil exploration in the Canary Islands.  We were pleased to have made the passage from Madeira fitting successfully within the 6 day ‘window’ between daughter’s flights – such coordination with wind and weather not without risk and associated stress!

The marina is central to the city and we found good local food in a small restaurant recommended by the helpful marina staff.  Whilst mate and daughter explored one type of retail opportunity on the Friday, I sought out the several well stocked chandleries.

The cruise ships come and go daily sometimes two at a time and for each arrival the rental/trip stalls pop up – the latter including hire mobility scooters like the one we have just bought for our Mum!  There are also frequent interisland ferries and a degree of commercial shipping- most of this within the adjacent but quite separate section of the harbour to that shared by the marina and the oilrigs.

Saturday 11th saw another hire car to take us up to the lunar landscape that is El Tiede – we drove through the rainy mist surrounding pine, chestnut and eucalyptus forests, past many ‘miradors’ with their view shrouded and miraculously on up into the sunshine.  Although a few degrees cooler than at sea level it was warm enough to enjoy a local tapas lunch out of doors under the peak of El Tiede. We hastened back downhill to a rendezvous at El Puertito de Guimar.  Here we met the parents of daughter’s former workmate and it was great to spend time with locals – with the added interest of their having spent a fair chunk of their lives working in Africa.  Final stop of the day was the airport at Tenerife South to see daughter back off to London.

Anticipating a degree of competition in Gran Canaria, we had arranged to have Exody hauled for 24 hours at a boatyard to the north of Santa Cruz, less than 5 miles away.  We hauled lunchtime Tuesday 14th to Wednesday 15th, had the bottom high pressure hosed, serviced the propeller and raised the waterline by about 100mm since especially to the stern we had much weed growth!  A helpful courteous yard with good English spoken and they took the time to prop the boat properly (the most care I have ever seen – four properly braced props each side plus one at bow and stern) – ie out of the slings simply so that we could complete the 4 small sections of waterline that were under the straps.   After relaunch we found space at the immediately adjacent Marina Tenerife where we stayed for two nights enjoying the comparative quietness (only 1 other yacht in transit) and lunch at the excellent marina cafe.

With several technical things to source and sort, including new batteries and replacement for the dead handheld VHF, we returned to Santa Cruz Marina on Friday 17th where there was a noticeable increase in yachting traffic – high season in the run up to transatlantic crossings.  Sunday 19th saw torrential rain and stormy conditions that we understand had not been seen since 1944 – referred to as Tormentas!  The subsequent days disappeared fast with a pattern of chandlery rounds, buying decisions (batteries/antifouling paint) and associated consultations and research, practical jobs on board and more routine shopping (mosquito nets, melamine tableware etc).

After nearly a full fortnight at Santa Cruz, we moved early on Thursday 23rd- 7am in the dark for the 50+ mile leg to Las Palmas.   We practised our man overboard drill in trying to recover the lens from the sternlight that flipped off whilst we were storing a fender adjacent!  We got within reach several times but the one attempt with the boathook flipped it from its floating position and it sank!  Subsequently replaced the whole light for 18€ so one of the less expensive incidents!  Wind was from the north east and more than forecast so we had a great sail most of the way  sometimes exceeding  7 knots. We hope for more of this, including the close encounter with a school of pilot whales, and keeping up reasonably well with an Oyster 47!   Gran Canaria feels much bigger and is more industrial with very many more ships both anchored and the harbour radio traffic very busy.  We made the reception berth by about 17.00 and were helped to our allocated berth immediately adjacent but somewhat distant from the main ‘drag’ of cafes, chandleries and the bulk of the ARC fleet.

Good that we are in amongst the comings and goings at check in – close to us and almost adjacent to each other are two vessels at the opposite ends of the spectrum of this sailing game.

The optimistically named Carpe Diem…………..

………..and the equally optimistically Win Win !!

 

 

 

A pole, a sail, a passage and an anchorage

Oerias, Porto Santo, Quinto do Lorde (NE Madeira); 23rd September to 4th October. 520 miles, 4 days 5 hours of which 1 day and 7 hours under power.

Our new crew had been on board for five days now and the list of boat cleaning/tidying jobs was beginning to run low. We had arrived nine days previously but were waiting for our new locally ordered spinnaker pole to arrive and also for favourable non-southerly winds for the 490 mile southwest leg to Porto Santo, the most northerly of the Madeira archipelago. We had filled the time with forays by train to two good chandleries, further fitout jobs after fixing the fuel problem, and enjoying the atmosphere at the marina – coffee shops/bars, very helpful staff, morning rolls delivered on the house and the usual comings and goings. With all the ‘traffic’ of yachts its interesting how regularly we have come across the same small handful of boats over the last two months – the frenchman with different crew for each section, the Norwegian family with young kids, three young Norwegians on a Twister, the Swedish couple doing the ARC etc.

We coincided on our last pole-waiting day at Oerias with a former work colleague on holiday in Lisbon so it was interesting to catch up on the very different ‘world’ I had left behind at the end of June. The pole was finally delivered at 16.00 so we cast off at 17.00 to find fresh winds in the Rio Tejo and we were happy to actually be sailing in the direction we wanted to go with wind at a reasonable angle. The last of the light saw us out of fishpot territory and then crossing the busy shipping lanes through the night – all good watchkeeping practice as we doubled up with our new crew and took reassurance from our newly installed AIS.

Morning saw an increase to Force 6 and the need to reef. It was a boisterous sail with good speeds and we had a reasonable days run of 150 miles – but our crew was not as happy with the motion of the boat – contrast with skippers view that this is as good as it gets- ie wind just abaft the beam, relatively moderate seas and spells of sustained 7/8 knot boatspeed.

Second night saw us resorting to the engine from time to time and we were called by a ‘close encounter’ tanker advising his action to alter course to avoid us – further AIS reassurance- since he called us by name. The quiet morning saw running repairs to mainsail slides and cars that had suffered from some light wind ‘flogging’ during the night.

For the third day at sea we had other yachts in sight most of the day and by now the watch system and life on board routines were settling down – especially for the crew- who had been told by other old hands that the first two days would be the worst – I am sure the calmer seas helped!

The light at Porto Santo was picked up just before dawn on Saturday, our fourth day and we closed the dramatic island (imagine a cross between St Kilda in Scotland and Union Island in the Grenadines) to tie up at the small marina behind the long ‘yacht art’ wall during lunch hour.

Keen to escape the confines of the boat by evening, we walked the long quiet beach into the nearby village and found an excellent  restaurant with a balcony view to enjoy a meal ashore on an even keel.

We stayed three nights here tackling more routine jobs on board, stocking up etc.  Interesting encounter with a local Madeiran who was well into a boat reconstruction project to take him to cooler, south american/antarctic waters one of these years.

Departed Tuesday 30th September for a gentle 25 mile sail down to the northeast end of Madeira with splendid dolphin and whale displays enroute. We anchored as the only boat in the spectacular Baie de Abra – surprisingly remote yet very near to much industrial and other activity including many walkers.

First thing on 1st October we motored the short distance, less than two miles to the pristine Quinta do Lorde marina and village as our crew changeover base for the following few days.  This is located 13km northeast of Funchal but half that distance to the airport.  Whilst the marina with associated bar was relatively busy, the spotlessly maintained timeshare/holiday resort development appeared to be totally empty – though the hotel was open and hosting guests and a wedding one day.

 

We had a ‘tourist’ day on 2nd taking the local bus service,  90 minutes along the windy old road into Funchal – the newer ‘rapida’ route – four lanes and multiple tunnels-would take 30 minutes max. Took in the city bus tour, the cable car and observed some tourists taking to the downhill journey by road  in traditional basket ‘sleds’ driven by ‘gondoliers’.   Dinner at the marina bar to finish the day and the crew’s fortnight on board.

Early rise on Friday 3rd for crew to catch the bus to the airport and Saturday an afternoon half hour bus journey into adjacent Machico for a big shop in advance of next (second daughter) crew/ leg to Canaries and to pick up a hire car.