Phantom Lady is off on her travels again next year....we're too young to retire to the inland waterways (and it's not warm enough!!)
WATCH THIS SPACE :)
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Monday 14 March 2011
Tuesday 8 March 2011
Home in a couple of weeks :)
No takers for the cat yet :(
Why, oh why do I get myself in these situations.....
I will never rescue a tiny little sick kitten again! Even if it was facing imminent death!
It's been playing on my mind all the time lately and making me feel pretty upset.
If only it wasn't for the English quarantine laws we would take her home with us.
Why, oh why do I get myself in these situations.....
I will never rescue a tiny little sick kitten again! Even if it was facing imminent death!
It's been playing on my mind all the time lately and making me feel pretty upset.
If only it wasn't for the English quarantine laws we would take her home with us.
Sunday 6 March 2011
We are sailing!
Well, motoring mostly.......
This morning dawned an almost cloudless sky so we decided to go for it.
We reached the giddy heights of almost 1.6 knots - well, there was only 4 knots of wind so we didn't bother putting the main up.
Needless to say, we were soon back on the pontoon....
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| Mikes almost forgotten how to use the chart plotter haha |
This morning dawned an almost cloudless sky so we decided to go for it.
We reached the giddy heights of almost 1.6 knots - well, there was only 4 knots of wind so we didn't bother putting the main up.
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| in honour of St. Pirans' day |
Needless to say, we were soon back on the pontoon....
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| and Scabby couldn't wait to get back to playing with the kids! |
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| I'm sure gonna miss ole Scabs |
wash out!
The climax of the carnival - the main parade - was held last night accompanied by torrential rain. More rain than we have seen since we left the UK last summer.
The parade of floats went on for 7 hours!!
Everyone put on a brave face, despite the weather...
Unlike in the Azores there seem to be no religious connotations here - just an excuse to dress up and get absolutely rat-arsed. We thought the floats were quite disappointing actually....
Unlike the drag queens :)
In other news.... the toenail I lost recently has begun to grow back nicely.
The parade of floats went on for 7 hours!!
Everyone put on a brave face, despite the weather...
Unlike in the Azores there seem to be no religious connotations here - just an excuse to dress up and get absolutely rat-arsed. We thought the floats were quite disappointing actually....
Unlike the drag queens :)
In other news.... the toenail I lost recently has begun to grow back nicely.
Thursday 3 March 2011
A change in the weather
Today it's been cloudy and quite cold. Pretty miserable actually.
Seems like a long time since we did this.....
We've decided to sell the boat.
Seems like a long time since we did this.....
We've decided to sell the boat.
Tuesday 1 March 2011
It's all good
To all who are concerned....the engine is fixed. Happily it was nothing serious (just me over-dramatising again)
This is my new bracelet made by my friend Marjeolein (age 9)
And this is an LED bulb. These bulbs are very good because they use tiny amounts of electricity. Just what you need on a boat. We bought this from a Chinese shop in Las Palmas for 3.90 Euros.
There seems to be quite a big Chinese population here. Lots of Chinese shops too (a bit like £ shops in UK)
Full of crap probably but hey, most things are made in China these days anyway.....(even my kindle!)
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| nice eh? |
And this is an LED bulb. These bulbs are very good because they use tiny amounts of electricity. Just what you need on a boat. We bought this from a Chinese shop in Las Palmas for 3.90 Euros.
There seems to be quite a big Chinese population here. Lots of Chinese shops too (a bit like £ shops in UK)
Full of crap probably but hey, most things are made in China these days anyway.....(even my kindle!)
another day
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| that's Mike miles ahead of me.....as usual |
Small Dave (as opposed to Big Dave) decided to check his anodes (don't worry readers it's nothing life-threatening)
And he found that they are almost gone! in only six months!!
This prompted a flurry of men in the marina to don flippers and snorkels to have a look at theirs....
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| Trina with the new anode - I made her smile for the photo |
Anyways, with Dave being very inventive an' all he decided to rig up a special snorkelling kit with an electric pump to push the air down to him whilst doing the job. Sounded barking to me but there you go.
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| Daves equipment |
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| he looks a bit worried... |
Me, I just went to the beach.....
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| admiring the view :) |
Monday 28 February 2011
So we went to the beach instead
and left poor old Mike home alone
But not before a quick drink to steady our nerves after all that stress :)
So, is it curtains for the old Perkins 4108 ?????
Happily, when we got back Mike seemed to have everything in hand - well, he was smiling anyway so it couldn't be that bad could it.....
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| is it beer o'clock already? |
So, is it curtains for the old Perkins 4108 ?????
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| lets go |
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| faster, faster |
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| Dave tries his hand at surfing |
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| the sandman! |
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| tired out from all the excitement (and wine) |
Happily, when we got back Mike seemed to have everything in hand - well, he was smiling anyway so it couldn't be that bad could it.....
Pontoon R's big day out
It's all arranged, we're going for a sail. On Phantom Lady. The beers are on ice. The sun is shining. The people are on board.....
And we're off!
Well, we didn't even make it out of the marina.
Something catastrophic happened with our engine and it started over-revving with white smoke pouring out and lots of noise.
Oh, the embarassment :(
Major panic, the anchor is deployed pronto and all the noise brings out the marineros in their rib (it's a nautical abbreviation - rigid inflatable boat)
Oh the ignominy!
And we're off!
Well, we didn't even make it out of the marina.
Something catastrophic happened with our engine and it started over-revving with white smoke pouring out and lots of noise.
Oh, the embarassment :(
Major panic, the anchor is deployed pronto and all the noise brings out the marineros in their rib (it's a nautical abbreviation - rigid inflatable boat)
Oh the ignominy!
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| Dave to the rescue |
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| naturally the whole marina was out watching..... |
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| Mikes bedtime reading |
Friday 25 February 2011
Old Las Palmas
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| Santa Ana Cathedral |
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| beautiful old railings |
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| lots of fine buildings |
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| a funny fountain |
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| pavement cafes everywhere |
is it Friday today?
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| got the blue canoe out again... |
Look what arrived in port this morning
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| drew quite a crowd..... |
They are eight new, engineless ships/barges (approx 130m each) under tow from China (where they were made) to Rotterdam where they will be fitted out. Their tow broke so they had to be brought into Las Palmas.
Apparently it's cheaper to have them built in China and towed half way round the world than to make them in Europe. Incredible.
Thursday 24 February 2011
Peace is restored
They've gone!
Back to waking up to the glorious sound of.......nothing. Ah, bliss :)
I don't want you to think I'm a miserable sod (cos I'm not!). There's loads of kids on this pontoon and I accept that kids make noise. In fact they're all very nice kids that I get along with just fine. But those French ones next door.........
Well, we are filling our days with the usual. Sunbathing, relaxing.......
But more and more our thoughts are turning to home (and work)
And did I mention we've got plans to buy a Dutch barge and do the European inland waterways next?
Back to waking up to the glorious sound of.......nothing. Ah, bliss :)
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| maybe this will do the trick |
I don't want you to think I'm a miserable sod (cos I'm not!). There's loads of kids on this pontoon and I accept that kids make noise. In fact they're all very nice kids that I get along with just fine. But those French ones next door.........
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| nice kids! |
Well, we are filling our days with the usual. Sunbathing, relaxing.......
But more and more our thoughts are turning to home (and work)
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| no charge for a fish pedicure on our pontoon! |
And did I mention we've got plans to buy a Dutch barge and do the European inland waterways next?
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Grrr bloody French kids
Rant!
We have got a French boat moored next to us with two little kids on it. And all they do all day is bloody scream and shout. The parents never seem to take them anywhere so no wonder they are bored. But flippin heck.....peace is shattered. Heard they are only here for a few days so fingers crossed or we will seriously have to think about moving!
We have got a French boat moored next to us with two little kids on it. And all they do all day is bloody scream and shout. The parents never seem to take them anywhere so no wonder they are bored. But flippin heck.....peace is shattered. Heard they are only here for a few days so fingers crossed or we will seriously have to think about moving!
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| carnival |
Monday 21 February 2011
Sunday 20 February 2011
That's better
Road Trip Part 3.
Ok so now we're doing the north coast and the scenery is quite spectacular. Not sure if the photos do it justice.
There's acres and acres of banana plantations in the north. The canary island bananas are smaller than the west indian varieties we usually see in supermarkets back home.
Under the plastic seen everywhere is the tomato crop. It's funny really cos the tomatoes in the shops here are pretty tasteless and expensive. Perhaps all the best ones are sent to Tesco?
Ok so now we're doing the north coast and the scenery is quite spectacular. Not sure if the photos do it justice.
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| salt pans |
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| surf's up |
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| you can see Tenerife from here |
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| see the wind clouds? this is in the 'acceleration zone' |
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| colourful harbour houses at Puerto de Las Nieves |
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| 100m high cliffs |
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| the long and winding coast road |
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| growing tomatoes under plastic |
There's acres and acres of banana plantations in the north. The canary island bananas are smaller than the west indian varieties we usually see in supermarkets back home.
Under the plastic seen everywhere is the tomato crop. It's funny really cos the tomatoes in the shops here are pretty tasteless and expensive. Perhaps all the best ones are sent to Tesco?
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