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| Haircut anyone?? |
Actually it's been nice here in Las Palmas and both Mike and I agree it's a fine place to spend a winter on a boat (the marinas cheap and the weathers good).
We will be back no doubt.
Friday, 14 January 2011
She's gonna kill me..... :)
Actually it's been nice here in Las Palmas and both Mike and I agree it's a fine place to spend a winter on a boat (the marinas cheap and the weathers good).
We will be back no doubt.
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
busy, busy, busy.....
So much to do..... so little time
I'm surprised by how many boats are still leaving every day to go to the caribbean or south america. Lots of Germans and French yachts.
Well, it's one step up from beating it on a rock in the river! And at 8 Euros a load in the launderette I'm more than happy to do it myself.
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| the marina is still teeming with yachts |
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| HOW far?????? (gulp) |
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| our sophisticated laundry system |
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| errr, what have I let myself in for now........ |
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
HappyHappyHappy!
We've finally decided what we're doing.
Mike is going to sail across the atlantic alone (what we yotties call 'single-handed' and what you normal people call 'mad')
I'm flying home on Saturday for a few weeks of cold and miserable just so as I appreciate it when I get to the caribbean :)
The captain reckons he should do the crossing of a tad under 3,000 miles in about 19 days or less. But he has got enough food for about two months!!! (he loves shopping)
Everything is getting a good wash and scrub this week and the boat is being tidied up with all our junk being neatly stowed away.
Mike will phone me every day via satellite phone to basically say he's ok and for me to give him the weather forecast. He also has Falmouth Coastguard on speed-dial !! The boat also carries an emergency GPS positioning beacon known as an EPIRB which activates either manually or when immersed in water. This continually transmits your position to the emergency rescue services when set off.
In other news.....
Alan and companion on 'Life O'Reilly' have reached the Cape Verde Islands (about 800 miles south of here) where they have gone in for repairs to their steering. Mike may beat them to the caribbean yet!!
Mike is going to sail across the atlantic alone (what we yotties call 'single-handed' and what you normal people call 'mad')
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| 'the crew' |
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| Mike likes a challenge.... |
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| beans, beans and more beans (glad I won't be on board!) |
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| Scabby helps with the provisioning |
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| Our satphone (very important) |
In other news.....
Alan and companion on 'Life O'Reilly' have reached the Cape Verde Islands (about 800 miles south of here) where they have gone in for repairs to their steering. Mike may beat them to the caribbean yet!!
Monday, 10 January 2011
Friday, 7 January 2011
Update - especially for Dad
We've moved over to the other side of the marina today. Don't know why we got stuck out on our own originally....must have been no space on the visitors pontoons. Anyway, this is far more sociable :) and we don't get the traffic noise over here either. (My abiding memories of Las Palmas are going to be traffic and dog poo!)
Over the last week or so we have been getting around on the buses, or gua guas as they call them here (pronounced wah-wah). But we made the terrible mistake of getting the bus down to the south of the island. We caught the wrong one (the slow one instead of the express) and it took about three hours!! When we finally got there we had a ten minute walk around and it was time to go back....
There are two beaches in Las Palmas city. The one by the marina and anchorage is Las Caravaneros and the one over the other side is Las Canteras which is 3.5 km long and protected by a stone reef which means the water is crystal clear. Mike loves the beach and is thinking of getting a body board to do a bit of surfing on the reef break.
The big news is I am going home for a couple of weeks. Very excited!! Would be even more excited if Mike were to sail the boat over to the caribbean whilst I'm gone ha ha (hint, hint)
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| Mike shows how it's done |
Over the last week or so we have been getting around on the buses, or gua guas as they call them here (pronounced wah-wah). But we made the terrible mistake of getting the bus down to the south of the island. We caught the wrong one (the slow one instead of the express) and it took about three hours!! When we finally got there we had a ten minute walk around and it was time to go back....
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| Las Palmas Theatre |
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| Las Canteras Beach |
There are two beaches in Las Palmas city. The one by the marina and anchorage is Las Caravaneros and the one over the other side is Las Canteras which is 3.5 km long and protected by a stone reef which means the water is crystal clear. Mike loves the beach and is thinking of getting a body board to do a bit of surfing on the reef break.
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| note the temperature! |
The big news is I am going home for a couple of weeks. Very excited!! Would be even more excited if Mike were to sail the boat over to the caribbean whilst I'm gone ha ha (hint, hint)
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| sounds dodgy.... |
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| I'm saying nothing!!! |
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Oh no!
Just when you think it's all over..... it's bloody Christmas again here tonight!!
Yep, that's right. It's called Three Kings Day (or something) tomorrow and Epiphany tonight and it's when all the Spanish give and receive their presents.
Cue lots of parades and fireworks and music etc etc
Yep, that's right. It's called Three Kings Day (or something) tomorrow and Epiphany tonight and it's when all the Spanish give and receive their presents.
Cue lots of parades and fireworks and music etc etc
Monday, 3 January 2011
Leaving Las Palmas
No, we're not yet....
but 'Life O'Reilly' is.
They left on New Years Day and Mike got up to see them off but I had a massive hangover so stayed in bed....
Had a good gathering on the pontoon on New Year's Eve - organised mostly by Dave & Sarah. Lots of drunken merriment, eating and singing. Mike was sent off early for disgracing himself by drunkenly launching into the marina and I think he narrowly missed midnight.......by about the same margin he missed the rocks actually :)
We relaunched the dinghy today after Mike repaired the many punctures it had. It's pretty much had it really and we should get a new one but feel disinclined to spend the money it would cost. We have certainly had our moneys-worth from this one and would recommend the Caribe to anyone.
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| Alan & Mystery Companion brave the atlantic under their new bimini |
but 'Life O'Reilly' is.
They left on New Years Day and Mike got up to see them off but I had a massive hangover so stayed in bed....
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| David & Sarah our friends from 'Cape' |
Had a good gathering on the pontoon on New Year's Eve - organised mostly by Dave & Sarah. Lots of drunken merriment, eating and singing. Mike was sent off early for disgracing himself by drunkenly launching into the marina and I think he narrowly missed midnight.......by about the same margin he missed the rocks actually :)
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| the engine took a bit of persuading... |
We relaunched the dinghy today after Mike repaired the many punctures it had. It's pretty much had it really and we should get a new one but feel disinclined to spend the money it would cost. We have certainly had our moneys-worth from this one and would recommend the Caribe to anyone.
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| on the road again! (not looking very happy is he...) |
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| chicken curry for tea - yum yum |
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