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Trip Report #6-2004: Gibraltar to the Canary IslandsFiled From Puerto de Calero28 55.1N 13 42 WOctober 8, 2004
Photo: Peg, as Starboard Home takes one last look at the Rock We had a short stay in Gibraltar and did no sightseeing, as we had done all that on our first trip here in 2000. This time, we had work to do to get ready for our trip to the Canary Islands. When we were in Barcelona, we had hoisted Tom up the mast to inspect the work that had been done by the rigger in Palma, to lubricate the sheaves and blocks, and to change the lead of the 2nd jib halyard. While he was aloft, he noticed that the cotter pin holding the clevis pin that holds the backstay that holds the mast up was smaller than he would like. It is unlikely, but possible, that the small cotter pin would fail and cause the sad cascade of events that would result in loss of the mast, but eliminating that possibility was an easy thing to do and would definitely make us feel more secure. During the trip to the Canaries and after that to the Caribbean, the rigging is very likely to get some hard use. So, in Gibraltar, we hoisted him up again to replace the wimpy cotter pin with a more substantial one. We then took the staysail down and checked the tuning on the staysail rigging and then did a final tuning, or tensioning of wires, of the entire rig. Tom also changed the oil and filters and purchased some miscellaneous supplies and spare parts. He was pleased that he had done a major refitting and replenishing of parts in Palma, because we found that services and supplies in Gibraltar were just fair. This is particularly true since the major center for yacht services, Sheppard's Marine, is in the process of relocating to make way for a condo development. We stayed in Marina Bay for about $13 a night. There was a laundry in the marina that did 3 loads of laundry, washed, dried, and folded, for $16. We did major food provisioning at the Safeway, a 15 minute walk from the marina and a taxi ride back with the groceries. The taxi cost $5, but he brought us and the groceries as close to the boat as we could get. Groceries were expensive, but good quality produce and meat. Some cruisers elected to walk 20 minutes to the supermarket in Spain, where things were less expensive. However, as we would need a taxi to carry our long list of provisions back, we did not want to get in the long, slow automobile line for customs to get back into Gibraltar. People who walked across, carrying their purchases, did not run into this delay. Finally ready, we left the marina and went out to the anchorage to "stage up" to leave, depending on weather and tide. The anchorage is so close to the airport runway, we got a good look at every plane leaving and arriving.
Photo: Planes & boats taxi on their close, but separate runways We left the anchorage the next morning, knowing that there were four other boats that would also be leaving to make the trip, including Australian friends on Lutana II and Mulloka II. We would be in radio contact with them on a regular schedule morning and night.
Photo: Lutana II at anchor, the night before departure to Canary Islands
Photo: Val & Tony on Mulloka II at anchor before departure We left Gibraltar on September 30, at 8:15 am, three hours after high water, motoring through the harbor, through the field of anchored freighters. The Rock was enshrouded with clouds and a misty fog lay over the harbor.
Photo: Last look at the Rock Motor sailing out of the harbor and along the shore line gave us an extra knot to a knot and a half as the current moved us along. After passing Tarifa, we headed out toward the deeper water and then across the Straits to the Moroccan shore. The trip across meant that we had to go through the freighter lanes, clearly marked traffic separation zones. The cruising pilot advises going across at a right angle to minimize the time one spends there, as it is hazardous. We were extremely vigilant and varied our speed to give way to the commercial traffic and to do so in a way that left no doubt about our intentions. One does not wander or meander across the Straits of Gibraltar. The wind was easterly at 20 knots and the current along the Moroccan shore was favorable at 3 knots. We sped along the shore at 9 knots and were soon passing Cabo Espartel and out into the Atlantic. Soon after rounding Cape Espartel, we had the long, rolling Atlantic swells with us, gently lifting and settling the boat as we moved along - very different from the short, choppy waves of the Mediterranean. We estimated that the 585 miles to the Canary Islands would take almost 5 days, and the wind for the next 5 days was forecast to be from the NE at a steady 15-20 knots - PERFECT! It would give us a chance to refine our downwind sailing technique, using our new whisker pole, which would be good practice for the sail to the Caribbean in January. The weather forecast was almost right. The wind was generally from the NE, but we often had it from the west and the east as well. It was generally 15-20 knots, but it was also 5 knots and 10 knots. Five to ten knots is not enough to move Starboard Home nicely through big waves downwind. So, it was a hard sail.
Photo: Peg prepares to hoist the pole The lack of a steady wind meant that we needed to jibe frequently, to take the sails in and motor for periods of time, to go from running to reaching and back, and at one point, to eliminate the main sail altogether and pole out both the yankee and stay sail in a twin head sail arrangement. We got a good workout and it gave us a chance to figure out the best place
Photo: Wing-on-wing, Staysail to starboard We had a hard time getting sleep the first two days, as we were not used to the rolling motion of the boat, associated with downwind sailing, and to the lifting and dropping sensation, associated with long, high Atlantic swells. Even moving about the boat took some adjusting. But by the third day, we were getting acclimated and into the rhythm of the boat.
Photo: Tom braces himself as he moves about the boat It was cold the first 3 days. We were wearing long sleeved shirts during the day and sweatshirts and chamois shirts at night and early morning, but by day 4 and 5, the temperature soared into the high seventies, even eighty, and we started shedding the cold weather clothing.
Photo: Tom in cold weather gear with stowaway squid We sailed into the Estrecho del Rio, the straits between the islands of Graciosa and Lanzarote at 3 pm on October 4 and made our way to the anchorage at Playa de Francesca on the southeast corner of the little volcanic island of Graciosa. We were anchored at 5 pm with a reef to the north of us and a spit of land to the south and Lanzarote to the east. Just in time for a squall to come through, giving us 30 knot winds and a few drops of rain. P Photo: A squall approaches the anchorage at Graciosa After the squall passed, we had a wonderful, long night's sleep with very little movement of the boat or us. The next morning, we looked around and did boat jobs - like giving a welcome airing to those chamois shirts!
Photo:A view of the volcano from the anchorage at Graciosa
Photo: A welcome airing of the chamois shirts We're looking forward to cruising through these islands before we fly home in November and we'll report on them next time. 73s, 88s, love & hugs Peg & Tom Aboard Starboard Home in the Canary Islands
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