Its a Dogs Life!

The human’s have wired in the generator.  Yet to be tested.  Fill you in on how that one goes.  And the humans have started to fit the dual fuel filter and polishing system.  Which really means they got the parts out and figured out how it all fits together.

 

But most important is your next town mural.

 

Another beautiful day on the island, and I got a hair cut so I am cooler.

Here is another mural for your approval.

We will have to have a vote at the end to see which is your favorite.

Well we finally made it to the port of Gran Tarajal on the Island of Fuerteventura.

The humans had to get out of Playa Blanca because they could not find an internet cafe with coffee under 2 euros.  Even a cana (half pint of beer) was over 2 euros.  Too expensive to stay long, even if we were anchored outside.

It was going to be a long sail to Gran Tarajal, so they got up early (for them) and headed out in the first light.

Luckily the winds had been light for days so the seas were very kind to us.

Kind enough I could catch up on some sleep, after being woken up so early.

The sail down the coast of Fuerteventura was very pleasant.  The island is a lot more barren then Lanzarote.  It is volcanic in origins, but has more sandy beaches and dunes.

 

 

With the calm seas and light winds, while I napped, the humans decided to try poling out the cruising cute (an asymmetrical light weight sail).

 

Poling out the cruising cute really helped to keep it off the rigging between ‘puffs’ of air and as the boat rolled in the gentle Atlantic swell.

 

Unfortunately the light winds meant we were travelling very slowly.  We were not going to make it to Gran Tarajal before dark.  So we decided to anchor up in a bay before darkness came.  The humans needed some light left to clean the tuna they caught for dinner.

What the chart listed as a ‘village’ in the cove we anchored in, you can clearly see is in fact a row of small fishing huts.

It was a pleasant anchorage for the night, but in the early hours of the morning the winds picked up, and it became a bit rolly.

So we made an early start with the sun rise.

With the fresher winds we quickly rounded the headland and headed for town harbour of Gran Tarajal.

The port in Gran Tarajal is a little jem for boats on a budget.

At 10-12 euros a night (depending on boat length) including water and ‘electrics’ it is a very economical place to do boat repairs.  They offer discounts for longer stays and we have already met some Brits using it as a perminate sailing base.

The port is becoming so popular they are building more pontoons.

 

The town, right beside the port.

It is very ‘Spanish’, which we love.  Just remember….no one here speaks any English.  There are few tourists, but the promenade is set up beautifully along the towns hugh black sand beach.  Restaurants and cafes line the sea front with out any shops selling tourist ‘tat’.

In from the sea front is a maze of streets and lovely green parks.  Within them is lots of shops selling everything including two grocery stores that offer free delivery to your boat.  A great place to stock up before a crossing!

 

The towns people see themselves as artists.

If they can find a blank wall, and get city council approval, they cover it in giant murals.  You discover them every where.  We think we have found them all and then we turn a corner and spot another one.

As I will not have a lot to post to you, as the humans repair our leaky ship, I thought I would entertain you with a mural a day.  Here is the first one.

I call this one The Pirates.  Check out the detail!

Two boats that we met in Porto Santo and Madeira are here.  Limbo (see links).

And Selkie, you learned about when we left Graciosa.  They have decided to stay for Christmas so we will have company for the holidays.  Most important for me is I will have kids to play with!

I am just a lttle worried about the signage around the Marina.

With electrics available the humans have gotten to work decorating the boat for the holidays.

I will keep you posted on the humans messing up repairs and, do not forget, you will send you a mural a day.

 

 

Got a bit behind in doing my blogs.

Was a bit busy taking care of the flu ridden humans.  They were running around the capitol, trying to get everything done, rather then taking it easy and getting over their colds.  Now they are paying for it and are on forced R&R.

But not until I moved them further south to the tip of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca.  I got them to anchor off in a small pool just outside the entrance to Marina Rubicon.

It is not the prettiest anchorage, and it can be rolly when the inter-island ferry shots by, but it is close to the amenities of both the Marina and the tourist town of Playa Blanca.

You would think the humans got enough of ‘ammenities’ when they stayed at the capital….but apparently not.  They tell me this may be the last ‘well equiped’ Marina they see until after the Atlantic crossing.  The Marina is expensive to stay in,

 

 

but is well stocked with Chandler’s goods, restaurants,

 

and a pool for Marina guests,

 

but most importantly cheap washing machines at 2 euros a go!

We have chosen to be ‘cheap’ and anchor outside the Marina and ‘leach’ their ammenities.  A lovely Dutch couple, anchored beside us, suggested we stay one night and keep the entry key, but we are lucky to know someone staying in the Marina.

Jeff on the catamaran ‘Horizon’ is staying in the Marina as he gets his auto piolet repaired.  Jeff is the sailor that saved our boat from harm when he, not only lent another British boat an anchor, but set the anchor for them during a gale in Averio, Portugal.  Go back and you will see he was a saviour!

He will lend the humans the amenities key so we can give all the bedding, towels and clothes a good clean.  I will have to have a siesta in sympathy.

 

I have to make up for missing my siesta yesterday.  The humans dragged me into the tourist town centre.  One human headed up to the medical centre to get a prescription for anti-biotics

(*remember to get your EU health card as seeing a doctor is free then and prescriptions are really cheap in the Canaries)

the other human dragged me to British ‘themed’ grocery stores looking for peanut butter.

This side of the island is know ‘fondly’ as Lanza-grote, put as long as you know the streets are filled with tourist ‘tat’ and sun burnt Brits and Germans, you can have a laugh here.

Just do not expect to find and culture or any beaches to run free on here.

Once the humans have gotten the last of the Chandler’s goods they need and the laundry done we will head further south to the port of Gran Tarajal on the next island of Fuerteventura.  Here they will complete the last of the repairs before the Atlantic crossing.

 

 

Well you will be happy to know I finally got the humans to get moving.

They feigned strong winds, then company and then illness, but they ran out of excuses and I finally got them to cut the tether to the Island of Graciosa.

 

 

We were the second last of the ‘Madeira’ crowd to leave, but the family on Selkie quickly caught up to us.  We are to meet up with them again on the next island Fuerteventura.  They plan on spending Christmas there.

 

 

Can you believe they built the boat in their back yard in their ‘spare time’.  They did predict that it would take them 3 years.  Nine years and two kids later they are finally sailing to new adventures.

 

 

I was hopping the humans would get me to the next great beach on the south tip of the island, but slow going in light winds and some good luck fishing meant they decided to anchor up half way down before dark.  We ended up in the capital city Arrecife.

 

 

Arrecife is a city, need I say more, but it is distinctly Spanish and has a lovely sea front and some interesting tourist sights.

 

 

Their is a maze of harbours that interconnect with canals and bridges.

 

Watch out anyone who tries to steal our boat from anchor!

 

 

Of the three ‘deep water’ harbours you can only anchor in one now.

The first harbour is industrial, and anchored boats get in their way.

The second harbour is larger and regularly used by the large sea liners.  But, a common trend, they are building a Marina over the old anchorage at the end of the harbour.

The third and smallest harbour remains open for boats to anchor in, but only in fair weather.  The harbour is a mix of sand and stone, giving variable hold and shallows very quickly, leaving very little room for yachts to squeeze into.

 

 

When the human’s woke up this morning there was NO wind.

Safe for the anchoring, but no good for sailing down the coast.

They decided to get some things done that ‘require a city’.  One human is complaining of a sore mouth now from a visit to the dentist.  Reasonable cost at 40 euros, but a return visit is needed on Monday to check on it.  The other human indulged in Chandlers.  Lots of little repairs to do before crossing the pond.  Lots of little bits needed to do the repairs.

 

 

Light winds are predicted for the rest of the weekend, so it looks like we will stay here until after the dentists visit.  Not the prettiest spot to be stuck, but there are lots of things to do and discover.