Fliss…………..
We arrived at Isla Grasiosa around 12ish and decided that it was best to just stay up for the rest of the day & get an early night. There was another English boat who were going into the marina and we asked them where you clear immigration and they said don’t bother… we’ll go into the port tomorrow to sort it out. So the day was spent tidying up the boat. We went to bed at 8pm absolutely shattered. I feel so much better as within 12 hours the antibiotics had started to work their magic… In Alan’s (Pete’s dad) words “before antibiotics people simply got ill and died” I wish I’d taken them earlier!
Monday 18th September 2006
Isla Grasiosa is a really lovely little island, really clear water and tall volcanic mountains which loom high above you. Very barren but a lovely little anchorage. Millions of little fish which bask in the shade of Nadezhda with the bigger fish swimming on the sea bed. Not a lot of variety but great snorkelling as they are all around you. It’s quite a walk to the main town which is very small, a few bars & a supermarket and the walk in is around 3kms.
Great walk but quite hard work through the sand dunes. The sand is so deep your feet just sink in, gorgeous lagoons of crystal clear greenish blue water. This island really is the jewel in the crown for the Canaries.
We walked all over the town looking for immigration but couldn’t find it, so we’re here maybe illegally but not for the want of trying.
Tuesday 19th September 2006
Job day today, Pete did the wind gen and other jobs and I pottered around, re sorting the lockers then had to invest some serious hammock time. I did make bread but it was to salty I also had a go at chapattis which resulted in Pete & I discussing many ways of which the do dough could used, the favourite was plugging a leak…. It wasn’t a success. Did we mention that we are the token Brit as there’s around seven French boats & last night they all went off to the beach and as they went passed they said hello, but guess what we weren’t invited! Vanquier misserables!!!!
The sunset was amazing & it looked like the island was on fire.
Wednesday 20th September 2006
Pete still had jobs to do so I ventured into the town to pick up some provisions. Pete dropped me onto the beach & off I went, listening to my IPOD I ventured to far into the sand dunes, it was a bizarre feeling as you feel really alone, once I realised, I headed towards the shore & back on track again.
They had a jewellery fair on and the necklaces, bracelets were really lovely made of volcanic rock, turquoise & shells, they really were unique, I didn’t buy anything but they would make lovely Christmas presents.
In the afternoon we snorkelled & lazed in the hammock and our prayers were answered another Brit arrived!!!! Hurrahhhh. Dutch courage & rehearsed lines we ventured over to say hello. We were invited on board the “Oyster 43” for drinks and Pete was in his element as he was served “Old Speckled Hen” and “Spitfire” beer. The Oyster is unbelievably luxurious with a normal size fridge, huge freezer & it really is like steeping in side someone’s penthouse flat. We really like them and had a great evening with them (2 couples). They offered us the use of their rib to get some shopping in as it would save the 6kms walk…. Thank god we were starting to feel paranoid that we were “undesirables”.
I think they’re coming over to have a nose at Nadezhda later but Pete’s having kittens as to what to serve them as all we have is gin, whisky (cheap) that smells a little of plastic and 50p carton of wine. I hope that it’s just the company their interested in!!!! as there is bugger else on offer!
We’ll venture into town again later!
Our Anchorage - Isla Graciosa
Pete……………
Fliss has said it all. I could be a bore and talk about all the jobs around the boat but won’t. We have saved Fliss’ “Putty Bread” for emergencies in a sealed container since it can be moulded to any shape, sets harder than steel and does not rust in salt-water.
A Spanish boat came in yesterday, pulled ahead of us and dropped about 70 metres of chain until it was well dropped back behind us. No problem since their swinging space would take them well behind us if the wind changed. This morning, the wind had changed and they wanted to leave, and were oblivious to the fact that their chain was now running underneath ours. A few shouts and some mimed action from us gave them the message and we motored forwards out of their way – I am glad they did not want to go when Nadezhda was unattended otherwise they would have pulled our anchor out along with theirs.
Another Brit couple have just arrived and plonked down beside us – birds of a feather flock together. We have now taken over this small corner of the anchorage leaving the French further out in the bay.
Friday 22nd September 2006
Firstly “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mum, Happy Birthday to you………”
We’ve just left Isla Graciousa for Playa Blanca, Lanzarotte, it’s around 40miles, there is no wind so we’re motoring.
Last night our visitors popped over for a few drinks and they had also heard “monkey man” on the VHF. Really nice people, great sense of humour & we had a good time with them. Thankfully the cheap red wind, Spanish beer & G&T’s weren’t to bad as they stayed for a couple.
The weather has been strange for the Canaries as we have had some rain (not a lot) and it has been quite cloudy but when the sun comes out (80% of the time) it is seriously hot.
This morning it rained for about five minutes and now it’s a beautiful cloud free sunny day. The barometer is reading 30.6 degrees inside Nadezhda.
At this rate we expect (5 knots) to arrive around 6 tonight. We’ll stay maybe one night then head of to Isla Lobos translated means wolf island as the snorkelling is meant to be lovely.
We’ll have to be vigilant on this passage as we are going into “Acceleration zones” where the wind can go from nothing to 35 knots the pilot book says watch the sea and if you see white horses reef in immediately.
I thought the Canaries would be boring scenery compared to Madeira, it’s not as dramatic but it does have it’s own distinct charm. 
Lanzarote Coastline
Saturday 23rd 2006
We arrived at Playa Blanca at around 6pm after a really hot windless sail, very nice anchorage with clear water and the sea bed is a mix of sand and rock, not that you could see it yesterday as when we arrived it was quite cloudy.
Not too rolly here but in the middle of the night Nadezhda rolled violently which had Pete jumping up concerned that we might have dragged our anchor (the beach and rocks aren’t that far off) after checking it out there didn’t appear to be any reason for it, but it just meant that he had to clean up the 3 litres of spilt water which we keep in the front cabin… Lesson to be learnt here Pete always put the lid on!
We’ll go for a sail to Isla Lobos later as it’s only 5 miles, another really hot day here.
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