Pete………..
The alarm did not go off to get us up to catch the taxi but Fliss woke up on-time anyway. We went to the place where we agreed to meet the taxi and it did not show-up but one turned-up very quickly after we phoned again. Los Christianos still has life on the streets at 02:30 when we went to the airport.
Fliss….
Airports are wonderful places! it’s easy to waste time watching people coming & going especially the 18-30’s tourists! Pete was saddened when he realised he was 15 years to old to join in the fun.
Pete……
As usual, the flight was delayed and we had a two-hour wait. Great to see Stuart and Julie and we finally got back to Nadezhda for a couple of “Sun-Uppers” before getting a couple of hours kip.
Sun-uppers....Los Christianas
Dad had sent us an extract from an internet site that suggested that the best place to see whales is off the North East of Tenerife at a place called Los Gigantes so we headed up there, a distance of 15 miles. We saw no sea life apart from a couple of flying-fish but as we approached the coastline reared-up into huge cliffs (probably why it’s called Los Gigantes). We approached and skirted the base of the cliffs until we found a small bay called Playa de Masco and dropped the anchor.
We were surrounded by high volcanic cliffs that rose layer upon layer of twisted shapes riddled by caves. Stuart summed them up as being like a huge chocolate fountain. that had been frozen in place. We imagined Pterodactyls swooping down from the caves as it got dark.
Stuart and I took the dinghy closer to the cliffs and went snorkelling (first use of our new dinghy-anchor). Shallows were formed next to the cliffs by huge boulders that had fallen from above. Between these were mini-gorges and caves. The marine life was better than any we have seen elsewhere, fish were everywhere in a multitude of different colours. There were red and yellow striped ones, iridescent blues and greens and each variety were different shapes from long skinny ones to others shaped like big flat ovals. Stuart spotted a squid curled-up in a hole. We dived down and could only see a couple of tentacles but they were enough to tell us that it was quite big and best left alone!
Fliss…..
The Spanish are mad! we pulled out of the harbour and a jet skier came over & started to give us a load of verbal (I think we were sailing through their course) Pete told him quite clearly what he thought the guy should do. Really strange as we would be through the area in a few minutes.
Sunday 1st October 06
Pete did a wonderful cooked breakfast and we took the dinghy to shore to explore. We walked up an amazing canyon which was awesome as the rock face loomed high above you.
The Canyon
Baking hot day and Julie & Stewart decided that they would swim to shore. Julie was suffering from seasickness and really wanted to go to land. Like me she’s not a confident swimmer so she wore a buoyancy aid.
Whilst they were on land the surf got bigger and massive rollers started to crash on the beach Pete and I thought it would be an interesting swim back to the boat.
Whilst we watched them we saw them run towards the water and at that moment the 7th wave which was HUGE crashed into them. Pete looked at me and said “That’s going to hurt”
Julie & Stewart disappeared from sight for a few minutes and then we spotted Julie walking back up the beach.
The life jacket did what it was supposed to but she ended up by being rolled over & over in the surf it must have felt like being in a washing machine.
We gestured madly to them to walk to the jetty so we could pick them up. Poor Julie had to go back in the water as the waves were so big we couldn’t get to jetty for them to get in the dinghy. Her face was a picture of total fear.
Back safely onboard Nadezhda we all did the right thing and fell about laughing and taking the micky, I think Julie’s laughter was slightly hysterical as the experience had frightened her witless. Stewart we think timed all the waves knowing that the 7th wave was going to be the biggest of the day! Apparently as the wave appeared she stood still, wide eyed similar to a rabbit in a cars headlights….. sorry Julie but it was amusing!
What is it with our anchor buoy???? A small power boat decided that they would pick up our anchor buoy and attach their boat to it. I walked forward and explained that it was attached to our anchor & not a mooring buoy. The girl I spoke to spoke good enough English but said there was no problem, they didn’t move. Next thing Pete shouting at them as they had cut the anchor line was going to drive off with it leaving the ball floating in the water. Pete might have an athletic frame but can be quite intimidating and the Spanish guy jumped in the water and handed the rope back… Pete then rowed over & shouted at them “Why did you do this” they didn’t respond and drove off… he’s my hero as there was four men.
The sea was building and the waves started to get choppy so we decided to head back to Los Christianos for the night of course going through the jet ski area.
Back in harbour we pushed the boat out (pardon the pun) and had dinner out, all you could eat Thai & Chinese buffet for £4.98.
Nearly forget Julie is now known as “Flipper”………..
Monday 2nd October 06
Pete……………..
We motored out of the harbour at about 10:00 and set course for Los Chritianos on La Gomera. About 5 minutes out, I spotted fins in the water and we were soon surrounded by large graceful brown dolphins. We altered course and had them swimming under our bows. The water was flat calm and clear and perfect for seeing them under the water. These dolphins are different to the ones in the Biscay since they are larger, slower and come up for air less often. We eventually left them and came across a school of grey dolphins.
We set sail and ghosted along at about 2.5 knots and eventually came across a small huddle of stationary catamarans. They were surrounded by snub-nosed pilot whales so we took-in the headsail and gently circled. They didn’t seem to mind us being there but seemed to make sure that the young ones were always the other side of an adult from the boat. They are slow, ponderous beasts that are graceful and calming and we spent about half an hour with them with the engine off just gently circling under the mainsail.
It’s been a real treat so far in Tenerife and we are so glad that Stuart and Flipper have been here with us to experience the last couple of days.
Fliss…..
We really love it in the Canary islands! it has been a complete surprise as we imagined it to be bland & barren. Once you leave the holiday resorts the scenery becomes stunning, quite eerie but very majestic. The water is beautiful & so far the best marine life.
Tuesday 3rd October 06
Fliss……….
Into town early in the morning to arrange car hire for two days.
I swear that I will never drive again when we get back to the UK.
Just like Madeira the roads go straight up with steep drops, sometimes on both sides!
Pete was warned in advance that under no circumstances was he to listen to my brother and take the bends on two wheels! It is stunning scenery, tall volcanic rocks and steep drops but far greener than all the other islands.
Car parked we headed off for a 3km walk which was up all the way! Stewart leading the way and making sure that his “troop” was safe at all times! We all felt very safe that our “Troop Commander” knew the route and that our safety was his main concern.
Fantastic walk as we climbed through the trees the scenery changes dramatically and becomes very green & lush.
We spotted a little bar and decided that refreshments were needed.
We got talking to a really nice local man who said that we were really lucky as you would normally need a jumper as the hills are usually surrounded by mist. We had walked with blazing sunshine & no mist to be seen.
Apparently there was a tunnel that was a serious short cut back to the other side of the mountain and the man said “turn the light off at the other end”.
A beer each for the men & diet cokes for the ladies we headed off to find the tunnel for the walk back.
Ummm, the tunnel appeared to be an old drainage tunnel but we decided to give it a go.
Try as we might we couldn’t find the light switch (I think he was pulling our legs) Pete & I went 1st with Stewart and Julie behind us.
It was ok until we lost the light and it went BLACK! We could hear Julie saying, very politely I might add, “I can’t do this” and she was really freaked out by the tunnel & the darkness.
Pete was in front with a stick bashing the walls and the floor making sure there were no pot holes and me holding his shirt. I lost grip of him and he appeared to a long way ahead of me but he stopped & I walked into him.
Stewart & Julie stayed in the tunnel and we fed back reports.
After about 10 minutes we both saw a small dot of light and we shouted back to Stew that we could see the end.
Towards the end of the tunnel we walked into water which came up to my knees and was seriously cold.
It was a very eerie experience but became eerier when the tunnel got lighter as your eyes play tricks on you and you imagine faces in the rocks.
Pete went back in to say that we were out and he had no response, After about 5 minutes he re-emerged and said “God that’s scary on your own”.
(Pete… I didn’t relish the idea of going back into the tunnel. The light was soon lost and my shouting for Stewart echoed back differently depending on whether the tunnel was reinforced with concrete or was bare rock. Suddenly, my shouts echoed as if I was in a great cavern and I decided to turn back (quickly) assuming that S & J had were taking the march back up and over the mountain)
We jumped in the car (5 minutes from the tunnel) and raced around the other side of the mountain to meet them, as luck would have it they were walking up the path as we drove up.
(Pete…….We took the car to the North side of the island and skirted around the coastline before climbing steeply again up the narrow switchbacks to the centre of the island and the Garajonay national park.)
Poor Julie! It seems that we have so far managed to do all her major fears, water, heights and darkness!
Back to the boat to find another way to scare her.
Wednesday 4th October 2006
Pete……..
Early start again to explore more of La Gomera. We headed inland again to the high peaks and to the National Park visitor centre. The road to the visitor centre was, again, steep and narrow but through lush vegetation sometimes alpine in nature and, at other times, thick with a type of mountain laurel.
The visitor centre was better than most since the displays had English text alongside them as well as the Spanish.
We headed off for another walk that set-off steeply downhill through trees that were decked with hanging moss and lichen. We were a bit concerned about the immediate amount of descent but the circular route but brought us back to our starting point with a gentle climb.
We have decided that, on land, the name “Flipper” is not appropriate so after a naming ceremony yesterday, we all have new titles.
Stuart - Fati Huka Tonga – he looks Polynesian
Julie – Helga Von Strata – she looks German
Fliss – Rosa Paella Gonzalez – looks Spanish
Pete – Gustav Heimlich Manoeuvre – very definitely Swiss
Fati decided that he would reawaken the old Polynesian tribal ritual of walking-stick tapping. We all got into the rhythm of banging the sticks on the ground in unison as we walked so as to scare off the indigenous Snaggle-toothed wild Impis that were closing-in on us.
We dropped the car back and went out to dinner. The Navtex weather forecast told us that it may be a force 5/6 for the journey back to Los Christianas and so we broke the news to Helga that we might get wet. Rosa talked about the acceleration zones and huge waves (over egging-it) and had Helga immediately thinking that we would go out, get rolled and drown. We put her mind at rest and went back to Nadezhda where the wind was already howling in the rigging.
Thursday 5th October 2006
Fliss………….
That’s not fair I didn’t over egg it at all! All I said was that the wind would be a force 8-9 and the waves would likely be the size of Big Ben and would probably crash onto the boat from both sides.
Anyway in the morning it was blowing and I mean blowing! The sea was a boiling cauldron of water with the crests being blown off. So we all decided that it wouldn’t be wise to go apart from Fati who of course who was trying desperately In vain to convince Pete that it wasn’t really that bad. After gagging him we decided to have a quiet day.
Stew & Julie made enquires on when the ferries ran back to Los Christianos and we all had a relaxing day.
The day before we met a really nice Dutch couple who owned a really plush yacht which had fridge, freezer & a washing machine on board. They invited us on board and it was absolutely luxurious.
Pete & Stewart were also invited onboard today but not before Stewart was warned not to ask how much the boat cost him and how much he sold his business for…
Friday 6th October 2006
Sad day today as Stewart and Julie are catching the 11:30am ferry to Los Christianos.
We have had a wonderful week with them, god knows how Julie puts up with him.
I have funny memory’s of the week for example:
The two Russian nudists who lived in a cave at Playa de Masco who lived on fish alone and didn’t own any clothes between them, I didn’t buy it totally as the guy had a white bum, Julie bought it hook line & sinker and spent the night fretting that they might get dragged out to sea & drowned.
A local man speaking to Stewart in Spanish and Stewart happily waffling back in Spanish accent in an unknown language.
Stewart standing on deck in his pants asking “did his bum look big in this?”
Pete swimming under the boat & grabbing Stew’s legs, I’ve never seen him move so fast.
It was an absolute pleasure having you on board and La Gomera seems a little flat without you!.
Tomorrow we are hoping to make a run to San Miguel Marina, Tenerife and then back to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria.
It might be a bit bumpy leaving La Gomera but according to Stewart the ferry was bumpy just off La Gomera and it flattened out nearer to Tenerife.
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