Thursday 22nd November
We spent the last couple of days in Puerto Calero, on the East coast of Lanzarote, 10km or so to the Southwest of Arecife.
The marina was of a high standard, and at 29 euros plus tax per night, it should have been. Good showers and toilets, restaurants and shops, and big enough for some 60 and 70 foot yachts.
We rented a car (Ford ka) for E30 for the day. Diesel was just over a euro a litre. Arecife was a maze of streets, many one way, and we got lost a few times.
Filled a 20 kilo gas bottle at the main Disa depot for just 8 Euros. The large HiperDino supermarket saw our victualling complete.
Louise and I spent a lovely hour aboard a Westerly Corsair 36 ketch, Galene. We talked to her owners, a British couple about all aspects of buying a cruising boat, and they were very frank and honest. The essential nature of AIS as a navigational aid, especially for the short handed, was stressed again.
We then had a curry in a dockside place. Garlic rice and fruit rice, King prawn jalferezi, sag paneer and baingan bhaji. The prawns were huge and the meal delicious, but not hot. I admit to being a bit of a chilli head and suffering early withdrawal symptoms.
We fuelled up this morning and John, Susie, Louise and Ross went aboard a 60 fter, Londene. John told the skipper that Ross would love to work aboard such a vessel and he took Ross's email. It would be a dream for Ross and I think all aboard Chelone would be delighted for him if such a dream came true.
Then we were off. 15 knots on the beam, Risso's dolphins off our stern. 2570 miles to Barbados. And counting.
Friday 23rd November
A heavy night. None of us slept much, as seems usual on the first night of a passage. After that, tiredness kicks in and we sleep through any noise and discomfort. Louise and I did ratatouille with cous cous last night, which went down well. Susie is making a salad now, out of the leftover cous cous. We're watching the fresh water and settling in.
Different dolphins today. A spotted species, though whether Atlantic or Pantropical, I cannot say. A mother taught her calf how to bowride, something I've seen before.
I'm going to do a bit of lecturing later. Ross and Susie fancy a spot of scuba in the Caribbean, so I'll give them some background theory.
Our two master fishermen from Tenby have still yet to break their duck, or their tuna for that matter. The reel screams several times a day, amidst shouts and whoops. Then the reel goes silent, the light goes out of their eyes and yet another shiny new paravane lure is broken out of it's packaging.
When I went on deck this morning, something sticky, slimy and suckered attatched itself to my hand. Ross and John proudly announced that they'd wrestled a squid leg aboard during the night's exertions. There was enough for a tasty morsel of calamare for a small child of around 5 years. It's a pity we don't have one. The next time you're in the Canaries, keep an eye out for a limping squid. It could just be the one that got away.
Meanwhile, a brooding menace occupies Ross and myself. The satellite phone allows around 100 characters per text. We wonder how many texts it will take to relay the Wales vs All Blacks score this weekend.....
