Marina Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Monday 14 September 2015.

From the log with comments.

Departed Porto Santo on Sunday 6 September in a rain shower but had a fine sail down to Maderia (30 miless) arriving in Quinta do Lorde marina in early evening. Stunning place with shear volcanic cliff as a backdrop. Sweet little resort but well away from Funchal, the capital. Henry, Terry’s 18 year old son, arrived so we were rather squashed in Pisces. The boys hired a car and toured the island and we had supper down the coast. David flew back to Blighty on 8 September and we departed at 11 am for the 300 miles to Lanzarote. This time we had a beam reach nearly all the way with the big genoa and mainsail. Out past the earie Ilhas Desertas and onward south east to within 100 miles of the Africian coast. Few other boats and nice clear days but dark nights as no moon and lots of clouds. I used the Iridium GO to call JB in Australia each morning, send an email or two and download a three day weather forecast. All very clever stuff and reassuring for the long trip to come. We were ahead of schedule so had to make a night entrance to Marina Lanzarote which was quite fun as the marina is new and we did not have an up to date chart. However, all became clear and we moored up after 58 hours at sea. Lovely marina with all facilities and a short walk to Arrecife, the capital. Good resturants so a few days here I think. Terry flew back on 13 and Henry continues his travels to Barcelona today.

My highlights.

Madeira with the good ship Nadir in sight

Lunch in marina Quinta Do Lorde. There is a story about supper in the hotel but you will have to ask David..

Henry and Terry

Islas Desertas, 30 miles SE of Madeira, not a blade of green.

Leacloth sea berths with Terry..

History homework at dusk

Lanzarote landfall

Marina Lanzarote

Porto Santo, Madeira Group, Saturday 5 September, 2015.

From the log with comments.

After a few hot and rather lonely but contemplative days in the Parques des Nacoes, David Davis, an old sailing friend from Poole, arrived on the evening flight on 27 August and Terry Parker, from the Cruising Association the next evening. We spent Saturday morning checking the mast head fittings (me), topping up with fresh food and ice and catching up with the passage plan. Departed the marina at 16.00 on 29 August and motored down the river and out to sea with a strong south  going tide but little wind. Good visibility but engine on and off during the night . The wind came behind us the next morning and we deployed the Twistle rig. A bit tenuous and as the wind went round we pulled the sails together using a lazy sheet and they worked well upwind overnight. The wind went further to the south on Monday and we furled the Twistle and set the number 3 jib on the inner forestay after some hassle. It worked very well in 15 knots and we sailed overnight. Engine on and off the next day and Twistle up for longer. We rigged a second downhaul which kept the universal joint immobile and stabilised everything. However, only works well when the wind dead aft. Wednesday saw rain and sun with a full moon then engine off and a nice beam reach for the fifth day at sea. About 50 mile from Porto Santo I was in the cockpit when we went aground! That familiar sensation when the boat suddenly slews to one side and rises forward, so common in Poole’s mud. Except we had 10,000 feet of ocean under us. The next moment a huge fluke splashed into the water on the starboard side soaking me then a bloody whirlpool as the whale dived behind us and two companions swam by. We think we sailed over a pilot whale that was sleeping on the surface. Quite a surprise for all concerned and I hope the whale was not too hurt. An hour later we saw land and were tied up in Porto Santo marina at 6pm. 500 miles, 5 days and 2 hours after leaving.

My highlights.

Pisces hauled out for a wash and service.

Impeller cracked in several places!

David and Terry for lunch.

Twistle rig (with David)...

This is composed of two high cut sails in heavy spinnaker material (blue) hoisted into the two Furlex groves which allows them to be furled up for stowage and reefing. To deploy twin poles are connected to a ‘universal joint’ which is held by an uphaul and downhaul just in front of the mast. The poles  are attached to the sail clews with outhauls and the rig deployed by pulling on the sheets from the cockpit.

No 3 on inner forestay with Twistle sails furled on forestay. 

Dawn at  sea

Porto Santo by bus

Marina

Beach

Windmill

Madeira (port)

Pisces wall painting