The Canary Islands on the Map. Yacht. Holidays. Tenerife. Gran Canaria

The Canary Islands on the Map. A Remote Overseas Territory of Spain Although the Canary Islands are geographically not Europe at all, but rather Africa, Spanish rule determines that they belong to Europe. And they are its southernmost point :). The Canary Islands lie almost a thousand kilometres from mainland Spain, at 28 degrees north latitude in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 400 miles from Morocco (West Africa). Entry to the islands is permitted with a Schengen visa. In 2015, our crew spent four months here with no visa at all >> :). The Canary Islands. Prevailing Winds and Sailing Routes. The Islands of Eternal Spring The poetic name of the Canaries is meant to convey the idea that the islands are neither cold nor hot all year round. The climate of the Canary Islands is considered the most favourable in the world. It is slightly cooler in winter and warmer in summer, and almost always windy and sunny. On the very same day, you can roast in the sun, get caught in a cold cyclone, and even have a snowball fight, depending on your altitude and which side of the island you are on. In the opening lines of its entry on the Canaries, Wikipedia says that the archipelago consists of seven islands! It does correct itself later, though. Because in addition to the seven large islands—Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro—the Canary Archipelago also includes several smaller uninhabited islands and the inhabited, wonderfully atmospheric La Graciosa. Tenerife, view of the Los Gigantes cliffs Every island has a character of its own Lanzarote is covered in lava fields with caves containing lakes with snow-white little crabs, as well as high-tech restaurants and concert halls seamlessly built into volcanic caverns. Fuerteventura is the island most devoted to beaches and kitesurfing. There is so much sand that you might as well get around by camel :), while dozens of kites in every colour soar on the air currents along the beaches. Tenerife has many faces, luxuriant nature and rugged canyons. It is where most of the social life takes place. The largest island. Gran Canaria vies with Tenerife for first place. It is rather dry and crowded. Maspalomas has its own little piece of the Sahara—yellow Saharan dust carried across the ocean has formed dunes so large that you could shoot a desert film here. La Gomera—cosy and lush green on its upper slopes—served as a brief haven for Christopher Columbus. La Palma is the most magically lush and curly of them all, with cave tunnels and the most fairy-tale little houses. El Hierro is lifeless along its shores and astonishing on its upper plateaus, with level Alpine pastures, fields of poppies and grazing cows. El Hierro, La Restinga Marina The first of the Canary Islands—Lanzarote with La Graciosa, and Fuerteventura—rose from the depths of the sea as a result of volcanic eruptions around 20 million years ago. The other islands followed. The youngest in the archipelago are La Palma and El Hierro, which are around 8 million years old. The islands have some five hundred volcanoes and natural parks both above and below the water. There are open-air museums and a volcanology centre. El Hierro is crossed by the prime meridian of the Middle Ages. The island was considered the edge of the earth, so longitude was measured from here. Transport Between the Islands Every large island has an airport. The airports on Tenerife (two airports, north and south), Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are international. Local airlines fly between the islands, and there are ferries and high-speed boats. The Ocean It is cool all year round (water temperature 20–23 degrees Celsius). High waves are common. The beaches are predominantly black and volcanic. To savour all the delights of the archipelago, you are strongly advised not to spend all your time on the beach or propping up the bar: you’ll miss all the best bits. Make sure you venture into the islands’ interiors. Southern coast of Tenerife Stories from the Canaries, adventures, peculiarities of local life and culture, useful information and lots of photos: Most Popular: Marinas and Anchorages of the Canary Islands Reference information. The Canary Islands. Marinas and anchorages we visited between February 2015 and March 2016. Prices are per day for a 40-foot yacht. Information updated. On the Canaries and Gardens of Eden We managed to slip from Gran Canaria to Tenerife before the storm. The marina staff actually congratulated us on it. A fellow dashed out to meet our yacht in San Miguel Marina What the Canaries Have in Common with the Wild West. La Graciosa The first inhabited island on our route was La Graciosa. They say around 500 people live permanently on the island. Three hundred of them catch fish. The rest entertain tourists. The latter arrive by ferry from neighbouring Lanzarote. Where Did the Indigenous People of the Canary Islands Go? Guinea Ecomuseum on El Hierro. When we first became interested in the history of the Canary Islands, long ago, we read a little about the Guanches, who according to one theory were descendants of the Atlanteans. They were tall, broad-shouldered people with light-coloured eyes and reddish The Canary Islands. All Our Posts: Meeting Whales in the Atlantic and Other Tales of Life Aboard a Yacht How, before our voyage to Africa, we spent a month practising self-sufficient life aboard the yacht, played with whales between the Canary Islands and enjoyed the comforts of the marina on La Gomera The Canary Carnival. 4 Facts and Lots of Photos The carnival on Tenerife. Getting There. The main event of the Canary Carnival caught us on the island of Tenerife. During the carnival, the best way to travel from San Miguel in the south to the capital in the north-east of the island is by bus Borscht Aboard the Yacht and Looking Dashing and Daft )) Moving aboard the yacht, stocking up on food and preparing to sail. This week is devoted to packing, rearranging and drying the lockers, sorting the food supplies, and pouring kilograms of grains and flour into 6-litre plastic bottles 10 Observations from 4 Days of Moving Aboard the Yacht. On Friends The Lady Mary crew has returned to the yacht. Somehow, I’ve been lucky with friends. I have no idea why they do it, but... Setting Up a Vegetable Garden on a Sailing Yacht And what are we going to eat out on the ocean? Besides tinned food, we’ll be eating our own produce (well, “eating” may be a bit strong... having it as a snack :)). Provided, of course, I don’t forget to bring dill and parsley seeds, Ready, Steady, Go!—The Race Across the Atlantic The race across the Atlantic. The start of the Atlantic Race for Cruisers transatlantic rally (ARC 2015) from Gran Canaria is scheduled for 22 November. The maxi yachts will cover the 2,700 miles to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia in approximately two weeks. The Captain’s Birthday Today is the captain’s birthday. As it happens, our crew has not yet managed to reunite for the long voyage. And Andrey, like a true old sea dog, is celebrating his birthday alone. Around Gran Canaria. The Captain’s Travel Notes The passage from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Puerto Mogán was hot and almost windless. Only the head sea, left by two weeks of southerly winds unusual for the Canaries, hammered the stem rather inhospitably. The Charm of Unhurried Travel The captain’s notes. What is the charm of unhurried travel? You do not have to rush anywhere every day to keep up with a sightseeing itinerary you invented yourself. How We Got Fresh Water. Illegally After spending five days at anchor near the town of Mogán in the south of Gran Canaria, we decided to fill up with water at the marina. We simply came over in the dinghy with our own hose and jerrycans and pulled up at the pontoon. The Canary Islands. On Storms and Strong Winds... How We Rescued Our Belongings, and Then Got Rescued Ourselves Strong winds in the Canary Islands are nothing unusual. When you live aboard a sailing yacht with children, something may blow into the sea. It is fine if it is only a dress. Waiting for the Storm The weather forecast promised winds strengthening to storm force. At times like this, it is important not to leave the yacht unattended at anchor and to be ready either to put to sea or to drop a second anchor Lanzarote. How We Were Blown Out of an Anchorage First mate’s diary, 10 May 2015. Rumour had it that the southernmost marina on Lanzarote was terribly expensive. The rumours proved true, and within just 15 minutes the smiling, stunningly handsome dockhand was casting us off again Past the Isle of Buyan, Into the Realm of the Glorious... How the Captain and Lady Mary Sailed from Morocco to the Canaries Part 3, the conclusion. Approaching land after an offshore passage really does give you a nervous feeling. Not “oh, land at last!” nerves, but rather, “Let’s hope we don’t miss the sea and drive straight into The Canary Islands. El Hierro Christmas with an International Yachting Crowd Who are all these people, and where did they come from on their yachts—the people roasting a ram on a spit on Christmas night at La Restinga Marina on El Hierro? The captain’s notes Drying Our Oars for Christmas Sanding and painting, and electrical problems on the eve of Christmas Eve. From the captain’s letter. El Hierro. When I hauled the yacht out for sanding and painting, I breathed a sigh of relief that we didn’t have a catamaran. I’m drying the boat ashore. Why Mum Taught Us to Tell the Truth Even at the Edge of the Earth. It’s a Small World “...And what are we going to tell her?” “We’ll say we’ve lost something.” “What, we’ll all go and look for it together?” “No, I’m out. You go; I’ll wait here for you. I’ll cover you from the rear.” Mum Was Right: Lying Is Bad. The Continuation of the Story That Began Yesterday When we reached the bus station, we found it open and empty, like the entire town. According to the timetable on the wall, the next bus would not come until tomorrow. La Restinga Marina, where our home is berthed, is 40 km away. You See Places Like This in Films The northern coast of El Hierro. Hotel Punta Grande. When we pulled up beside a small, austere building of volcanic stone, we had no idea that it was Punta Grande—the smallest hotel in the world El Hierro. The Westernmost Lighthouse in Europe Beyond it, there is only the ocean. Before Columbus, people believed this lighthouse stood on the boundary between worlds, the known and the unknown. The prime meridian of the Middle Ages runs through here. El Hierro. Sunset by Hand, or Why Sailors Need an Anchor Windlass The art of travel is the art of changing plans. In the morning, as is customary in the Canaries, the wind suddenly shifted to the opposite direction from the evening before. It happened right in the middle of making breakfast. El Hierro. Welcome to the Edge of the Earth At 1:45 on 9 April, Lady Mary cast off from La Palma Marina and, with a steady light beam reach, set course for the island of El Hierro—the very edge of the earth The Canary Islands. La Palma Leaving for the Edge of the Earth Tonight we set sail for El Hierro, the edge of the earth in the pre-Columbian age. The crew of Lady Mary devoted their farewell stroll around La Palma to the capital city of Santa Cruz de La Palma. La Palma: Searching for a Quiet Haven and Life on the Bottom As they clocked up the kilometres by car around La Palma, the captain and first mate never gave up hope of anchoring off the island. In search of a suitable bay, they drove around the south. Fishing villages on black rocks, trailers, La Isla Bonita. Continued La Palma is one of the highest islands in the world relative to its area (third, I think). Its highest mountain, Roque de los Muchachos, rises to 2,425 metres. La Isla Bonita Up at 4 a.m., and just fifteen minutes later we weigh anchor and leave Masca for La Palma. 52 miles, and so far a dead calm. The Canary Islands. Tenerife Yacht Children On Tenerife, in Las Galletas Marina, we met a well-lived-in cruising yacht flying the Dutch flag. Awnings, vegetables and fruit in nets beneath the solar panels, a grill hanging over the stern, and the smell of homemade soup... Tenerife. Masca for the Whole Family. Continued. At night, a little light burned in Masca. Earlier that evening, through the binoculars, we had spotted a fine young fellow with a camera and tripod. For some reason, he had not returned to the mainland and had spent the night under the open sky. Tenerife. Masca for the Whole Family We try to avoid places overrun by tourists. But some are simply must-sees because of their wondrous beauty. Masca Gorge and the village of the same name are considered the most picturesque places on Tenerife. Tenerife. How Our “Dinghy” Went Looking for Caves The sullen wind roams about with the clouds. Nastya has settled down to her schoolwork, while we set off from Masca to Los Gigantes in the dinghy (a small motorboat, also known as a tender) to look for our friends from a Russian yacht The Island That Isn’t There Prologue... The Canary Islands are generally considered to number seven. Tourist websites add, with due political correctness, seven large ones. La Graciosa—a small Canary Island—has internet access and around 500 permanent residents. The Diamond Arm, or Why Tourists Need Medical Insurance Gran Canaria, 2012. Medical insurance. All the photos except the first show the beauty of the Canary Islands, bear no relation whatsoever to the content of this report, and were taken a week later with the one arm that was not in plaster. Slipped, fell... Visa Matters for Sailors, Separately: Formalities, or Rather the Lack of Them, in the Canaries Useful for those travelling by sea. As we expected, no one is particularly interested in whether sailors have visas (so far, on this side of the Atlantic). In three days on La Graciosa, we never managed to Formalities, or Rather the Lack of Them: Leaving the Canaries Without a Visa Leaving the Canaries without a visa. The departure procedure from Spain’s island territories deserves a story of its own. Over the past week, we left the Canaries and reached Morocco. Our port of exit was Arrecife on the island of Lanzarote. The Canaries Without a Visa. More on the Subject Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. The other day, like a law-abiding newly arrived citizen, I went to register my arrival at the immigration service’s port office. Locally, the Policia Frontiera.