Starblazer - Starblazer has arrived in the Canaries

From Porto Santo, where we met fellow ARC boats Edelweiss and Tumbledown Wind, we made our way to Madeira, taking advantage of the gentle wind to fly the cruising chute again. We spent one night at anchor because the marina was full, before getting a berth for several days. A hire car is a necessity to get the most from a visit to Madeira. On day one we went for a Levada walk, really gentle and peaceful. Even John said it was a good walk and he doesn't like walking! The second day we visited Funchal then had afternoon tea at Reids Palace Hotel. It was absolutely lovely, I could get used to this gracious living.

The Canaries beckoned and we had a fairly frustrating trip Tenerife. Day one we sailed surprisingly quickly in very little wind, again using the cruising chute until the wind came forward. Eventually the engine went on as the wind died to nothing and we motored the rest of the way. Boring.

We made landfall in the Marina de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, right within the commercial harbour but walking distance to the city centre. We met up with Edelweiss again and numerous non ARC boats. Our visit here was largely to suss out the lie of the land as our granddaughter joins us there for half term. We left on Wednesday to spend a few days on La Gomera. In 2009 we visited La Graciosa, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

La Gomera is a lovely island and its capital, San Sebastian, is delightful. We went on a guagua, pronounced wawa and meaning bus, inland to the national park, then onwards to Valle Gran Rey on the other side of the island. I should mention the walk to the Altos de Garojonay, the highest point on the island. We had a lovely view of the inside of a cloud! Starblazer is moored alongside Starship, another ARC boat. It is an Austrian flagged family boat which, four years ago, we met in Porto Santo under another name and different ownership but a family boat doing the ARC.

Tomorrow we return to Tenerife to get ready to meet Chloe.

N.B. earlier posts from Starblazer have appeared on the ARC Portugal log page.