Fuerteventura

After a lovely few days at Isla de Lobos it was time to move on again. This cruising lifestyle involves a constant series of departures from just discovered harbours for new ones. Usually, we feel ready to move on but it would, in many respects, have been nice to stay at Isla de Lobos for a bit longer. However, we have a looming deadline to be in Las Galletas, Tenerife in just over two weeks and we want to make the most of Fuerteventura. Also, the ground swell had increased which, while not causing us to roll at all, was breaking impressively on the reefs. I tried photographing it but waves always look less impressive through the lens than they do in life.

The sail down to Puerto de Rosario, the capital of Fuerteventura was mostly quite pleasant except for the unexpected wind shift into the south-east as documented before. We were treated to a small school of dolphins at one point but they seemed to be busy fishing and didn't have time to play with any passing boats.

We were initially rather cagey about the anchorage here as the brisk south easterly we had been beating into was pushing a nice slop into the harbour but it dropped with the setting of the sun and we are very comfortable now.

Socialising has been very full of wine as Stuart and Karen from Pampero are also anchored here. It has been very enjoyable comparing notes with someone in a similar boat and with similar plans.

The town itself is not very prepossessing. That sad, we have not done a great deal of exploring but you can see that this is a much poorer island than Lanzarote. The contrast with the mainland is also quite striking even in the poorest parts of Andalucia. We will not spend all the rest of our time here but will move onto either the only real marina here called Gran Tarajal or to an anchorage just to the east of there called Las Playitas.

This afternoon was enlivened when they held a race for the local class of lateen rigged boat. These are based on a traditional local design which used to be used for fishing and whaling. Now, they race them. The finish line was just past our stern and the people on the committee boat invited us round for "paella" later on.

Stuart and Karen from Pampero were also quite keen to go and I was able to act as interpreter though I never cease to get depressed at how bad my Spanish has become. The boats are fascinating being strip planked double enders which a huge lateen rig.

They have a website here

For the non yottie geek, a double ender is one where the stern is the same shape as the bow and a lateen rig is one where the sail is set on a long pole along it's leading edge which is supported by a short mast. The wifi here is not really up to uploading photos so there is only the one picture for now but I will put some more up soon.