Log of the Island Spirit (MMSI 235113215) - Marina Lanzarote

17th March 2016
Meant to post this before sailing from Gib.

Thank you, to my buddies in Weymouth. Very moved

22nd March 2016

Back to work on the current novel

26th March 2016

My Easter Walk - Playa Arrecife

23rd April 2016
Today I got intimate with the ins and outs of my sea toilet. Symptoms were no wet-bowl flush, so prepared to take it apart to fit a new top valve and gasket. But on removing the sea-water input pipe, discovered a tiny fish had made its way up to the joint and wedged itself in there. You never stop learning on a boat. (The fish didn’t survive the experience).


This patchwork quilt was made for me 30 years ago by Tania Slaughter, with whom unfortunately I've lost contact.

14th May 2016
A bit blowy in Lanzarote today. The last time I rocked and rolled like this whilst alongside was in Tórshavn, Faroe Island, back in the 60's. Mind you, that was a frigate, not a 38 foot sailboat.

16th May 2016
Just had an extra-long session in the shoreside shower block; decontaminating myself after having to replace my broken toilet pump. What a palaver that was! At least I can now stow the piss bucket away again.



14th August 2016
Sunday Morning, 11am. Sitting in saloon having breakfast when came an almighty crunch, boat lurched over, and mucho expensive graunching sounds. Emerged from below to see this...





Schooner Bella Lucia in collision with moored yachts

A 100ft schooner lost steering and collided with my pontoon, wiping out two yachts. Luckily on t'other side of pontoon. Feeling very lucky this morning, but sorry for the two absentee owners.

10th September 2016
It’s been a relaxing six months here in Lanzarote. Arrecife is a lovely little town, uncompromisingly local, and virtually unspoilt by tourism. The town’s Spanish-ness has encouraged my learning of the language and I have to say I’m quietly pleased with my progress. I still find it often quite difficult to understand the rapid-fire vernacular, but at least I know how to ask them to slow down. I’ve spent many a fine evening eating and drinking on El Chaco; a waterfront strip of bars and restaurants where the Spanish locals like to wine and dine with their families, often with outdoor entertainment and even sometimes with spectacular firework displays. Being Spanish of course, means that after the three-hour lunchtime buzz everything goes quiet until around six, and doesn’t really get going again until after eight. At weekends no one seems to need sleep and nothing closes before 2am, some bars continuing until dawn. Despite that, nobody seems to get drunk; it’s just an endless riot of chatter and laughter and dancing. It wears me out just watching them. But I also feel a little ashamed of the contrast with Costa del Little Britain a few miles down the coast. You know what I mean – I won’t dwell on it.

The Marina itself is smart and well run, and cheaper than most others in the Islands. It has a smattering of bars and restaurants, clothes shops, and even a small chandlery (the town has two bigger and better ones, as well as sailmakers, marine engineering and various boat-related specialists.) A plethora of nationalities form the boating community here, Dutch, Belgian, German, Americans, Spanish, Portuguese, various species of Scandinavians, and of course, Brits. I’ve made quite a few new friends, but of course, many come and go. I expect to meet up with some of them again on my cruising of the Islands.

Fellow Sailors at Arrecife Yacht Club - Reception for Atlantic Crossers hosted by Jimmy Cornell (left)

I managed to get 72,000 words into the latest novel, but there’s still a long way to go – I doubt it’ll be ready to publish this year. As usual the boat has continued to demand my attention. Whilst here I rewired the power system and navionics, installed a new voltmeter, replaced all my lighting with LED’s, deflated and stowed the dinghy, fixed the solar panel regulator, upgraded my gas system, replaced the toilet pump, and bought some new fishing gear.

I also managed a fortnight back in UK to visit Sis and her family, my children and grandchildren (most of them anyway) and family and friends in Yorkshire, Warwickshire and Weymouth. It was wonderful to see them all again, but I found the driving exhausting and the traffic quite terrifying; why is everyone in such a hurry? Give me four to seven knots any day.

So now the time has come to up sticks and get out of here – the sea beckons. Just stored ship ready to sail next Thursday. I’ve still to work out my detailed navplan, but here’s the outline:

AM Thursday 15th Sep – sail Arrecife bound for Los Cristianos on southern tip of Tenerife.
PM – call in at Puerto Calero for fuel
Overnight sailing
PM Friday 16th – Drop anchor somewhere off F. Ventura – swim, eat and sleep.
Midnight – ish. Weigh anchor for Overnight Sailing.
PM Saturday 17th – Drop anchor somewhere off G. Canaria – swim, eat and sleep.
Midnight – ish. Weigh anchor for Overnight Sailing.
PM Sunday 18th – Berth alongside at Los Cristianos
AM Monday 19th – Haul out – 2 days for bottom clean and antifoul
PM Tuesday 20th – Lift in and berth alongside
PM Wednesday 21st – Sail for Las Palmas, G. Canaria
AM Thursday 22nd – intention to berth alongside Las Palmas but availability uncertain.
AM Sunday 25th – Sail Las Palmas for La Graciosa
PM Monday 26th – Caleta del Sebo, La Graciosa. – Remain 3 days to explore this beautiful island.
AM Friday 30th – Sail Caleta del Sebo – Destination TBD.
Friday 14th Oct – Arrive Rubicon Marina, Lanzarote
Thursday 20th Oct – Crewman Nigel (my brother-in-law) arrives from UK
Occasional day sailing for crew shakedown.
Saturday 29th October – Sail for La Palma (Santa Cruz)
Will depart SW around 17th November…
Plan A. Directly to Grenada – sail time approx. 21 days
Plan B. To Mindelo, Sao Vincente, C. Verde Is – sail time approx. 6 days, then 17 days to Grenada.

That's all for now folks - I'll post once more before sailing, and then updates whenever I get a connection. Please give your reaction below, feel free to leave a comment, and share on social media. Thanks for reading.