19 October to 23 October 2022
Anchorages: Playa de Grand Tarajal and Morro Jable
Marinas: 0
It is time to explore more of what the Canary Islands offer. There are seven islands consisting of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro, and we would like to see them all. In this edition, we explore the eastern coast of Fuerteventura.
Fellow sailors have given us many valuable tips, one of which is purchasing Imray’s Atlantic Islands by A. H. Frin, H. Keatinge, and L.L. Thornton. The book covers practical information on the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Azores, Madeira, Spain, Portugal, and Bermuda. It is a treasure chest filled with available anchorages, where to shelter in high winds, marina information, and each island’s general culture and economics. Based on the route we want to take to explore the islands, we head for Isla de Lobos, tucked between the southern tip of Lanzarote and north of Fuerteventura. Parque Natural de las Dunas has been a nature reserve for the last 30 years.
We set sail for the island at 09:30 and, by 13:00, reached our destination. We soon realize that the anchorage is too busy, and due to a heavy swell, all the masts are moving like pendulums, and dinghies are struggling to land. As in the life of sailing, thought-out plans only sometimes work out, and you need to have a plan B or C.
Plan B, we head for an anchorage off Gran Tarajal on Fuerteventura. The anchorage is approximately 8 hours away, and we ponder whether we are happy to anchor at night. Since starting our adventure, we have yet to anchor at night and have made it a much bigger deal than it should be. But we are full-time sailors now, and night-time anchoring should be one of the last things we should fear.
The coastline down the eastern part of Fuerteventura combines barren land, black cliffs, and clusters of holiday villas. On route, we spot the strangest looking dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, sometimes referred to as grey dolphins. Their bulbous heads and pale white and grey bodies are spectacular. As juveniles, they are dark in colour, but their colour changes to lighter hues as they age.
By 22:00, we arrive at our anchorage, Playa de Grand Tarajal. There are only two other boats anchored. After setting the anchor and adjusting the bridal (an additional rope attached to the anchor chain and bow to relieve the strain on the anchor), we open a drink and enjoy our surroundings.
At night, the village looks like a Spanish village somewhere in Galicia. The roadside lights give the appearance of beige villas and intertwining roads. As we sit and appreciate our first night at anchor, our drinks bounce about as the swell rocks our boat from side to side. We tuck in and look forward to exploring this part of the Canaries. By 03:00, Sander and I have not had a minute rest due to the constant rocking. This is not the typical soft rock that will send you to dreamland within minutes, but the type that flings your body from one end of the bed to the opposite. Sander and I are bouncing against one another in the most unnatural rhythm. It is time to leave and consider Plan C.
We head for an anchorage south of Fuerteventura called Morro Jable. We set off in the dark, and by dawn, the shoreline lights up with white villas and beaches.
By 09:30, we reach our anchorage. Holiday villas surround the bay, and the colossal dune towering above the long stretch of white beaches. The water is the turquoise colour we had dreamt of, and you can see down to the sea floor. There is a flurry of rays and tropical fish swimming beneath. And to top this all off, we notice that there are a couple of boats with children (finally, potential friends for the kids) on them.
I need to add here that some sailors can be darn right knobs.
We pick a spot to anchor, and sadly, our anchor does not set between the sand and rock, so we attempt a second time further off the bay. This could go better, too, and we head back to our first spot. By this point, most sailors have conveniently placed themselves in their cockpits to watch the drama unfold. I could hand them some popcorn at this rate. While we struggle, we kindly wave to some of the surrounding boats at anchor, and without a change of expression, they stare at you…what sort of sailors are these?
We are cross with the situation by this point and ponder whether we should stay. As we are about to drop the anchor a third time, another captain on his boat shouts out to us that his anchor is below us and that we should move. There is an issue if this is the case, as the chains of the two boats might tangle, and we would end up bashing into one another. But this is not the case. We point out that we do not see his anchor, and based on how his boat and the other boats are lying, his anchor would be in the opposite direction. But this numpty has taken it upon himself to claim a triple swing area for his ship and his kids to paddle board about…we will not be friends, mister.
As we are a friendly boat (this will be the last time), we move back to the end of the anchorage and drop our anchor. Luckily she catches, and you watch as all the spectators resume their daily activities and head down below.
To ensure the anchor is set correctly, we hop into the water, snorkel above the anchor, and observe. She is set, and now we can also commence our day. It will be a film and a chill day on the boat—no rocking about and some well-deserved sleep.
During our stay in Rubicon, we met a couple and their son who set sail this year and are also planning to cross to the Caribbean. They are also anchored here, and we plan to meet the following day.
After a tour of both boats (which is very important in solidifying the sailing friendship, as now we have talking points), we all head to the village. Here, we get a proper taste of Morro Jable and its large community of German tourists.
As we near the shore, we notice nudists all around. This is not just women without tops; no, no, it is mainly men dangling about. It is hard to figure out where to look, and very overwhelming for Sander as he spots a man defying the laws of gravity.
As we reach the beach, another sailor helps Sander bring the dinghy onto the beach. His wife grabs me and hands me an ice-cold Gin and Tonic…what is this? Never have we been this welcomed by random sailors.
This couple also travels to the Caribbean and has a daughter about Ava’s age. And then we bump into another family with their four children. How is this possible? Is this where all the sailing families have been hiding out?
We now have a cluster of sailors and their wild children wandering the beach toward the closest restaurant. It is a spectacular evening, sharing horror stories and the daily tasks of sailing with children. We all instantly get along and decide that the evening should not end in a restaurant but on one of the sailboats.
We head over to a catamaran, and the party continues.
I have to think back at when we did not have a boat, how we longed for a sailor to invite us aboard their ship for viewing, but no such luck. Then you find your boat, and still, you feel like an outsider. And then, finally, loads of captains welcome you aboard for some reason (not by the clothing brands you wear, the way you style your hair, or the size of your boat). It starts with a chat, a viewing, a drink, and then a bond for life (here’s to you, Sue and Grant, Dave, Pete and Anita, Rob, Darren and Claira, Bruce and Alex, Matty, Eric and Els, Angelique and Alexander, Tommy, Dirk and Els, Dave and Kim, Verrity and Anthony, R and M, Margot and Jurk, Mark and Jona ).
The following day, the kids and I head for the beach while Sander does some maintenance on the boat. Again, we are met by many a naked body. I will add here that I have no issue with nudists; I have just been overwhelmed by the sheer amount. We run up and down the dune, swim after fish in the waves, and get covered in sand. It is a beautiful day, and I wish each of you would be here with us.
We last saw Sander’s parents in Vigo bay almost three months ago. They are currently in Tenerife, a day and a half sail away. This way of life allows us to lift our anchor and move when and where we want to. It is time for a surprise, as they only expect us later in the week. The wind will die a few days from now, and today will be our only opportunity to set sail.
A new plan is hatched, and Sander comes to pick us up from the shore. He looks like a James Bond character speeding to shore. As he lands the dinghy, one of the nudists takes it upon themselves to ask questions about our way of life. Watching Sander’s facial expression and uncomfortable body language is an exceptionally surreal moment. All said and done; we leave for Susie Jane and our next stop in Tenerife.
If you were ever to find yourself in Fuerteventura (Morro Jable), prepare for white sandy beaches, easy rolling waves, rays and coral fish, and loads of examples of the human body.
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