Hola La Palma

So - after a very enjoyable Christmas with a great Christmas Eve meal on board Dada Tux with Hansueli and Helen's excellent company plus a Christmas Day swim and several free music concerts - it was time to say goodbye to the delights of La Gomera and move on.

On 29th December we said goodbye to the fantastic staff at Marina La Gomera with hugs all round and an offer of anaesthetic to ease the pain of departure, Scruffbag and I prepared for a midnight sail. We set off a few minutes into 30th, motored into the outer harbour, hoisted the sails and set off. We had decided not to set a watch system but just to see how we felt as it was only 55 miles -  albeit all of them to windward. Just as well really as at 3 a.m. I was feeling extremely queasy and had to go below and lie down. Conscious that Scruffbag had not slept, I got up at 6a.m. to give him a break but I needed to take a bowl up with me. At 8a.m. , bowl full,  I had to call him up. He was amazed to notice that my suntan had disappeared and had been replaced with a ghastly pallor. Still - all's well that ends well and by midday we were tied up and ready to relax.

La Palma on first acquaintance is very green and verdant and the capital, Santa Cruz, where we are berthed, is much bigger and more cosmopolitan than San Sebastian de la Gomera. However, it is still very small and the houses are stunningly attractive with their bright colours and wooden balconies.

As in La Gomera, poinsettias were abundantly displayed for the Christmas season.

The day after our arrival was  New Year's Eve so we made some gin cocktails with the kit I bought Scruffbag for Christmas and we decided to go out at around 22.00 to see what was happening as we had seen the street bars and the music setting up in the afternoon and we knew from experience that the Canarians do not go out till later in the evening.

Well not this particular evening. By the time we got into town all the bars had closed, the bands had gone and there were a few remaining drunks worse for wear and party debris everywhere. We live and learn - as did our Norwegian neighbours. So we went back to the respective boats and sat in the cockpit drinking amaretto and coke. Scruffbag first footed - the boat being our home - and then we watched the firework display together.

So here's to a happy new year and to further exploration of this green island followed by more sailing in fair winds and more exploring of beautiful islands in the sun.