We spent almost a full month at Las Palmas at it was high time to leave. After filling up with diesel we left Marina Las Palmas a quarter past one in the afternoon.

Nice sailing, close hauled, at first but after a few hours the wind died and we had to motor towards Marina Rubicon. We tied up to the reception pontoon just after seven a´clock in the morning.

Rubicon is rather touristy but the marina is very nice.

The Papagayo beach is just an hour walk away and we went there for a swim a couple of times.

Our jib furler has not worked properly for some time now so we contacted the boatyard here in Rubicon and they dissembled the furler and took it apart. The bearings had collapsed completely. So a new furler was ordered from Germany.

While waiting for the spare parts we hired a car for two days and went around the island, visiting most of the interesting places. When the new furler arrived at last the boatyard did not have time to mount it so we had to do that ourselves.

We rented a car one more time and went to La Geria, the wine district, tried and bought some wine.

We also made a visit to Timanfaya national park.

We also went to Arricife by bus a couple of times to do some shopping and to visit friends in the marina.

Sailed distance 98,6 nautical miles

We were heading for Lanzarote but the wind was stronger than forecasted and more on the nose so after a few hours of uncomfortable sailing we decided to go for plan B, changed course and headed for Las Palmas instead.

Instead of arriving at Lanzarote in broad daylight we arrived at Marina Las Palmas in the middle of the night. A lot of lights from the city and very difficult to see the entrance to the marina but with GPS and plotters that’s no problem.

We were lucky to get a berth right away and did not have to anchor first, waiting for an available spot.

Las Palmas is a busy city, a lot of people and a lot of traffic. The old town is really nice and so is the beach Las Canteras.

We went for walks and even bicycle rides.

In December when we were in Puerto Rico it was impossible to rent a car but now we rented a car twice and went up in the mountains, went hiking and looking at almond trees.

Of course there were a lot of socialising with other yachties and some boat maintenance. Marina Las Palmas is a very sheltered, has good service and is cheap. Some boats never leave…

Sailed distance 62,0 nautical miles

We did not feel finished with Tenerife so we decided to go back, we also had some friends comings to Tenerife for a weeks holiday and we were looking forward seeing them. It was a lot easier to get a marina berth when most boats heading for the Carabien had left the Canaries.

We left Puerto Rico at first light the second of January. No wind so we motored towards Santa Cruz.

A couple of miles outside the harbour we were boarded by the Spanish customs for a routine check.

We arrived at Marina Santa Cruz well before dark.

There is a lot to see in Tenerife and we started by exploring the nice city of Santa Cruz.

Annika went to the botanical garden “Palmetum” while I was doing some work onboard.

The market Nuestra senora de Africa is really nice and we went there many times to shop and to have lunch in the fish market.

One day we took a bicycle trip to the fishing harbour, the village San Andrés and the beach Playa de Las Teresitas.

We took the bus to Puerto Santa Cruz to meet our friends and they came to us and stayed overnight, we really had a good time together. There are a lot of hiking paths on Tenerife and some were easily reached by bus.

We rented a car twice and went round the island and went for a hike to Teide.

La Laguna, the old capital was only a tram ride away, nice streets and old buildings.

We spent 3 weeks in Tenerife and there are still many things left to see and still places left to see.

Sailed distance 51,9 nautical miles.

Our children and grand children was planning to go to Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria for Christmas. To visit us and to celebrate Christmas together.

We left Marina San Miguel at dawn, 2 reefs in the main and the heavy weather jib. Close hauled on port tack and we were doing good progress towards Puerto Rico.

When we got close to Gran Canaria the wind died and we had to motor the last miles. We arrived at Puerto Rico about half past 4 in the afternoon.

Puerto Rico is a holiday resort with nothing but hotels, a big and very touristy shopping centre, a beach, a marina and lots of tourists but the climate here is excellent.

Our family arrived the 18^th of December and we had a wonderful week together.

The rest of our stay we went for excursions to Las Palmas, Maspalomas and nearby villages and some hikes.

Sailed distance 51,9 nautical miles.

We left Las Galletas after just one night, motoring to the nearby very sheltered Marina San Miguel.

San Miquel is just a golf resort and a marina but the nearby village San Blas is in walking distance, just a few kilometres away. We went for walks and a hike to Las Galletas, nice views and the path along the sea at Montana Amarilla was spectacular.

At the restaurant Alecrim we had one of the best meals, eating out, since we left Sweden.

Sailed distance 3,6 nautical miles.