We’ve arrived…. motoring for 24 hours to start with was not an ideal way to begin the last 300 mile stretch (as Sally mentioned I think). Thankfully the wind moved around to the East and we could sail from the second morning. We managed then to sail for the remaining couple of hundred miles down to the Canaries, entering a very large, busy commercial port in darkness last night.

We moored up on the fuel berth to be first in the morning to get a tankful - 170lt. The last one for some weeks, even months I hope, unless we need to refill after going down to Cape Verde.

We arrived a day early for the ARC+ administration so we don’t have an official berth to go to here. After check-in with the port authorities early morning today though, they agreed we could stay on an adjacent berth to the fuel pontoon. Result. 

We raised the ARC+ flag on arrival, joining what is looking like quite a big fleet here already of all boats of all sizes from the mega 70ft yachts to more modest 30ft ones. The ARC fleet when all assembled is over 200. 

We’ve had a chill day today (at least this afternoon), cleaned the boat inside and out, been for a quick reconnaissance of the local facilities, laundry, bars (all the usual!!).

Dinner ashore tonight to celebrate our succesful 2500 mile odyssey from UK to Canaries before Nigel and I head off on the ARC+ with the new crew (to be introduced in the next couple of weeks).

Once we’ve all recovered a bit, we’ll all do a bit more blogging to reflect on the experience. 

Simon

Editor’s note: Sally’s dream was in fact reality. The ‘expensive’ torch ‘fell’ (was not thrown) out of my gilet pocket during my night watch. It’s a man overboard device, so actually floats and starts flashing a very bright strobe light. This made it very easy to find, but picking up, even when alongside it, was really quite hard. Thankfully, Nigel managed to snag it with the boat hook and bring it inboard. Situation saved, together with my £100+ torch!!! so we know that the float and strobe function works - Man overboard device, test complete.