Canary Islands – Challenges and Highlights of Sailing the Atlantic

What are the typical qualities of a sailboat constitution in the Canary Islands?

The Canary Islands type an archipelago of seven principal islands and six islets. They are an autonomous region of Spain with two provinces: Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife with the capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The Canaries delight in mild weather all year spherical. The seashores are attractive. There are remarkable normal sights like the dunes of Maspalomas on Gran Canaria and Mount Teide on Tenerife which is the world´s 3rd biggest volcano measured from its foundation on the ocean ground. The landscapes are pretty diverse based on the geographical spot. You can find volcanoes, mountains, substantial dunes, pine forests, laurel forests, jungle, desert, banana plantations, orchards, vineyards and a great deal much more.

The marine wildlife is breathtaking. You can location whales, dolphins, logger head turtles, porpoises, and many others. Also on land there is ample and very special flora and fauna.

The Canary Islands have a pretty very good website traffic community. All islands have an airport, the greatest becoming Gran Canaria Airport. Tenerife even has two, just one in the South and one particular in the North. The major ports are Las Palmas on Gran Canaria, Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Port of Los Christianos in southern Tenerife. Superior streets allow you to go for land excursions and there are also ferries and rapidly ferries linking the islands together.

Local delicacies and society is really intriguing. The islands have been a halting level for lots of sailors ahead of an Atlantic crossing all over the hundreds of years. So you come upon numerous museums that notify you about this loaded historical past.

Some figures regarding a yacht constitution in the Canaries:

Spot: North East Atlantic Ocean, 27° – 29° N, 14° – 18° W ca. 100 – 500 km west of Africa / off the southernmost Moroccan coast

Key islands major to smallest: Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro

Total length of shoreline: 1,500 km

Total surface spot: 7,493 km²

Best issue: Mount Teide, 3,718 m

Inhabitants: ca. 2,105,000

State code: +34

Climate: Subtropical and desertic, moderated by the sea and the trade winds

Tidal range: up to 2/2.5 m

What are the most well-known charter places and cruising grounds in the Canary Islands?

The distances between all the diverse Canary Islands are larger than in the Balearics, for illustration, so you get to expend a lot more time at open up sea during crossings. Longitudinally they are organized along a stretch of 450 km. Winds can funnel involving the islands and the anchorages aren´t that safeguarded. Also the length concerning mooring possibilities is significantly much larger than in other sailing grounds in the Mediterranean. So it has to be stated that a yacht charter in the Canaries is relatively for additional skilled sailors than for a household sailing vacation.

Head to Fuerteventura wherever you obtain beautiful beaches and dramatic rocky volcanic landscape. The Port of Gran Tarajal has 258 moorings for yachts up to 100 m. It presents all kinds of products and services which include a journey carry and is near to the nearest airport. Anchor at Ajuy village on the west coast to see the black sands of Caleta Negra, for instance. From in this article sail to Lanzarote with its distinctive landscapes and lots of craters. On the way end at Los Lobos, a little island and national park. The length between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote is only about 9 NM. For any providers head to the Marina Lanzarote that can host 400 boats up to 60 m.

Sail the approx. 57 NM length from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria. The island features a high diversity of landscape from desert to jungle and mountains. Deep sea fishing is excellent there. Head to El Cabron Maritime Reserve for great diving. You can moor up in the Intercontinental Port of Las Palmas, the 1st Mid-Atlantic port that was constructed and the most important one in Spain. It has 850 berths for boats up to 45 m and is recognized as the great Atlantic gasoline station. A large assortment of solutions is at your disposal if want be.

Tenerife, about 38 NM absent, is the greatest island in the Canaries and has 336 km of shoreline. Admire the famed Mount Teide from the sea. There are wonderful beach locations to cruise together and set anchor. Santa Cruz Marina in the most important city has 300 berths for boats up to 80 m greatest and a total assortment of nautical expert services. In excess of time is has been utilised as a port of contact for a lot of regattas and is the final halting stage for quite a few boats before their Atlantic crossing. From Tenerife it is only about 20 NM to La Gomera which has the shortest length of coastline with 97 km.

You will need to sail about 37 NM from La Gomera to La Palma, the greenest of all islands. It characteristics stunning lava fields and presents quite a few magnificent bays to anchor, swim and snorkel.

El Hierro, the southwesternmost and most distant island lies about 39 NM absent from La Gomera. It is a lot more deserted than the other islands and you face substantially extra unspoilt nature and can practical experience incredibly tranquil cruising.

What kind of weather conditions can you assume on a bareboat charter trip in the Canaries?

In basic principle there are two main seasons. A dry year in summer months and a wet year in winter season. The primary constitution holiday getaway period can take place in the European and North American wintertime months from October to April when the trade winds subside. The Sirocco – a desert wind from East or South brings wonderful African Sahara sand with it. Winds can be funnelling concerning the islands, so very good sailing capabilities are necessary. The westernmost islands of La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro have a diverse weather owing to the moist gulf stream main to extra rainfall and lusher landscape with rain forests and many others.

Temporary recap of the climate for sailing charter Canary Islands:

Regular temperature superior: August, 29°

Normal temperature low: January / February 15°

Normal precipitation significant: December 30 – 40 mm, dependent on the island

Typical precipitation lower: July / August .2 mm

Strongest winds: Northeast trade winds, April – October

Average large of monthly sunshine several hours: July, 295 – 337

Common low of regular sunshine hours: December, 168 – 195

Most important period: October – April

How substantially does a yacht constitution charge in the Canary Islands and what types of charters are there?

You can rent a 12 m sailboat from 1,500 € per 7 days onwards. Depending on the measurement, model and devices the prize will go up appropriately. You can choose concerning sailboat (monohull) or catamaran hire and ability boat rental. You could do bareboat yacht charter or choose for a skippered respectively a crewed yacht up to 20 m. Luxurious yacht employ the service of for boats from 24 m onwards is a more possibility.

What is there to do apart from sailing on your boat rental in the Canaries?

Check out Maspalomas in the South of Gran Canaria. There is a character reserve with hen nesting regions and an amazing desert-like landscape with substantial dunes. The specially designed town with conference centres, buying malls, casinos, golf courses and theme parks as effectively as a lighthouse is the major tourist spot in the Canaries.

Go to Teide Countrywide Park on Mount Teide, the optimum mountain in Spain. It is a earth heritage web page and spans 189.9 km². Also situated in the park is the next maximum volcano of the Canaries, the Pico Viejo with its 3,135 m high peak. There is an observatory in the park which helps make for some incredible star gazing. Other countrywide parks to pay a visit to are the Caldera de Taburiente on La Palma, the Garajonay on La Gomera and the Timanfaya on Lanzarote. Admire Lanzarote´s moon-like landscape with 300 volcanic craters. It absolutely is a sight to behold.

Go see the archaeological web site of the Cave of the Guanches, the extinct aboriginal inhabitants of the Canaries, in Icod de los Vinos on Tenerife. The rock carvings in it date back again to the 3rd century. Icod de los Vinos is a charming old city started in 1501 with spectacular manors and palaces. Well worth a visit is the Museo de Arte Sacro, the historical Dragon Tree, explained to be a 1000 years aged, and the Plaza de la Pila which is regarded to be the most gorgeous plaza in the Canaries. San Marcos church will make for excellent sightseeing, as does the nearby park and the botanical gardens. Go to the Playa San Marcos, it is nicely protected by cliffs and lined totally in black sand. Verify out the Cueva del Viento – the premier volcanic cave and lava tube in the environment. It is over 17 km prolonged and features an awesome and unique fossilized fauna. Stop by the remarkable folklore competition Tablas de San Andrés on November 29. It requires tasting of the freshly harvested wine and sliding through city on wooden boards in memory of the customized of transporting wooden from higher components of town down to the workshops. There are quite a few a lot more lovely traditional festivals during the calendar year like Los Hachitos on June 23rd, which is a remnant of the summer months solstice fireplace cult.

Attend the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Carnival of Las Palmas. They are among the most well-known in Spain and celebrated on the streets concerning the months of February and March.

Check out the Canarian Olympic Sailing Week for Olympic lessons and visitor classes in December. It´s a large profile race with prime sailors from all in excess of Europe and section of the Spanish Olympic series.

Check out out game fishing, perform water sporting activities and undertaking for whale, dolphin or turtle sighting. Go sightseeing in the historically attractive money Santa Cruz de Tenerife. And past not least, sample the community cuisine which is a intriguing combine of aboriginal, Latin American and African influences. In the Canaries, there is a thing for just about every flavor!