Monthly Archives: April 2015

Dance on a volcano

16. April 2015Katja Henke

Today was the last day with the car and I had put me in the head, in the morning the volcano “San Antonio” to visit. Two times we had stood before closed gates. So, today was my last chance.

Dietmar had enough of land and people first, and so I made me at nine o'clock alone on the way. Spontaneously, I decided, to make a detour to the parking area of the past, to make at least some reasonable pictures.

Then I drove along the coast towards Fuencaliente, the resort on the southern tip of La Palma. Fuencaliente translates “hot spring”. As but in the most recent outbreak of the 657 Meters high Vulkan San Antonio at the turn of the year 1677/1678 the hot and Holy spring of the city was buried, they renamed the place in Los Canarios. Today, both names are commonly used. The age of the volcano San Antonio is only on about 3000 Years appreciated. A small visitors center with exhibition spaces are about geological details.

Today, the Vulkan San Antonio showed but rather by its dark side, but at least I never faced closed doors.

Just in time by one I picked up Dietmar Harbour and we rode together in the dive center. This afternoon it should along with Raphael to “La Bahita” go, directly below the airport. This dive site is picturesquely located in a small fishing village and has a special feature: Under water, there is a cleaning station, the rays and other large fish from so-called cleaner shrimp “cleaned”, d.h. be free of pesky parasites. Not always is there something going on, But today we were lucky and a rays and a moray eel themselves the beauty care. Wieder einmal ein toller Tauchgang 🙂

Walking in pairs and alone :-)

15. April 2015Katja Henke

Yesterday we wanted to go after the late diving trip hike on Wednesday together. The route, I had selected, started in the vicinity of Los Llanos, on the other side of the island and should give us to the Cascade de los Colores lead.

The route began in a crowded parking lot at the edge of the National Park and led to a river bed along the middle of the Caldera de Taburiente. The air was clear today especially and pleasantly warm temperatures. Furthermore, I looked forward particularly, Since I extra had packed yet a second lens in the morning for my camera. That would be definitely great pictures. But this time, I had tricked me correctly. Without a memory card you can catch anything even with the best camera, It also helps not the replacement battery, den ich ebenfalls dabei hatte 🙁

My mood was pretty much in the basement. When Dietmar thence marched with giant steps, war der Tag für mich erst einmal gelaufen 🙁 So entschlossen wir uns, This time together walking, every man for himself alone, but. Against half five we were supposed to meet back at the car.

The path along the river bed was pleasant to walk and the picturesque landscape. It went steeply uphill on both sides of the shore. Und mit jedem gelaufenen Meter ging es auch mit meiner Laune wieder bergauf 🙂 Kurz bevor man die Wasserfälle erreicht, had you cross the brook. As I stated, no easy exercise, because the water level was quite high. But I was not the only one, She faced this problem. After I once ran along the entire shore, without having found a suitable place, I slipped from my hiking boots and crossed the stream barefoot. So einfach geht das 🙂 Man ist ja nicht aus Zucker.

The last kilometre to the Cascade de los Colores changed the color of the river run. The entire Valley was narrow and resulted in two small boilers. Probably just the lunch break of a school trip took place in the left tank, but, my path led me in the right boiler.

The waterfalls were lovely to look at. In the emergency, the devil is well known that eats flies and I made least a few photos with my mobile. Completely empty handed I wanted to not come also home, but it really hurt me in the soul, I had my camera just as weight in the backpack.

After looking at the clock I had to hurry me something back. Nichts leichter als das 🙂 Besonders da die Schulklasse genau im selben Moment aufbrach, When I over came. Da war es erstmal vorbei mit der idyllischen Ruhe 🙁 Aber bei der Überquerung des Baches konnte ich die Gruppe locker abhängen, because I knew the trick, Yes. Without shoes you conveniently came over in many places.

I came up with after 12 km hiking trail 35 minute delay on the car on. The Chief was not visibly excited, but I was able to convince him yet, mit mir zur SUMMER zurück zu fahren 🙂

Evening and morning high, deep down

14. April 2015Katja Henke

According to weather forecast, the Sun should shine today all day and we wanted to finally drive in the North of the island. On a tiny street you can ride up along on the crater rim of the Caldera de Taburiente to the Observatory. Even if the weather forecast once again slightly in addition was, could we see much of the Green and bizarre landscape.

Thanks to the clear sky, the Canary Islands are ideal for observation of outer space. The Observatory of the “Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias” is on La Palma since 1985.

Unser Auto parkten wir sehr angemessen auf einem der Hubschrauberlandeplätze 🙂

On the way back we passed la Zarza, where one archaeological finds from the time of the Benahoares (Natives of La Palma) can visit. The petroglyphs (Spirals, Circles and meander) have survived up to the present time and were following the discovery 1941 an archaeological sensation. Their importance is but still completely unclear.

For the evening Ronni had come up with something special for us: a night dive. Dietmar had already tried the night diving on Madeira and was excited. I was still somewhat suspicious, but I try it anyway.

So we stood against nine o'clock in the evening in full gear on the dark Beach. Each equipped with two flashlights. It was already a funny feeling, to get into the dark water. Somehow the whole underwater world seemed much more closely than in daylight. Very creepy, I found the many sea urchins, When night her rock crevices, leave and go wandering. But not only the sea-urchins are nocturnal, so we saw a large, Red Octopus, a feisty, small stingrays, a large Burrfish and many other sea creatures. After an hour we were again full and with full gear on the beach. I had not expected that, aber das machen wir bestimmt bald wieder 🙂

On the way back to the base we have scared sure a few walkers to death. On the day, you will often astonished look look, If you with the complete diving equipment on foot in the direction of water are. At night it is but again much more extreme if the “Neoprene Monster” durch die Straßen schleichen 🙂

Freeze again under water

13. April 2015Katja Henke

We had arranged our first dive for Sunday morning and we met about ten o'clock at the diving base. From here we wanted to Divemaster Steffi with our together at the house reef “To the claw” dive, a particularly striking rock formation, the (amazingly) what looks like a giant claw.

After we had prepared our equipment and assembled, We marched down to the beach. After the long break of the diving, the unusually high weight of equipment pushed hard on our shoulders. It comes up quick with bottle and weights 30 Kilogram. But when they finally made it into the water, the weight is easily vergessen...bis it then after the dive back uphill to the dive goes :-).

The island of La Palma offers really beautiful and interesting dive sites with lots of different fish and other living things. Unfortunately, the water temperature is still quite sporty in the moment with 17-18 ° for my circumstances. The first steps in the water are the worst, wenn sich das kalte Nass den Weg in den Neoprenanzug sucht und findet 🙁

But the underwater world compensated us rich: A somewhat shy Burrfish (Emil), We have seen two beautiful moray eels and many other animals. Back on the beach, we found another one “Physalia”. Good, that we had not taken under water, This type of jellyfish caused the unpleasant and very painful nettle foundations.

It declined after the dive and the cleaning of the equipment for the first time on our SUMMER, denn Tauchen macht hungrig 🙂 Obwohl es sicher eine der wenigen Sportarten ist, When it freezes rather than sweating.

In the afternoon I was again alone in the city, We don't so much had considered by. On this gloomy afternoon, the shopping streets and squares were extinct as.

Everywhere in the streets, the posters already hung, them to the “Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves” (the descent of the Virgin of the snow) pointed. This Festival is celebrated every five years on La Palma. 2015 was it again.

To the history:

1676 the island was ravaged by a drought. In that year the wore Palm Eros the portrait of Marie of Las Nieves in the city down, to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The religious zeal of the population saw the Bishop Bartolomé García Ximenéz, He ordered, that the procession off 1680 to repeat every five years.

On the last Sunday in June pilgrims in traditional costume wearing down the parts of the two-ton Silberthrones of the statue in the Church El Salvador, where the Virgin resides during their stay in the city. It begins with the Bajada of the throne in Santa Cruz Semana Chica, the small week, also a night parade is one of the, colorful at the children accompanied by a band and colorful lanterns through the darkened city wear.

On the second Sunday in July starts Semana Grande with the move of the mascarones, the Giants and convince, the well-known fairy-tale characters and cartoon characters represent. Since 1945 focuses on the Wednesday the Minuett, on Thursday, the indisputable highlight is on the agenda: La Danza de los Enanos, the famous dance of the dwarf.

The origin of this dance goes back on the Corpus Christi celebrations, the oldest known mention of dwarf dance of Santa Cruz de La Palma dating back to the year 1833. Don Manuel Díaz (1774-1863), Pastor of the Church of El Salvador, for his era a liberal-minded man and lover of the arts, made for the dance masks from paper mache. 1905 introduced the Miguel Salazar charge in that year for the dwarf dance, the transformation of people dwarfs. In the first part, the dancers occur first in an any Panel (as monks, Sailors, Japanese, Greeks, Astronomers, Pilgrim, Old, Students). In just a few seconds, the dancers are transformed into Dwarves and begin to dance the quick and rousing polka in the same moment, the since 1925 is played unchanged. Plaza de Santo Domingo from the pull the Dwarves and their Entourage through the crowd-lined streets of Santa Cruz, where they continue to dance throughout the night, seem to the rays of the rising sun on the masts of the vessel of the Virgin at the Plaza de la Alameda, the last scene of the dance to in 5 Years.

On the next day, Friday, in the performance of the Carro Alegórico (Car of the allegories) staged various Marie themes.

The Virgin of snow embarks on Saturday then, a terracotta figure from the 14. Century, from their about six kilometres away sanctuary in the city down. It appears ready to go in her litter and done with the most beautiful robes after pilgrims mass in the Renaissance portal of the Church in Las Nieves. On the Royal Road of El planto, the train first leads up to the Church of la Encarnación at the City entrance, where the flock of the faithful the night rests and celebrates, to continue the journey in the El Salvador Church in the city centre on Sunday.

Even before the Virgin of snow reached the city, the procession makes a stop in the Barranco de las Nieves, where the dialogue between El Castillo (the fortress) and la nave (the ship) takes place. The fortress rises above, on the left side of the Gorge, the ship of the Blessed Virgin (a replica of the Caravel of Columbus directed 1940) below is located in the Plaza de Alameda and the permanent symbol of the celebrations.

At the 5. August the Virgin in a pompous parade is brought back again until the next time in 5 Years.

It would have been definitely interesting, aber wir haben ja für den Juli bereits andere Pläne 🙂

On the Monday we agreed us first in the afternoon in the South of the island for scuba diving. On our way there, We visited yet the Cueva de Belmaco, a cave with engravings of the Guanches.

Arrived in Las Cabras we encountered Caro and Ronny of La Palma diving and also on the two other divers, that had made a dive in the morning. Johanna from Passau and guy from Belgium. We had decided against two dives a day, because it is really uncomfortable, to rise again after the break in the jerk and ice-cold wetsuit. It does so on the quantity, sondern auf die Qualität an 🙂

The dive itself was a pleasure again, only the one- and exit over the stony Beach was pretty tricky and slippery. Diving from the beach one has after whatever the problem, the sand, He sticks to the entire equipment, rid of them again. Since we rinse our equipment on the bridge before the boat with fresh water and then dry on the buzzer, is this sand Dietmar a particular thorn in the flesh. The when it comes to our SUMMER, ist Dietmar wirklich sehr penibel 🙂

At the end of the day, we drove together to the best "Hamburguesta"-Bude of La Palma and talked a little while before we let cozy bar.

Back on La Palma

11. April 2015Katja Henke

This time we were so landed in Santa Cruz / La Palma. The first night with slight rocking (because of the persistent swell in the harbour basin) had we survived. But this morning, we had to find, that there is a particularly telling argument for the harbour of Tazacorte, on the other side of the island: Dort scheint eigentlich immer die Sonne 🙂 und hier leider nicht 🙁

The day greeted us grey in grey and therefore we were until quite late on the way to Los Cancajos to the dive “La Palma diving”. The bus was easily and quickly there and shortly afterwards we were warmly received.

Vero was already on the go in the holidays, yet still some time for a common Cup of coffee was. The operation continues as usual of course during their absence, and so we arranged for the next morning the first dive on La Palma. Here, I wanted my new finally “Buoyancy compensator” inaugurate, I had bought in Tenerife. Annoyingly it had sold me in Germany a much too large jacket, that was me diving problems. Because when the steel cylinder (as. 18 Kilo) under water can make on your back, What does she want, is it not so easy, Depth and direction to determine reliably :-).

In addition we organized a car for the next days, to undertake further trips on the island. This time, we would explore extensively not only the underwater world, but also on land is still taking a few trips.

But haste with while :-)…. Once it went back to the boat. I tried to get my camera only, but Dietmar had probably already something else planned for the afternoon. Already this morning he had been conspicuously long on the first bridge. There is SY SOUTHERN CROSS:. A very nice and original traditional Sailer by 1930, on the road is under a German flag on the seas. So far he had can spot anyone on board, aber jetzt am Nachmittag war Leben an Deck zu sehen 🙂 Nichts wie hin 🙂

A little later we sat on deck and got a very interesting tour on the historic ship with gaff rig. Giselher and his Italian wife Alba have the spent winter in the Canary Islands, are at the moment on the way back to her residence on Mallorca. Die Beiden hatten wirklich viele interessante Geschichten zu erzählen 🙂 So ging der Nachmittag schnell und kurzweilig vorüber und nach einem leckeren Abendessen kehrten wir gut gelaunt auf die SUMMER zurück.

Here the diving equipment for tomorrow had to be prepared yet. Finally everything was packed on the deck it was already too late, anything on land to company. So we watched a video from our collection, before we passed us by this day in the bunk.

Bye-Bye La Gomera

10. April 2015Katja Henke

Amazingly we both had slept badly. When we heard the alarm clock, the US should sound at seven out of bed, were we already late. Somit waren wir auch um acht wie geplant startklar und machten uns auf die Socken 🙂 Wie erwartet waren Wind und Strom die ersten Seemeilen gegen uns und unser Motor musste wieder einmal kräftig arbeiten.

But we had hardly left the country coverage of Tenerife, an and our SUMMER turned a wonderful half wind ran over seven node direction La Palma. Once a school crossed our course far dolphins.

Also, I saw even a Physalia, a really fascinating animal.

Briste it until an hour before arriving at the port on and we recovered the mainsail, What did not diminish but our speed.

Thick clouds hung over Santa Cruz and a strong wind swept over the Harbour. Was für eine Begrüßung 🙁 Im Vorhafen machten wir die Leinen klar zum Anlegen und hatten dann auch im Yachthafen schon einen guten Platz anvisiert, as the harbour master cross back whistled us over the Harbour. Although we had written an email to the port in the morning and also via VHF on channel 09 called, only we but got no reply both times. But now he quoted us at the reception bar back. Bei dem Wind wirklich unnötig und kein Vergnügen 🙁

After the registration we got assigned to a box in the nearly empty Harbor and moved our boat. Since the port through the permanent existing swell is quite restless, were this time two shock absorbers used in addition. When we finished our SUMMER rocked out quite smoothly and peacefully on. So that we could live well. As the weather today not could motivate us to a further trip, There was a delicious dinner on board. Morgen ist ja auch noch ein Tag 😉 und da sind wir bereits mit Veronika von La Palma Diving verabredet.

Waiting “La Palma – Weather”

8. April 2015Katja Henke

Actually Dietmar wanted to keep our time in La Gomera as short as possible, but he had made his statement without the wind and that is it crucial for us. Yes, our next shock should go West towards the island of La Palma. Because we want to sail further from there directly to Madeira or Lanzarote to Madeira, had we decided with a heavy heart, not to sail to Tazacorte. Tazacorte is situated in the West of the island and would be a strategically awkward port of departure. That's why we wanted to control this time de la Palma Santa Cruz, this as you know is on the East side. Even though the city was very liked us, the Marina is missing but any charm. Also was always swell in the Harbour and the boats rocked even on windless days vigorously back and forth and pulling on the lines.

Die ungünstige Wettervorhersage bescherte uns noch drei weitere Tage auf La Gomera 🙂 Dietmar hatte sich schon morgens darauf gestürzt, all to clean out lockers, clean and reorganize. Loomed around noon, that I could probably no longer hope, to convince him to a trip, I set off alone. I had picked me out two hiking tours on the Internet and decided, the longer of the two tours today alone to undertake. Maybe I could convince Dietmar on next Thursday, to accompany me. Und da wäre eine kürzere Tour bestimmt ein gutes Argument 🙂

Since I had already missed the 12-o'clock bus, I promised myself a taxi to the starting point of the tour, the Roque de Agando. It is located right in the middle of the island. From here I wanted to run back La Laja above the village of San Sebastian. Tried the Canary taxi driver in polite small talk during the twenty minute taxi ride. He was totally unmoved by the fact, that I understood not even every 20th Word. I would really like, What a life story he himself had put for me together. In any case, a boat came, My husband as the Kapitan, but person even eight more in it before. Sehr merkwürdig 🙂

Once at the top but something was me queasy to mute. Good 1100 Altitude is below me San Sebastian. Hoffentlich hatte ich mich nicht wie beim letzten Mal auf La Gomera bei der Auswahl meines Wanderweges total verschätzt und würde mich morgen vor lauter Muskelkater wieder nicht mehr bewegen können 🙁 Aber jetzt konnte ich sowieso nichts mehr ändern. I marched so go and enjoying the great view. The path went though quite steeply downhill, but with the climbing Hermigua not to compare.

The weather was hot and dry and I progressed well in the sparse pine forest. The climbing on the uneven path awaited me this time at the beginning of the tour, later I would continue on a small country road. Das kam meiner Kraft und Kondition sehr entgegen 🙂

After nearly one and a half hours, the village came into view La Laja. Now, I could continue on a flat road. During my entire trek to San Sebastian, I not once met twenty cars. Over several reservoirs, Fields and lush gardens I came slowly back to civilization.

I found also this handsome detached house on the edge of my trail. Geschickter Handwerker gesucht 🙂 wäre wohl ein passender Titel auf der Verkaufsanzeige. Maybe I Dietmar should even suggest this new challenge.

After over five hours and strenuous 15 I arrived again kilometers at the buzzer. Dietmar had accomplished during my absence of miracles and vorbildlichst on front man brought back boxes. As a reward, I conjured up still a delicious dinner and then put the feet up in the Salon.

The next morning the drive I was missing something, very enterprising looked over the breakfast table while Dietmar. Spontaneously we decided, that he now would go diving with Andi, while I a domestic- and would insert the Office day.

Our last day on La Gomera we wanted to go hiking together. This time, with the 12-o'clock bus in the direction of Hermigua, we chose the first stop. Irgendwie ging es hier nur bergauf 🙁 – No matter where I looked. Well, now I wanted to show no weakness and strode briskly forward.

The route took us from a stunning vantage point to the next, Right at the beginning to the Roque Jaragan uphill and later San Sebastian neatly downhill.

Auf unserem Weg wurden wir genau beobachtet 🙂

As we in the afternoon after 11 Km in San Sebastian were on the marketplace, hatten wir uns den anschließend großen Eisbecher redlich verdient 🙂 Jetzt mussten nur noch die Wanderschuhe verstaut und das Boot seeklar gemacht werden. Tomorrow morning we wanted to go early, order to arrive more easily during daylight hours in Santa Cruz on La Palma.

Bye-Bye Tenerife

6. April 2015Katja Henke

It was somehow a funny feeling, today's tomorrow going to throw the lines and to leave the port. Because this time we would come back again. About La Gomera, La Palma, We would continue sailing Lanzarote and Madeira in North direction to the Azores. Hier wollen wir unsere Sommermonate verbringen 🙂

The Marina of San Miguel has become our home in recent months over a long period. A fixture, from which we had undertaken many of our island tours and traveled to Germany. Hier kannten wir uns aus und auch uns kannte man hier 🙂 Heute morgen hatten wir sogar unseren Reserve-Toilettenschlüssel, the we the last months just had remained on board, an dem Marinero zurück gegeben 🙁

Even the Atlantic showed that day once from its best side. Because after we were motort around the southern tip of Tenerife around, We had pleasant and also constant sailing wind from North-East between 15 to 20 Nodes all the way to Gomera. Ein wunderbarer Segeltag 🙂

Already at three o'clock we arrived in San Sebastian and made a short time later at the pier 1 fixed. This time we had a special reason, to sail to San Sebastian. Last week, just before Dietmar flew back to Germany, had he been wearing new glasses in order here. Or more precisely, even two. Because the optometrists currently has a very special offer: Eine Brille kaufen und eine zweite gibt es gratis dazu 🙂 Heute sollten die beiden Brillen also fertig sein. Let's see, whether the date despite Semana Santa would work.

But once we were faced with a closed door. The Canary shop opening hours are some getting used: 10:00 to 14:00 Watch and 17:00 to 20:30 Watch stood at the door of the optometrist. Until then we went to have a quick coffee.

Our second visit was much more successful. A pair of glasses was finished and was adapted from a fellow really very conscientiously to Dietmar nose. It took almost 20 Minutes: Put on – drop off – turn – put on – check – drop off – turn………..At some point she was then pleased with your work and we were allowed to go. Tomorrow in the afternoon the second glasses would be ready and could be picked up.

In the evening, finally succeeded Dietmar, to meet with Andi of the diving school. He had offered him in January, our two aluminum tanks to Exchange two spray bottles. While I peacefully stood under the hot shower, hatte Dietmar allein die Flaschen den langen Weg durch den ganzen Hafen zur Tauchschule hin und zum Boot zurück geschleppt 🙂 Stolz zeigt er mir die neuen Strahlflaschen, that would fit through the lower level also in our lockers now. Die wird er dann morgen auch sicherlich optimal darin befestigen damit sie nicht bei Seegang umfallen können 🙂

Happy Easter :-)

5. April 2015Katja Henke

More products from this week are in the works. Es lohnt sich die Tage nochmal vorbei zu schauen 🙂 Die Fotos habe ich bereits alle bearbeitet und sortiert und bald gibt es wieder neuen Lesestoff für Euch.

East resettlement in the clouds

5. April 2015Katja Henke

Heute morgen gab es dann das echte Osterfrühstück und die heiß ersehnten Schoko-Ostereier 🙂 (A little commerce must surely be :-))

Today I had convinced Dietmar, to go hiking with me. I had chosen a not too long tour extra, She was also a short route.

On the way there, we visited before a Canarian horse show, This had been particularly recommended to us. After two hours we had seen enough Canary jumping horses and headed by the Acker.

The starting point of our hike was Vila flora, a small town above of our harbour in the mountains. The higher we came, It was the grey and cloudy. But there is know no bad weather, but only wrong clothing. Dietmar had almost always his mandatory short pants and a T-Shirt. Hmmmm……Hopefully at least a jacket he had in his backpack?! Weit gefehlt 🙁

We parked our car and turned a lap through the city. For now just drink a cup of coffee and a bite to eat, then we would decide, was wir tun würden 🙂 Dietmar behauptete zwar heldenhaft, the cold and the drizzle would be no problem for him, We could go calmly walk. Ich fror aber schon bei seinem Anblick und das wollte ich nicht 🙂 So einigten wir uns darauf, walking a round at the harbour in the Sun. There are also very nice way.

So we shot a round to the Montana Amarille in the beautiful sunshine.