Category Archives: La Palma

After Madeira – 2. Day

23. April 2015Katja Henke

Since this morning at eight o'clock, the engine growled. As announced we had almost no wind. All attempts, continue to drive under sail, turned out to be impossible. The Atlantic Ocean looked like ironed, only a slight swell moving water.

So our day was very comfortable. Read books, Writing reports and enjoy the Sun, in between something delicious to eat, There remained no wishes open.

Against 16 We sighted clock in ca. 10 Nautical miles distance the first ship on our trip. The tanker “Hispania spirit” but soon again disappeared on the horizon. But a short time later, we had our next movement with other living things. Right next to our boat a large turtle paddled eagerly us over in the South. So far we had heard while, that other sailors had seen turtles, but we had had no luck so far. So it was a first for us and we turned a lap of honour, to once again admire the animal up close. Das Foto ist aber leider trotzdem unscharf geworden 🙁

Shortly before sunset, we found, that is a stowaway on the SUMMER had made comfortable. A nice swallow had almost an hour by us through the landscape of water drive up huh, before she went their separate ways again on.

At eight o'clock, Dietmar verkrümelte in the bunk and I assumed the first watch. In contrast to yesterday it was not dark, because a narrow Crescent Moon shone from the sky. Although the engine growled, very nice and peaceful was the night. About two o'clock I will then wake up the captain and give me a decent Cap full of sleep.
Only 70 Nautical miles ahead of us. So we are the Marina Quinta do Lorde tomorrow around noon reach.

After Madeira – 1. Day

22. April 2015Katja Henke

When today morning the alarm clock rang, it rains quite heavily for Canary conditions. But the showers ended soon and we could leave as planned about nine o'clock de la Palma the Marina Santa Cruz behind us.
We followed under engine of the coastline in the North. Later, when we reached the open Atlantic, We put the sails. Our SUMMER slid quickly through the water. Wind and waves were pleasant, not too much or too little.

Soon was La Palma behind us and slowly disappeared in the haze. A huge school dolphins paid us a visit. At least 40 Animals played even in the bow wave, times alongside our SUMMER.

Otherwise, the day was completely uneventful. So far we have seen no other boat. The sails will be, and it is rapidly North. Dietmar has taken over the first guard to 9: 30, now at two o'clock in the morning I'm.
Outside it's dark without Moonlight. The starry sky is wonderfully clear and nice to see. Around the boat, the many sparkles again. A great first night of sailing after the long break. It can be like :-).

Bye-Bye La Palma and “Goodbye” Canary Islands

20. April 2015Katja Henke

Tomorrow it starts at nine o'clock to Madeira. We will probably be two or three days. This time we have homework in the luggage, because unfortunately I haven't managed previously, everything, What we have seen in the last week, to write in the blog. So we are probably the crossing also use, our reports to write, and to sort the many photos.

The week on La Palma was beautiful, versatile and eventful.

At the end of the week we look forward, wenn Ihr auch wieder mit dabei sein könnt 🙂 Bis dahin bitten wir um etwas Geduld.

We realize ship for Madeira

20. April 2015Katja Henke

It went to dinner humid cheerful closest tomorrow some more leisurely to the point. After breakfast, we wanted to first in the diving center, our cover pay and “Say goodbye”. On the way to the bus stop, Steffi ran us in the parking lot on the way. It's time really unusual: La Palma diving 71st up service via mental telepathy.

The Goodbye was not easy it us. We will sure miss the great team and the great dive sites. That's why we made it quick and painless and sat an hour later on the bus back to Santa Cruz. On the way to the port, we bought some fresh vegetables for the crossing. I first started the Breadmaker on the buzzer and then began, To cook before food for two days.. You never know, wie es einem unterwegs so geht und wie die Bedingungen sein werden 🙂

Against half past six in the evening we had one last time with Raphael and Johanna agreed to dinner. This time but in the city, and not on the buzzer, denn vor längeren Segeltouren bleibt bei uns die Küche kalt 🙂

We were somewhat surprised, als es schon gegen sechs bei uns an der Bordwand klopfte 🙂 Mit einer großen Tüte Avocados standen Caro und Ronny am Steg. Today is your day, and so she had seen us in the diving center. Um sich persönlich zu verabschieden sind sie extra für uns zum Hafen gekommen 🙂 Wir fühlten uns wirklich sehr geehrt und waren sehr erfreut 🙂 Wir überzeugten sie, still a bit to stay and to go after with the others together even in the town.

We were then full strength against seven and were on the way into town. On a small square with a picturesque fountain there was an inviting tapas bar, on the terrace we us cozy made it. A beautiful last night with good and funny talks faded away around 11 P.m.. Morgen wollen wir ja fit und ausgeschlafen in Richtung Madeira aufbrechen 🙂

Busy on the buzzer

19. April 2015Katja Henke

For tonight visit had said on. Giselher by SY SOUTHERN CROSS widower since Thursday and to the opportunity we had invited him for dinner today. So I set off in the market Hall in the city, to fill our fridge again with fresh vegetables. The market hall was picturesque, but unfortunately quite small. The offer was also unfortunately a bit short of my expectations. The farmer's market on La Gomera or Tenerife had convinced me more.

But of course I got everything, what I needed and was back at noon on the SUMMER. Just in time, to hang my laundry from the washing machine to pick up and illegal manner on the buzzer, because it is in the Marina Santa Cruz de la Palma “Hang laundry” prohibited on the boat. But what are you going to do, I had not other ways yes. Because the Marina Office was closed on Saturday afternoon, I assumed, dass es keine Probleme geben würde 🙂

Suddenly, Dietmar iPhone rang. Phoned our friend Raphael diving. Last night we had invited Joanna and Raphael still welcome on the SUMMER, now the two already on the doorstep were. But dear guests are of course always welcome. Especially if you or a bottle of wine and two six packs have beer in the luggage (This really is not a mandatory condition and has especially pleased)

A short time later we sat together at the coffee and biscuits in the cockpit and was followed by seamlessly to our funny conversations yesterday. Our common friend Frank was of course a theme and the successful dive trips in the last days. So we came by sticks on sticks and the time just flew by in the flights. Dietmar was still an extensive SUMMER tour after the coffee, while I met already the initial preparations for the evening meal.

Soon the skipper Giselher advanced the round and knew with his sailing stories awarded to the entertainment of the round to contribute. Our galley could cope with easily two additional guests for dinner and so stood a long, cosy and later also wet fun evening nothing more in the way.

The captain sacrificed even a bottle of fine port of Churchill from Porto. Mehr braucht man über diesen Abend dann auch wirklich nicht mehr sagen 🙂 Lustig war`s 🙂 und so schön spontan. We will miss you. Aber man trifft sich ja bekanntlich mindestens zweimal im Leben 🙂

One last time Malpique :-(

18. April 2015Katja Henke

At some point even the most beautiful time once nears its end. Today we have agreed the last for us dives on La Palma with Ronni. On Tuesday, we will then throw off the lines and sail in the direction of Madeira.

I wanted to use the morning to shop. I had seen the market Hall of Santa Cruz only from the outside, and now the opportunity was there, to change. For next week I wanted to fruit and vegetable bunkers like today but the shopping in Santa Cruz could not really convince me. The market hall was nice to look at, but it rather cute small. The goods not so fresh, as I had hoped and the prices higher, als ich gedacht hatte 🙁 Trotzdem werden wir in der nächsten Woche sicher nicht verhungern 🙂

When Caro then took us down to two at the Harbour entrance with car, had I stowed everything well and safely. I wanted to cook out for the trip to Madeira but only on Monday.

At the base we met yet Raphael and Johanna and together we went then with Ronni five Malpique. Two dives were scheduled for today. One “Normal” in the afternoon and a fluorescence-dive with blue light lamps in the evening.

But what exactly is fluorescence dive?

The term “Fluorescence” the influence of blue or ultraviolet light is the glow of many sea creatures. A tiny protein called GFP is responsible for the fluorescence for “Green fluorescent protein”. Fluorescence dives are night dives, with a lamp, radiates the light in the blue and ultraviolet region, be performed. Many living things, especially coral, reflect light with a longer wavelength (visible light) If she with blue to UV light (invisible light) be lit up. The resulting colours is a completely new experience and yet not fully explored.

Bekanntlich kommt ja das Beste immer zu Schluss 🙂 Wir wollten uns gern überraschen lassen 🙂

Already the afternoon dive was a special highlight. We were still not entirely submerged, as we did on the first Skate “stumbled upon”.

Also the seahorses were today for a photo shoot available.

Today I was on the road the first time with the camera and I didn't, was ich zuerst fotografieren sollte 🙂

A marble torpedo

One of the two moray eels

The Balloonfish “Emil”

After this dive, I was not sad, that I in the next round would be because there was only 4 Sets for fluorescence diving. Dann überließ ich das mal besser den alten Hasen 🙂

We use the time until sunset to the “Hamburguesa” – Food. During the whole time, Dietmar struggled with his sad fate, to rise again in the wet wetsuit. Er tat uns allen wirklich leid 🙂

Back at the dive site in the new equipment have been given. This included not only the blue light lamp, but also a yellow filter, He with a headgear before the diving mask was attached. Shortly before the dark, the four are maschierten down to the beach and I remained alone in the car.

As also the last rays of the Sun had disappeared, again and again I saw signs of light in the sea. Das sah schon echt verrückt aus 🙂 aber ich konnte so ganz bequem den Weg der Gruppe unter Wasser verfolgen. After an hour, then again, I heard voices on the beach and a short time later all had climbed the steep road up to the parking lot. Everywhere I saw happy faces- The dive was a resounding success with new impressions.

Moving and storage the equipment is a challenge in the dark. Since already a hand must hold the flashlight mostly a free hand for other things is missing, die man eigentlich gerade erledigen will 🙂 Außerdem kann es leicht passieren, that you light things, die nicht beleuchtet werden wollen 🙂 “Hey!! Nicht in die Damenumkleide leuchten rief Johanna als Dietmar im Auto sein Handtuch suchen wollte 🙂 !!!”At some point, but everything in the car was stored and tired and satisfied we headed back towards Santa Cruz.

We are strange – Boat trip without our SUMMER

17. April 2015Katja Henke

Somehow, we were in the course of the week at the right time at the right place (in this case the dive) been and the Buzzard for today had with get this two places for the coveted dive trip.

The BUZZARD is a true shrimp, how he today by fishermen in the East- North Sea used. By freezing ego Koog from the ship was in the year 2006 Gran Canaria and finally end 2008 transferred to La Palma. She was we noticed during our stay in Tanzacorte.

So it was to get up early, because at quarter to eight Caro stood in front of the Harbour entrance, to pick us up. In the dive, we met the rest of the Group, of which we knew only Raphael. Five non-divers were so part of the game, just wanted to enjoy a nice boat trip.

After an hour we reached the Marina Tazacorte and stowed our gear on the Buzzard. And then it all started even. The sea was smooth as a duck pond, and the sun shone from the sky. Endlich waren wir mal wieder auf der Sonnenseite der Insel 😉

Already after 20 Drive minutes it said for the divers: Prepare equipment, move and ready to go for diving. On the first dive site "la Bombia" we would go to five in the water: Raphael, Frank (Name changed from the editors :-)), Dietmar, our guide Shaun and I. Frank was all still a blank slate for us, because so far no one had dipped with him. Somehow I had a funny feeling while of preparing the equipment. Raphael fared alike because he had to actively support Frank when it comes, the bottle on the jacket and the regulator to connect. I'm still pretty early in my diving career, But what made it so frank, seemed pretty Spanish. He strapped himself to the Grand Finale is still a 25 Centimeters long dive knife around calf. Das konnte ja spannend werden 🙂

The Buzzard had reached the first dive site and it went into the water with a great pace through the side door. While diving off showed his impressive technique us frank and fierce paddling disappeared into the depths.

The dive will be probably still remembered, because somehow it was different today. Shortly after defrosting, we saw a large Ray on a sandy area. Slowly and carefully, we emerged closer, because no one wanted to stir up verscheuchten or sand the animal. But Frank managed easily, to beat the animal to flee, indem er immer noch heftig paddelnd einen wahren Sandsturm unter Wasser auslöste 🙁

A few minutes later, we were suddenly only another three. Amazed and somewhat insecure we agreed to wait for the first time and to stay together. Where were frank and Ronni gone? Unfortunately, the sight was not enough to the surface of the water. After a perceived eternity approached two divers from above. You could see from afar, that the two do not agree was because Ronni was frank in his bottle in tow. We followed with a certain safe distance and continued the dive. From the underwater world I got really nothing more, the scenes were to fascinating, which took place in front of us. In the meantime Ronni Frank had on its emergency air supply (Octopus) taken. Again you could properly both under water “discuss” see. Or Ronni Herzog at his Octopus behind Frank as a defiant child.

After thirty minutes, Ronnie finished the tragedy and we showed up. The Buzzard was straight to the point and all divers and equipment back on board were quickly. What had happened right there under water, is complicated to explain in detail. A but we can safely say: Our diver Frank probably had not the qualifications, He had specified that in the diving school and was with him, its equipment and its surroundings completely overwhelmed. Thus he could have been very easily a danger to himself and all other divers. For him, the diving trip for today's end was thus and Ronni took him for a serious conversation again extra to the page, nachdem er sich etwas beruhigt hatte 🙂 Ein solcher Tauchgang ist auch für den Guide kein Vergnügen 🙁

After an hour leisurely cruise tempers had calmed down again and we reached the next dive site “Carbo Verde”. Here the lava under water has created three great arches. The second dive was in relation to the first completely uneventful and relaxed. Several morays, a great damsel, We have seen shoals of trumpet fish and all sorts of other animals.

Back on the Buzzard has a table waiting for us. Delicious Spanish tapas such as Patatas rojo arrugadas with Mojo or Mojo verde to grilled chicken taste at sea after the dives twice as tasty as otherwise on land. On our way back then also the non-divers on their cost came to Tazacorte, as a large school dolphins and three pilot whales crossed our path.

Frank stay still, our topic of conversation during the next days. Especially after one of his friends had told Dietmar, that they no longer go diving with him, because them too dangerous unless. Frank was unfortunately just. You no longer comes out of the head-shaking. A small note at the diving school before the trip would have been really helpful. Good, nothing happened, such situations can be slightly dangerous. We had ours in the next few days in any case “Running gag” and could just laugh. Frank, wir werden Dich niemals vergessen 🙂

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 🙂

SY CESARINA

A log of our travels