To Lanzarote 28 54.88’N:13 42.43’W
The Gibralta Straits are a contradiction of the elements. The tide is not controlled by the moon and the currents are very strong, so leaving becomes a calculation of when the tide is going out with a following wind. If you don't get it right you might find yourself going backwards. We left at 0800 with a slight sea and 16knts from the east...just right. Of course the motors were on but we had our sails up and we were doing 5.5knts...great!!! Once we cleared tarifa we headed across the shipping lanes to the Moroccan coast....It is only 8klms across and the camel dung and desert sands hang heavily in the air. Sunsets are hazy. Once across we poled the headsail and goosewinged in great conditions, the wind up to 22 knts, doing 7+ knts SOG. All that changed at 1400 when the wind got up to 35+ knts. A couple of reefs in the main and the headsail furled we were doing 9kts. Relief at 2400 when things settled and the night watches to relax a bit. Day 2 and guess what? No wind or precious little so the iron sails had to be put to work. Day 3 and things the same although the nights produced some wind to allow the motors to rest. Cool in the cockpit and damp with heavy dew at night makes the night watches don their waterproof jackets. Day 4 and the only difference is the fog that descended on us at 1400 and lasted for an hour and a half. Visibility was poor but it was day time which is better than at night. We also find there is a broken sail batten needing attention. The wind is enough for us to average 5+ knts and as we don't have a timetable it doesn't matter. Day 5 and we thought to use the spinnaker but there wasn't enough wind for it so the motors came to the fore again. We picked up a hitch hiker on day 2.....a little bird who would appear each day then disappear to who knows where only to come out again the next day. Not afraid of us in fact landing on us and generally making himself at home. We arrived at Puerto Calero marina on Lanzarote island just before 1800, looking forward to an uninterrupted night of no watches or the idiotic fishermen on their VHF radios as well as the yachties who call up the cargo ships asking their intentions when they are miles off. We did have to have a conversation with one who when we called didn't know port from starboard, so on with the motors to alter course. All in all a very smooth trip.