What Next for Emerald, Having Escaped Porto Santo?

Having spent the last 20 months stationary, you’d think we would be raring to go, exploring the anchorages and harbours around the Canary Islands. Well, we are raring to go, but practicality has sadly trumped sea adventures.

Wait, What? You’re Stopping Again?

We didn’t really want to stop, but with a long list of repairs, renewals and upgrades, it seemed the sensible thing to do. It would then make our future adventures more enjoyable and very importantly, safer.

The major repair is for the foresails, both of which need their UV strip replacing. Some of the boat’s safety gear requires updating or renewal. It made sense to do the work in Las Palmas, while there was easy opportunity. Plus there’s Colin’s solar upgrade, which he’s been planning since the winter in the Rio Guadiana.

We could have ordered some of the items for delivery to Porto Santo, but always with an uncertainty around delivery. In Las Palmas, the bright lights of the big city were calling with its plethora of chandlers, hardware stores, and services. Being able to wander the shops and browse was a temptation that we struggled to resist. Plus, to then have items immediately to hand, that was the clincher.

We also have life admin to attend to and family visits to make. A change in flight schedules in Madeira has made a journey to the UK more complicated and costly. Whereas in the Canary Islands, the options are plentiful and more kindly on our finances, particularly at this time of year.