Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Day 1

This morning, we are anchored just outside the marina in Las Palmas. I think we are all excited about exploring the city.

Las Palmas, the capital city of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, has a population of around 380,000, making it the 10th largest city in Spain. Founded in 1478, Las Palmas has a fascinating mix of Spanish, African, and Latin American influences, reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and cultural traditions.

One of the city’s highlights is its historic quarter, Vegueta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area features charming cobblestone streets, the stunning Cathedral of Santa Ana, and Casa de Colón, a museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus, who stopped in Las Palmas during his voyages to the New World. We definitely want to visit these.

Las Palmas is also renowned for its golden beaches, particularly Las Canteras Beach, which stretches for several kilometers along the coast. However, with temperatures at 22°C this week, we may pass on a beach day.

The city is a major port and a popular stop for transatlantic sailors and cruise ships. Its port, Puerto de la Luz, is a hub for commercial traffic and, of course, the gateway for many yachts participating in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), which is why we are here.

We are starting to count down to the ARC start on the 24th of November. Stephen is with us until the 28th of October, and Cheryl will depart on the morning of the 10th to return to Canada via London. We booked the London to Toronto leg some time ago, and the original plan was for her to spend a night on the boat with the ARC crew before departure. However, to make her connection, she will have to leave on the 10th of November. David, Rudy, and Byron, the ARC crew, will all arrive in Las Palmas on the 10th.

(Side note on Cheryl’s ticketing: She needed a one-way ticket from London to Toronto, which would have cost $2,000. But a return ticket, with the same outbound flight, was $900. Even better, we can cancel the return half and get a credit for it. Net cost: about $450 one-way!)

November 10th is the opening day of the ARC, and we’ll take the boat into the marina to join in the preparations with the approximately 200 other boats participating in the crossing. We’re contemplating what to do between now and the 10th—should we stay here or move and then return? To get shelter from the prevailing winds and swell, we would likely have to head to the south of the island, a five-hour sail. Alternatively, we could stay here and explore the island by land. Cheryl is volunteering to do the food prep for the ARC, which will take a few days.

Well our decision came easy. You have to register with the Marina and pay 2 Euros a night to anchor, for that you get to use the Marina facilities. While there I told them I had a reservation at the Marina from the 10th - 24th November (I could not get in any earlier when I made the reservation). I asked if we could get in earlier and much to my surprise he said YES! So for 535 Euros we can stay at this lovely marina for a month! That is about the same price as you would pay for a single night at a Marina in Menorca in peak season! So we went back to the boat, lifted Anchor, refuelled and were escorted to our spot for the month. We are not in the main Marina, we are tied up to a wall in the smaller basin, a nice quiet spot. Parked beside this spacecraft, an ORC50, a really slick and fast boat.