Anchorage instead of marina recommendations canary islands?

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by double u

isn't "good seamanship" erring on the safe side?

The anchoring conditions that constitute “erring on the safe side” are very different depending on the quality of the vessel’s ground tackle.

I now anchor safely in locations and wind conditions that I would have never have contemplated in my first yacht. I have not become reckless, the change results from the improvements in equipment.

Places like the Canary islands demand very good ground tackle if you want to avoid frequent retreats to marinas.

Originally Posted by double u

1. heavy groundtackle doesn't make a marginal/day-anchorage a safe overnight one (for me "safe overnight" means either 360° protection or the possibility to leave in the dark, should serious onshore winds start)

The Canary islands have no anchorages that offer 360° protection (the possible exception is Playa de las Alcaravaneras, but anchoring here is not permitted overnight for some of the year).

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The anchoring conditions that constitute “erring on the safe side” are very different depending on the quality of the vessel’s ground tackle.

I now anchor safely in locations and wind conditions that I would have never have contemplated in my first yacht. I have not become reckless, the change results from the improvements in equipment.

Places like the Canary islands demand very good ground tackle if you want to avoid frequent retreats to marinas.


The Canary islands have no anchorages that offer 360° protection (the possible exception is Playa de las Alcaravaneras, but anchoring here is not permitted overnight for some of the year).

Despite what’s being said this is the reality of the canaries , if you plan a long stay you need a marina

People talking about equipment miss the point who wants to spend days getting knocked about at anchor even if you’re holding.

[double u]

& if I am not mistaken:
few boats were lost because people did NOT anchor in places they considered precarious...as opposed to boats anchored in precarious places considered "safe" by their skippers...
but everybody to their own! Go ahead "adventurers", anchor wherever you want! (after all people anchor on the near-vertical dropoffs of outer reefs in the Tuamotus with insufficient swinging room in case of a windshift....) Just please don't argue, that because 9 times out of ten the outcome is ok, that the procedure is "safe".

[double u]

now this is one of the recommended anchorages: off Puertito, Isla Lobos

[double u]

...more "quality advice":

"Outside Puerto Tazacorte La Gomera."
Tazacorte is on La Palma!

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Despite what’s being said this is the reality of the canaries , if you plan a long stay you need a marina

People talking about equipment miss the point who wants to spend days getting knocked about at anchor even if you’re holding.

Personally, I think to visit a beautiful location such as the Canary Islands with its abundant nature reserves, and then spend lots of time in marinas is missing the point, but as always I would encourage everyone to do what makes them happy. There are many ways of cruising.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by double u

& if I am not mistaken:
few boats were lost because people did NOT anchor in places they considered precarious...as opposed to boats anchored in precarious places considered "safe" by their skippers...
but everybody to their own! Go ahead "adventurers", anchor wherever you want! (after all people anchor on the near-vertical dropoffs of outer reefs in the Tuamotus with insufficient swinging room in case of a windshift....) Just please don't argue, that because 9 times out of ten the outcome is ok, that the procedure is "safe".

I have never been to the Tuamotu Archipelago (it sounds fantastic given the stories I have heard from other cruisers), but some posts in this thread are overestimating the dangers associated with anchoring and this may put off people visiting the more remote and beautiful areas areas in the Canaries (and other locations).

We have spent over 5,000 nights at anchor and have never damaged our boat or suffered any injuries apart from a couple of small paint chips from other boats that have dragged into us. I think we would have likely incurred more damage if we were entering and leaving different marinas for the same time period, although marinas are simply unavailable in many of the more remote spots we enjoy.

I don’t mean to imply anchoring is 100% safe, it is not, but the risks are very small with good gear.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

I have never been to the Tuamotu Archipelago (it sounds fantastic given the stories I have heard from other cruisers), but some posts in this thread are overestimating the dangers associated with anchoring and this may put off people visiting the more remote and beautiful areas areas in the Canaries (and other locations).

We have spent over 5,000 nights at anchor and have never damaged our boat or suffered any injuries apart from a couple of small paint chips from other boats that have dragged into us. I think we would have likely incurred more damage if we were entering and leaving different marinas for the same time period, although marinas are simply unavailable in many of the more remote spots we enjoy.

I don’t mean to imply anchoring is 100% safe, it is not, but the risks are very small with good gear.

I agree with you that generally it's very safe to anchor with the right gear and vigilence regarding the weather forecast.
We do it most of the time.

Usually I am way more concerned about waves and swell than wind.

Specifically regarding the Canaries, we plan to go there and some folks who, admttingly usually use marinas, said to me uhh, you can't really anchor there safely.
As I have never been there personally but have had good experience anchoring I wanted to see what people over here think.

Awesome info so far. Thanks to all, it seems to be generally possible to spend a reasonable amount of time there without marina usage.

If there is really nasty weather forecasted we will surely consider going into a port or marina, change to a better anchorage or weather it out offshore.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Personally, I think to visit a beautiful location such as the Canary Islands with its abundant nature reserves, and then spend lots of time in marinas is missing the point, but as always I would encourage everyone to do what makes them happy. There are many ways of cruising.

The marinas are quite nice in general and I don’t sail to get away from people

[double u]

for us to be able to enjoy travelling inland & seeing the fantastic places (like in the Canaries) we always wanted anchorages, where not the slightest windshift or incoming swell would endanger the boat. Craning my neck before the last bend when riding the bus back to the boat after a lengthy excursion inland was never our favourite. While our (way oversized!) groundtackle & cautious anchoring procedures (excessively backing down on the anchor with the kinetic energy of the boat, not just a stationary pull at 2000rpm) would probably have ensured the safety of the boat, standing on the beach, unable to launch the dingi in the onshore swell & watching the boat buck up & down was a nightmare that we could do without.
One factor has to be considered when getting recommendations for Canary Island anchorages from "long-term-Canary-cruisers":
For not-so-few European cruisers the Canaries are the end-of-the-road. The trip from Gibraltar was their first "serious" offshore sailing, & some have discovered, that ocean-sailing (contary, to what the influencers on YT have led them to believe) is, despite all the mod-cons like GPS, roller-furler,...,not just "plain sailing". After 750, by them as strenuous regarded miles from Gib, 2700nm of Atlantic crossing loom large & threatening. The trip back to Europe likely is not plain sailing either, so they hang around in the Canaries. If financial expenditure is a consideration too - anchoring it has to be, hence open anchorages (Isla Lobos !!)

[double u]

(btw: our first marina stay was at the end of our first, 7-year rtw...& few had a tighter budget than we in our 20s...)

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The marinas are quite nice in general and I don’t sail to get away from people

There is no need to be unsocial at anchor. Post COVID everyone is ready to party. We need to plan some longer passages to allow our livers to recover .

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

There is no need to be unsocial at anchor. Post COVID everyone is ready to party. We need to plan some longer passages to allow our livers to recover .

True enough.. my times on the hook in the UK, Portugal, the Med and Caribe have been plenty social enough for me.. either visiting or being visited by others not reluctant to launch their dinghy and take a dinghy ride over.
To me marinas can often resemble living in a council estate with barking dogs and kids charging up and down pontoons, plus the occasional unwanted visitor.
I value the peace and quiet being on the hook brings, and the ability to choose the times and quality of my social life.
But then I am that weird guy who relishes long trips as opposed to harbour hopping.