January 16, 2011

Oh yes, we have bananas!

Shopping day for groceries took from 10am - 7pm. I was still putting things away this morning. I thought I was done with the long list of where everything was put. But then the captain came back produce from his property which is a ´finca´, or small plot of land, with bananas, tomatoes, oranges, spices, etc. Apparently he is trying to take his finca with him. Now we have to find places for everything. There are bunches of rosemary, spearmint, peppermint, something like chard, and many things I couldn’t even begin to pronounce. I’m not quite sure how to use them either. I believe he brought at least one whole trees worth of bananas. I figure we each need to eat about 10 bananas a day to eat them before we reach land in about 20-26 days in the Caribbean. So now I have to add bananas to each section of every list because there are bananas in every conceivable space.

Remember the banana man when we were kids?

Skipper Jose Antonio, his wife Lali, and his close friend Domingo.

January, 2011 

It's so beautiful here in Gran Canaria, couldn't help sharing more...

 End of the beach restaurant in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

The other end of the island at Puerto de Mogán.  They call this little Venice even though the  small apartment buildings were built in the 1930's.

 

A visit from Peter who had to show the people back in England what great weather it was.

January 15,  2011

First Ocean Crossing - Canary Islands to ?, Caribbean Islands

'Manigua’ is a 45’ Junneau Sun Odyssey with Captain Jose Antonio.  His wife is staying safe at home while her husband ventures off to Panama to meet up with his brother on his trimaran.   This will be my first crossing, so we’ll see if I go crazy.  Some people do you know.  St. Martin will be our first planned stop unless we don’t encounter good winds.  In that case, we would drop down more to the south and make Cabo Verde our first stop.  We’re planning on being in St. Martin in 20-26 days.  Hopefully I won’t have many stories to tell about the journey.  Later….

 View from bow of boat.

Junneau Sun Odyssey with stern tie.

Skipper Jose Antonio.

One last look at the marina in Gran Canaria.