French Polynesia and the Society Islands
07 April 2025
We anchored for several days off Playa de Papagayo on the south side of Lanzarote. A nice beach, well protected and with fantastic water. We needed to catch up on some work. Among other things, find a suitable port location for Anastacia during the time we will be in Sweden. Not quite easy as most of the ports on the Canary Islands are fully booked. In addition, the easterly wind (Calima) gave us a hefty dose of Sahara sand both on and inside the boat. It took some time to remove the fine, reddish-brown dust, which settled just about everywhere. We still haven't been able to wash the outside of the boat with fresh water so it's polka-dotted here and there... đ
After all the administrative work was completed, we could start exploring the island. We met our sailing friends on Lulu and new acquaintances on the boat S/Y Elder in the harbor and looked around the Playa Blanca area. Then we rented a smaller motorcycle/scooter and set off to explore the island. Lanzarote is the fourth largest island in the archipelago and nowadays a distinctive tourist island with beautiful beaches, resorts and hotels but at the same time has a completely different side and history. The entire archipelago of the Canary Islands belongs to Spain but at the same time belongs geographically to the African continental plate. All are volcanic islands â like the Madeira archipelago. Around 20 million years ago, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were formed. Other islands were formed successively several million years later. The youngest is El Hierro, which is believed to be 1.2 million years old. Common to all islands is that the volcanic activity has flared up in rounds and the volcanic area is still active mainly under the western islands, which means that new eruptions can occur. Lanzarote is said to consist of at least 300 volcanoes(!?) We didn't count but were able to visit some craters and it was amazing to see this huge amount of lava that flowed out and formed strange formations in the landscape. On the island there are also underground volcanic tunnels and caves that are worth seeing. However, we chose not to visit these. It had meant highway driving for over an hour one way for us and it didn't feel so appealing on the scooter đ
Lanzarote has been inhabited since about 500 BC by Berbers originating from North Africa. The island has been visited (and plundered) by various peoples but in the 15th century the island was finally conquered by the Spanish. Eventually they also took over other islands in the archipelago. In the wake of the conquest also came the enslavement of the indigenous population... Lanzarote was then partly lush and they began to grow cereals, among other things. After the volcanic eruptions in the 18th and 19th centuries that devastated large parts of the island it was impossible to grow anything on the island and the famine led to large parts of the population being forced to emigrate to other islands. Nowadays, instead, the tourism industry is an important source of income and the inhabitants have also successfully managed to find cultivation methods to grow grapes where they dig up fertile soil/ash in pits where they plant the vines. The soil is then covered with volcanic gravel (lapilli) which is able to retain moisture. A small stone wall of lava stones is then built around each plant as a barrier against the wind. In this way, each plant gets a perfect environment to grow in. We visited a bodega, Stratvs, with self-produced wine and got to see the plantations, which must have cost an incredible number of working hours to build up. No irrigation takes place and no nutrition is added to the plants. At the vineyard, care is taken to use what is available on site and not to overuse the natural resources. We bought a white wine which is sweet as the grapes (Muscat grapes) are laid out to dry in the sun to further increase the sugar content before being used in wine production.
The island has been classified as an ecological protection area by UNESCO. The mighty volcanic craters of Timanfaya National Park as well as the lava caves in the north and the characteristic farming methods are worth preserving. Conscious attempts are made to control tourism in order not to overexploit the island. Something that can be seen in the fact that several areas and sights on the island cannot be reached without being part of a group/guided tour. A person who meant a lot to the island and its culture and preservation was CĂ©sar Manrique Cabrera. An artist, sculptor, architect and designer, especially known for various architectural projects on his native island of Lanzarote. The low white houses that you see everywhere on the island are said to be designed according to his basic ideas, where they are built in such a way that they blend into the landscape, keep the heat out and use the desirable rainwater via the roofs. He combined his artistic work with defense of the environment and environmental values of the island and received many awards and recognitions during his lifetime.
At the end of our stay, the Spanish National Day occurred, which is celebrated in memory of Columbus' "discovery" of America on October 12, 1492. We were unsure what the celebration would look like. We thought we might hear music and speeches, possibly performances and fireworks in the evening? However, none of this occurred. At the rental company where we rented the Scooter, we asked the staff how they usually celebrate the day and it turned out that they had no idea that it was their national day. It was a bit liberating to hear and maybe more like the national day celebration in Sweden... Perhaps the Canary Islanders don't feel the same craze for Columbus' conquests as the Spanish and Portuguese?
As we sailed on to the next island, Fuerteventura, we heard warnings on the VHF radio about an inflatable boat with an unknown number of people on board drifting from the African coast towards the Canary Islands. The instructions were that if you saw the boat, you would call a specific number. A little later we heard distress calls from what we believe to be said inflatable boat and then the local Sea Rescue who responded and in the distance we heard helicopters. A shattering experience that made us wake up for a moment from our privileged existence and think about what's going on in the world, outside our little bubble at Anastacia. The number of migrants trying to get from West Africa to the Canary Islands has increased and so far, this year, the Canary Islands have received 16,000 refugees who fled from the conflicts in Senegal and Mali among other places. It is unclear how many have perished during the crossing during the year, but it is known that boats have disappeared without a trace at sea.
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Vi lĂ„g för ankar i flera dagar utanför Playa de Papagayo pĂ„ Lanzarotes sydsida. En trevlig strand, vĂ€l skyddad och med fantastiskt vatten. Vi behövde komma ikapp med lite jobb. Bl a hitta en lĂ€mplig hamnplats för Anastacia under tiden vi skall vara i Sverige. Inte helt lĂ€tt dĂ„ de flesta hamnarna pĂ„ kanarieöarna Ă€r fullbokade. Dessutom fick vi frĂ„n ostanvinden (Calima) en rejĂ€l dos av Saharasand bĂ„de pĂ„ och innanför bĂ„ten. Det tog lite tid att fĂ„ bort det fina, rödbruna dammet, som lagt sig precis överallt. Vi har fortfarande inte kunnat tvĂ€tta av bĂ„ten utvĂ€ndigt med sötvatten sĂ„ det Ă€r polkagrisrandigt hĂ€r och var⊠đ
Efter att allt administrativt arbete var avklarat kunde vi börja utforska ön. Vi trĂ€ffade vĂ„ra seglarvĂ€nner pĂ„ Lulu och nya bekanta pĂ„ bĂ„ten S/Y Elder i hamnen och sĂ„g oss omkring pĂ„ i omrĂ„det Playa Blanca. Sedan hyrde vi en mindre motorcykel/scooter och gav oss ivĂ€g för att utforska ön. Lanzarote Ă€r den fjĂ€rde största ön i ögruppen och numera en utprĂ€glad turistö med vackra strĂ€nder, resorter och hotell men har samtidigt en helt annan sida och historia. Hela ögruppen Kanarieöarna tillhör Spanien men tillhör samtidigt geografiskt till den afrikanska kontinentalplattan. Alla Ă€r vulkaniska öar â liksom Madeiraarkipelagen. Runt 20 miljoner Ă„r sedan och bildades Lanzarote och Fuertoventura. Ăvriga öar bildades successivt flera Ă„rmiljoner senare. Yngst Ă€r El Hierro som man tror Ă€r 1,2 miljoner Ă„r gammal. Gemensamt för alla öar Ă€r att den vulkaniska aktiviteten har blossat upp i omgĂ„ngar och det vulkaniska omrĂ„det fortfarande Ă€r aktivt under frĂ€mst de vĂ€stra öarna vilket innebĂ€r att nya utbrott kan uppstĂ„. Lanzarote sĂ€gs bestĂ„ av minst 300 vulkaner(!?) Vi rĂ€knade inte men kunde besöka nĂ„gra kratrar och det var mĂ€ktigt att se denna enorma mĂ€ngd lava som flutit fram och bildat mĂ€rkliga formationer i landskapet. PĂ„ ön finns Ă€ven underjordiska vulkaniska tunnlar och grottor som skall vara sevĂ€rda. Vi valde dock att inte besöka dessa. Det hade inneburit motorvĂ€gskörning i över en timme enkel vĂ€g för oss och det kĂ€ndes inte sĂ„ lockande pĂ„ scootern đ
Lanzarote har varit bebodd sedan ca 500 Ă€r f kr av berber med ursprung frĂ„n Nordafrika. Ăn har besökts (och plundrats) av olika folkslag men pĂ„ 1400-talet erövrades ön slutligen av spanjorer. SĂ„ smĂ„ningom övertog de Ă€ven övriga öar i ögruppen. I kölvattnet av erövringen kom ocksĂ„ förslavandet av ursprungsbefolkningen... Lanzarote var dĂ„ delvis frodigt och man började odla bl a spannmĂ„l. Efter vulkanutbrotten pĂ„ 1700 och 1800-talet som ödelade stora delar av ön var det omöjligt att odla nĂ„got pĂ„ ön och hungersnöden ledde till att stora delar av befolkningen tvingades emigrera till andra öar. Numera Ă€r istĂ€llet turistnĂ€ringen en viktig inkomstkĂ€lla och invĂ„narna har ocksĂ„ framgĂ„ngsrikt lyckats hitta odlingsmetoder för att odla vindruvor dĂ€r man grĂ€ver fram bördig jord/aska i gropar dĂ€r man planterar vinplantan. DĂ€refter tĂ€cks jorden med vulkaniskt grus (lapilli) som klarar att hĂ„lla kvar fukten. Runt varje planta byggs sedan en liten stenmur av lavastenar som barriĂ€r mot vinden. PĂ„ sĂ„ sĂ€tt fĂ„r varje planta en perfekt miljö att vĂ€xa i. Vi besökte en bodega, Stratvs, med egenproducerat vin och fick se odlingarna som mĂ„ste kostat otroligt mĂ„nga arbetstimmar att bygga upp. Ingen bevattning sker och plantorna tillförs ingen nĂ€ring. PĂ„ vingĂ„rden Ă€r man noga med att anvĂ€nda det som finns pĂ„ plats och inte överutnyttja naturresurserna. Vi köpte ett vitt vin som Ă€r sött dĂ„ druvorna (Muscatdruvor) lĂ€ggs ut för att torka i solen för att ytterligare öka sockerhalten innan de anvĂ€nds i vinproduktionen.
Ăn har klassats som ekologiskt skyddsomrĂ„de av UNESCO. De mĂ€ktiga vulkankratrarna i Timanfaya Nationalpark liksom lavagrottorna i norr och de karakteristiska odlingsmetoderna Ă€r vĂ€rda att bevara. Medvetna försök görs för att kontrollera turismen i syfte att inte överexploatera ön. NĂ„got som bl a mĂ€rks pĂ„ att flera omrĂ„den och sevĂ€rdheter pĂ„ ön inte gĂ„r att nĂ„ utan att man ingĂ„r i en grupp/guidad tur. En person som betytt mycket för ön och dess kultur och bevarande var CĂ©sar Manrique Cabrera. En konstnĂ€r, skulptör, arkitekt och formgivare, sĂ€rskilt kĂ€nd för olika arkitektoniska projekt pĂ„ sin födelseö Lanzarote. De vita lĂ„ga husen som man ser överallt pĂ„ ön sĂ€gs vara designade efter hans grundtankar dĂ€r de Ă€r byggda pĂ„ ett sĂ„dant sĂ€tt att de smĂ€lter in i landskapet, hĂ„ller vĂ€rmen ute och via taken tar vara pĂ„ det Ă„trĂ„vĂ€rda regnvattnet. Han kombinerade sitt konstnĂ€rliga arbete med försvar av miljön och miljövĂ€rden pĂ„ ön och fick under sin levnadstid mĂ„nga priser och erkĂ€nnanden.
PĂ„ slutet av vĂ„r vistelse intrĂ€ffade spanska nationaldagen som firas till minne av Columbus âupptĂ€cktâ av Amerika de 12 oktober 1492. Vi var osĂ€kra pĂ„ hur firandet skulle se ut. Vi tĂ€nkte att vi kanske skulle fĂ„ höra musik och tal, möjligen upptrĂ€danden och fyrverkerier pĂ„ kvĂ€llen? Inget av detta intrĂ€ffade dock. PĂ„ uthyrningsfirman dĂ€r vi hyrt Scootern frĂ„gade vi hur man brukar fira dagen och det visade sig att personalen inte hade nĂ„gon aning om att det var deras nationaldag. Det var lite befriande att höra och kanske mer som nationaldagsfirandet i Sverige⊠Kanske Kanarieöborna inte kĂ€nner samma vurm för Columbus erövringar som spanjorer och portugiser?
NÀr vi seglade vidare till nÀsta ö, Fuerteventura, hörde vi varningar pÄ VHF-radion om en gummibÄt med okÀnt antal personer ombord som drev frÄn afrikanska kusten mot Kanarieöarna. Om man trÀffade pÄ bÄten skulle man ringa ett specifikt nummer. Lite senare hörde vi nödanrop frÄn, vad vi tror, nÀmnda gummibÄt och dÀrefter lokala sjörÀddningen som svarade och pÄ avstÄnd hörde vi helikoptrar. En omskakande upplevelse som fick oss att, för en stund, vakna upp ur vÄr priviligierade tillvaro och fundera pÄ vad som hÀnder i vÀrlden, utanför vÄr lilla bubbla pÄ Anastacia. Antalet migranter som försöker ta sig frÄn vÀstra Afrika till Kanarieöarna har ökat och hittills i Är har Kanarieöarna tagit emot 16 000 flyktingar som bl a flytt frÄn konflikterna i Senegal och Mali. Oklart hur mÄnga som omkommit under överfarten under Äret men man vet att bÄtar försvunnit spÄrlöst till havs.
La Montañas del Fuego (Fire Mountains). Timanfaya
Mountain still hot!
Vineyards and plantations
Legacy of CĂ©sar Manrique Cabrera
3 Commentaire(s)
SĂ„ bra skrivit, man följer verkligen med er, jag delade ert Ă€ventyr med Jonas och de har köpt en rejĂ€l bĂ„t och börjar drömma om en lĂ„ngsegling, hoppas det Ă€r ok, segla vĂ€l, mĂ„ vĂ€l allt gött, följer er idogt och det ger oss lust och lĂ€ngtan till havet i höstrusk och vintermörkerâ”ïžđ
15 October 2023 AnswerTack för de fina orden đ„° Vi kanska kan locka ut er ocksĂ„ đ
15 October 2023 AnswerKul och intressant lÀsning! Hoppas det löser sej med plats till bÄten!
15 October 2023 Answer