Page 219 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2024 SPAIN

And one evening in the San Miguel ma- running on the dock carrying a bucket filled
rina, we studied various shore lights. Later, with small crabs that they showed me. I’d
when the sun had set, we sailed east to- seen the youngsters before and figured
ward a hill called Montana Roja (Red Moun- they were part of a family living on a 60-
tain). Along the way, we used our charts to foot monohull sailboat. I only wish I'd
determine our location by noting the col- asked their nationality and chatted with
ors, blinking patterns, heights and other them a bit.
features of the lights on the land. The winds were moderate in the 20- to
It was the third to last day on our way 25-knot range when we sailed back to
back to La Gomera, that the most challeng- Tenerife. It was a downwind run and we had
ing winds reared. I must admit those waves following seas that lifted up our vessel
and pitches look much better in the rear- from the stern so that we surfed (a bit)
view mirror. But down the faces of
truth be told, I've the waves.
shared the experi- Back in our
ence with many of home port, we fol-
my sailing friends. lowed a (true
When Grey and story) small, yellow
I chatted about our submarine into the
excitement, he said marina where we
Canary Sail would docked once last
never purposefully time. But we
send students out weren’t done quite
into winds blowing wih the Alphados
at 40-plus knots. yet because the
“But I’m confi- deck had to be
dent enough in our washed down, life-
instructors that if jackets needed to
conditions like that have saltwater
arise, they’ll be sponged off and
fully able to handle the situation, as they the inside of the Alphados made shipshape.
were in the case of the Alphados on your We said our goodbyes, but I have a feel-
way to La Gomera,” he said. ing I may be seeing my shipmates again for
And then he smiled when I told him I’d other adventures. After all, Peterson might
never been so happy while sailing to arrive need a crew for that 60-foot catamaran he
in a marina. hopes he'll soon be captaining.
Those sentiments were shared by my And there’s a slip in the marina at San
fellow students and skipper. For on the Sebastian on La Gomera with my name on
penultimate day, we didn’t sail at all. In- it, ideal for docking the classy, 40-foot
stead, we hiked on trails in the rocky hills sloop-rigged Hallberg Rassy sailboat (a
beyond the village, explored San Sebastian, Swedish vessel) that I’d love to buy. Why, a
read, relaxed and drank a beer at a bar in new one with those dimensions only costs a
the main square. mere $650,000.
In the marina, I encountered three boys As I said, in my dreams…

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