Highlights
 | The enormous expanses of golden sand down at Maspalomas, great
anchorages on the south coast too. |
| Puerto Mogan is one of the most attractive and friendliest marinas in
the Canaries. |
| Lively social life around Las Palmas in November as the ARC
(transatlantic rally) gets ready to leave. |
| Tourist free shopping in Las Palmas, and an ace beach too. |
Overview
Gran Canaria is the administrative capital of the four Eastern most
islands and is home to one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Canaries;
Las Palmas. Las Palmas is well known in yachting circles as it is from here
every year that the famous ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) leaves every
November (more or less) heading for St Lucia in the Caribbean.
The marina in a Las Palmas is impressive and is a good base from which to
explore both the city and the island. La Palmas has all the characteristics
of a big city, museums, squares, parks, an active nightlife. It is
surrounded by two surprisingly good and large beaches, Las Caletas to the
north and Alcaravaneras to the south.
On the south of the island are the popular resorts of Playa del Ingles
and just to the west the enormous expanses of sand dunes and golden beaches
known as Maspalomas. The south coast also has some excellent marinas (like
Puerto Mogan) and some delightful anchorages.
The western part of the islands features numerous valleys where the pace
of life is as far removed from that in Las Palmas as you could imagine, Gran
Canarian villages feature little whitewashed churches, banana plantations,
wooden balconies tree lined squares, and the calm, unhurried, peaceful cigar
smoking male indigenous to the islands.
Facts
| Gran Canaria has 7 marinas and 12 documented anchorages. |
| An easy day's sail from Tenerife, Fuerteventura or La Gomera, all
across the prevailing winds. |
| Its not 'Gran' as in 'big' at all. The name comes from the fact that
the local population offered fierce resistance to the Spanish invasion.
Gran Canaria was the last Canarian island to be conquered, (in the
1480's). |
| Longest dimensions, about 25 nautical miles north to south and 25 east
to west, its sort of round. |
| 1,560 square km and over 700,000 inhabitants make it the third largest
island in the archipelago. Almost half the Canary islands' population live
on this island. |
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Puerto Rico
Popular marina in the south of Gran Canaria |
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Puerto Mogan
Attractive and popular marina on the south coast |
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East coast of Gran Canaria
Many deserted anchorages along here |
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Aldea de San Nicholas
Not much in itself but surrounded by beautiful scenery |
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Aldea de San Nicholas
Oh... and a couple of good bars, anyone for a beer? |
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