The small volcanic island of La Graciosa just off the northern tip of Lanzarote was our first stop after the crossing from Morocco where we made landfall. We were glad to see land again and once we arrived and finished having food, we put the dinghy in the water and took the dog to shore. She was very happy to say the least. She was jumping and bouncing around and we all enjoyed a little stroll along the beach, watching the boats in the anchorage and saw the sunset over the rock pools that formed at low tide.
The next day we scrubbed the inside of the boat which had seen a lot of spillage over the past few days, and went to the only little town on the island Caleta de Sebo.
The town was tiny and all the houses were scattered around the little marina, where the ferries arrives a few times a day, bringing tourists to the island. Since there is no accommodation for tourists on the island except for a small campground, the beaches are quiet and deserted in the early mornings and after 5pm when the last ferry leaves.
The island is part of the Chinijo Archipelago and the national park and very sandy and desert looking. It had no electricity until 1985 and no drinking water until 1990!
After we walked back for about 45 minutes we got back to the boat and invited friends from another boat over for drinks and snacks. We had a nice evening and went to bed after playing rummy.
The next day we were bound to leave for Arrecife, the main town on Lanzarote and we got up bright and early to climb the volcano next to the anchorage. Montana Amarillo is 172m high and one of the 4 volcanic peaks on the island. It gets its name from its yellow colour and from the top we had a nice view over the island.
We left around noon and arrived in Arrecife around 5 PM.