The Blue M, Puerto Morgan, Gran
Canaria
This time
last week we were coming to the end of what was our best and most favourite day
on our Gran Canaria trip. The Blue M is a modern, well designed and safe
motorboat with plenty of side deck, a sunbathing foredeck and upper fly deck
that affords excellent views.
being a big kid. I never tire of watching out for dolphin and whales.
Manolo the
owner is a cheerful Gran Canarian and clearly an excellent, experienced
skipper. Born in Puerto Mogan he has spent all this life there and is clearly
well known, well liked and respected based on the number of locals who waved us
off, called out to him or bought their jet skis alongside to trade some banter.
Together with his wife Minerva, they
make an excellent, hospitable, easy going team on board a boat they love and
care for.
Collected promptly
from the hotel at 0915, we arrived in the sleepy, stunning village port of Puerto Mogan 15 minutes later. Welcomed aboard
Blue M, our shoes were deposited in a basket and the rest of the day was spent
in barefoot bliss on scrubbed teak strip decks. With only seven on board, the
day was intimate, allowing you to get to know your fellow guests.
This is my 'I'm so excited' look even though I am sinning and stepping on board a motorboat instead of a yacht or dinghy
The plan for
the day was simple, motor out at a steady 10kts, look for dolphin, porpoise and
whales in the morning; around lunch time anchor in a secluded rocky bay, have a
simple BBQ and do snorkelling across the boulders. Back in port for 15.00 with
the rest of the afternoon at your leisure to wander around picturesque Puerto
Mogan.
As we slowly
motored out of the port, past the refuel bunker and protective breakwater,
anticipation was high. The Blue M has a reputation for finding whales and
dolphin, for environmentally respecting their privacy and for keeping a
sensible distance from the whales. Dolphins on the other hand, well they just
like to play, curious creatures that they are. Any dolphin experience was going
to be up close and personal!
With both Manolo
and Minerva using binoculars to scan port and starboard quarters off the bow it
wasn’t long before a call from Manolo had us on our feet. Well most of us. From
the moment we left port I’d been at the bow or on the flybridge scanning the
waters for life. I’m such a kid! Ahead
off the starboard bow quarter, two dorsal fins slowly broke the mirror calm sea,
gracefully rising in an arc before disappearing below.
Bright whales, mother
and calf. It is a testimony to Manolo’s
skill and environmental sensitivity that he managed to get close but not so
close as to disturb the mother and calf. He also limited the time alongside. Sharing
information with other boats on the water, he moved away to allow another ketch
coming up astern to take its turn 30m off the port side of the whales. Only one
boat went alongside at any one point in time and after a strictly allotted
time, that boat moved away giving the whales time to drift along undisturbed.
This environmental sustainable approach was extremely impressive to watch in
action and speaks volumes about Gran Canarias’s approach to tourism in general.
Motoring out
to sea, its dappled surface ruffled by tiny breezes, we viewed Mt Teide rising
above the clouds on Tenerife, the summit seemingly floating above the clouds. Binoculars
were lifted to the horizon again and the scanning arcs began once more. 20
minutes later and a large pod of dolphin were spotted coming towards the boat.
The quietly
intense excitement on board the Blue M cannot be adequately described in words.
Manolo and Minerva never tire of seeing the pods. And yes, the waters were
clear, deep azure blue; and yes, the dolphin surfed the bow wave; and yes, you
could see them clearly; and yes, they came to us. Such inquisitively playful
creatures. There are insufficient superlatives to describe this encounter and it
surpassed our expectations. Manolo’s only comment, albeit said with a big grin,
was that ‘this was normal’.
With plenty of room for all of us to line the
bow rails, the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin swam alongside, beneath and in front of
the Blue M. Bubble trails, the equivalent of airplane trails in the sky,
steamed behind some dolphin as they twisted and turned beneath the bow. Some
swam sideways, an eye keenly scrutinising us. Do dolphins smile? Based on this
encounter, an emphatic yes. I swear blind some were laughing at us.
20 minutes
later and Manolo called time on our encounter, the pod drifted off to find some
respite and later some new playmates. We turned inshore and headed for a small
indentation in the tall vertical lava cliffs west of Puerto Mogan.
The small
bay was already occupied by two other boats with larger parties on board but in
typical low-key Gran Canaria style, neither proved to be obtrusive. We swam in
clear blue seas, the bay floor littered with large rocky boulders from long ago
collapsed cliffs. Black spiked sea urchins hid in crevices between the boulders
and ribbon fish swam lazily by.
Well what do you know. Those Atlantic currents are so powerful. I went snorkelling in Wembury Bay, south Devon and next thing I know........I'm stepping aboard some boat in Gran Canaria!!
In 8m or so of water, shoals of fish suddenly
appeared from hiding places, attracted by the bread thrown in by Minerva. A
free meal, the water teemed with fish shoals. Most sheltered under the Blue M. Snorkelling
in water with a temperature of 19C or so is such a pleasure. This is a
different Atlantic to the one off Plymouth Sound. Warm, translucently clear and
no wet suits and thermals needed here.
The stony,
bouldery beach lay at the end of a very narrow deep ravine valley. Someone had
built a driftwood bar, long ago abandoned but it gave a wonderful Robinson Crusoe
air to proceedings.
With a tasty
BBQ comprising chicken kebabs, fresh bread rolls and a sumptuously tasty mixed
chipped salad provided by Manolo and Minerva, we all sat on the bow enjoying
the sun. Pure relaxation. Free drinks came from the stern locker cooler as and
when you needed them. Manolo and Minerva took a dip when we were all fed and
plates cleared. Both were clearly water babies!
Back on
board and last to depart the bay, we motored along the stunning volcanic cliffs
with their different coloured bands of ancient lava flows as far as Amados
beach to the east, before turning bow back to port.
Manolo
reversed that boat back into its berth stern first. He had a foot clearance
either side. The fenders didn’t even graze neighbouring boats. Minerva jumped
off the rear bathing platform with a light step and had stern lines tied and
tensioned before you could blink. What slick teamwork. When I complimented
Manolo on his superb boatmanship, I got the toothy grin and a Spanish accented
english retort ‘not my first time eh’?
I recommend
the Blue M without reservation. The professionalism, care, attention to detail
and laid back gentle humour and welcome of Manolo and Minerva made this such a
special day. Thank you goes to our fellow guests, from Italy, The Ukraine, and Ireland for interesting conversation
and good humour all day.
You can
contact Manolo about a voyage on the Blue M via their FaceBook page or trip
advisor reviews. I cannot comment on the
larger tour outfits but this I can say, the Blue M was reasonably priced by
comparison and was worth every single euro. Outside of Arwen my own boat,
probably the best day I have ever had out on the water!
Manolo, Minerva,
Gracias!
Blue M has its own Facebook page: search Blue M Puerto Mogan.
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