Camel-back in the Canaries
Fuerteventura’s Parque Natural de las Dunas
amphitheater and a species of blind crab that is indigenous to the island. While locals continue to deal with the aftermath of Cumbre Vieja’s violent explosion on La Palma, Cueva de los Verdes, Lanzarote holds concerts for an audience of 500 in its expansive cavern and provides sanctuary to a species of blind albino cave crabs in its deep-turquoise underground freshwater lagoon. Underwater Sculpture Garden Equally unique to the Canaries is Europe’s first underwater sculpture garden, a collection of 12 installations laid down by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor to raise social and environmental awareness. “Museo Atlántico” was made public in 2017 and holds 300 life-sized human figures performing everyday tasks: a couple holding hands, a man sitting on a swing, fishermen in their boats, someone taking a selfie. Four years on and the sculptures are starting to create a decent false reef. The effect is impressive … and rather eerie. My dive at the site remains an unforgettable experience that should not be missed on a trip through Lanzarote. Many sailors use the largest of the Canary Islands, Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, solely for provisioning and boat preparation before a trans-Atlantic
passage. However, if you bypass the islands that surround the main island you’d miss out on interesting and diverse islands that should be a highlight destination in the Eastern Atlantic.The ones we visited on our sail through the island group were a continuous series of unfolding surprises. The villages hold their own quaint small-town European character, and each island offers an experience drastically different than its neighbor. From the bustle of Gran Canaries largest city, Las Palmas, to the silent cave dwellers of its outer communities; from the enormous sand dunes of Fuertaventura’s Parque
Natural de las Dunas to the barren volcanic cone of Los Lobos to the lush laurel forest of Los Tilos de Moya in Gran Canaria; from sea to inland lake to crater rim to underground tunnels; from camel back to mountaintop to mid-city cafes. The Canaries’ special diversity makes a hop-through in route from America to Europe a must-see adventure. m l
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WINTER 2022
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