The Edge Of The World

Sailing to El Hierro

In this episode we’re sailing towards El Hierro.

The plan was simple: an easy day sail, a new island to explore, and a safe place to leave Santana for the summer. After a winter of moving around, El Hierro felt like the right kind of pause — quiet, remote, and a little bit “end of the map.”

Of course, the universe heard the words easy day sail and immediately started laughing.

What began as a relaxed crossing turned into a very gusty arrival. Nothing dramatic, just the usual Canary Islands reminder that the wind doesn’t care about your schedule — especially when you’re approaching an island that sticks out into the Atlantic like a speed bump for weather systems.

Two Harbors on El Hierro

El Hierro used to have two marinas: one in the south called La Restinga, and one in the north called La Estaca.

La Restinga looks tempting on the chart, but in reality it’s basically a haul-out option. There’s no real way to leave your boat in the port — not even just to wait for the lift. And, as I learned later (half a year later, actually, when I sailed there with a friend), it also came with one of the most unfriendly harbor masters I’ve ever met.

So for us the target was clear: La Estaca, the northern port.

The Only Blue Day

Before going in, we stayed at anchor right opposite the harbor — not knowing that this would be the only time I’d ever see that bay in calm, deep blue.

Because once summer settled in, the reality looked different: whitecaps, constant wind, and gusts that regularly reached around 40 knots. Considering that, La Estaca is actually pretty well protected. It’s one of those places that doesn’t feel cozy, but it does the job.

Most of the year there’s plenty of space. Just a couple of sailors passing through, and a handful of boats left behind for the summer season.