A Real-Time Update from El Hierro to Germany and Beyond
Next week I’ll continue sharing Nike’s video series, including a wild little episode where we swap out two through-hull valves while Santana is still in the water. But before that, I wanted to give you a quick real-time update from the road—or more precisely, from the dock in Lübeck.
Santana at the Edge of Europe
Right now, Santana is moored at La Estaca Marina on El Hierro—the southernmost and westernmost of the Canary Islands.
Looking back, the journey south was incredible. It took us to places I hadn’t seen before by boat (or at all): Ibiza, the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, and the historic port town of Ceuta.
Sailing into Rabat, through the river mouth flanked by ancient city walls, was one of the most breathtaking landfalls I’ve ever experienced.
We also managed to visit nearly every island in the Canaries—except for La Palma—and experienced some truly stunning landscapes. I’m proud of what we’ve done and the places we’ve seen.
The Canaries: Beautiful, But Not Quite “Home”
That said, none of the islands made me want to stay long-term. I love being at anchor in clear, swimmable water, ideally with an empty beach nearby. Maybe I’m spoiled from the Med. But finding those peaceful anchorages wasn’t always easy this time.
We found one little gem in the southwest of Gran Canaria, and another in the south of La Gomera. But most spots in Gran Canaria and Tenerife were overcrowded, packed with hotels that I found, honestly, a bit depressing.
La Gomera stood out as the most beautiful and balanced island for me, followed by El Hierro. Much quieter, and that calm helped us finally slow down.
But even then, the weather didn’t always cooperate. The wind or swell kept shifting, so we were rarely able to stay anchored for more than a few nights. And this winter? It was one of the rainiest the Canaries have seen in years. We had rain on every island—sometimes even flooding on Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura.
If your goal is warm sunshine and casual swims… this wasn’t the trip.
Back in Germany (For Now)
We left Santana on El Hierro and flew to Düsseldorf with the dogs. I spent two weeks in my childhood village of Engelskirchen, and now I’m with Nike on her canal boat in Lübeck, all the way up north at the Baltic Sea.
She’s starting a big restoration project here, and I’ll help as much as I can. Then, around mid to late July, I’ll return to El Hierro solo to tackle some boat projects—things that are easier (and much less messy) without anyone stepping into fresh paint or Sikaflex.
In August, I’ll be back in Lübeck to support Nike again. September might bring me to Switzerland, and after that, back to El Hierro to prepare Santana for the next big step…
Heading South Again
If all goes to plan, I’ll set sail for either Mindelo (Cape Verde) or Dakar (Senegal). I’m dreaming of crystal-clear water, tropical warmth, and maybe—just maybe—some proper swimming weather. Nike will join later, and together we hope to explore Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau.
I don’t expect to spend much time in Cape Verde, to be honest. While beautiful, I’ve heard the anchorages can be just as rolly as the Canaries. But if it surprises us in a good way, we might adjust the plan.
Three Options for What Comes Next
After that… who knows?
Nike likely needs next summer to finish restoring her canal boat, so Santana won’t keep sailing through the season. That leaves us with three main options:
1. Sail to Brazil
We could continue from Guinea-Bissau to Brazil—the shortest transatlantic route.
Downside? We’d have to cross the equator and the Doldrums. There’s a good chance we’d end up motoring a lot. But it would be an adventure.
2. Head to the Caribbean
Easier trade winds, more support infrastructure, and plenty of islands to explore.
The big question: where to leave Santana during hurricane season?
3. Sail North to the Azores and Germany
The most practical (and possibly the most meaningful) option.
Sailing Santana to the Azores, then up to Germany, would put both boats in the same place—giving us the chance to work on one while living on the other. We could even squeeze in a trip to Mexico to check on Karl afterward.
Who knows. We’ll see what feels right when the time comes.
For now, thanks for following along.
Stay curious. Stay salty.
– Floh