Very large minke whale found dead

The large dead minke whale being lifted out of the water in Vueltas harbour (Image: Speedy Adventure)

A very large minke whale was discovered floating dead in the Atlantic just off La Gomera not far from the harbour of Valle Gran Rey on Saturday. The carcass was towed into the port and lifted out of the water with the crane on the pier and onto a council truck for disposal. The minke whale showed no visible signs of injuries and further examinations and tests were to be carried out to determine the cause of death. However experts were surprised at the unusually large size of the marine mammal. This male dead minke whale measured about eight metres in length (25 ft), which is a metre longer than normally encountered. The waters just off the south coast of La Gomera are a popular spot for whale watching and more than 30 species of marine mammals have been sighted there.

Almost too large for the council lorry (Image: RTVC)

New public bus service

Valle Gran Rey bus station (Estacion de Guaguas)

A new public bus service has been inaugurated between La Gomara's western towns of Vallehermoso and Valle Gran Rey. Previously passengers had to change buses at Apartacaminos in the forest of the national park with very few connections available. Now the new direct service will travel between the two towns three times a day in each direction (twice on Sundays and public holidays) with the usual stops in between. The new service will facilitate locals travelling to and from the ferry terminal in Valle Gran Rey and will be of great interest to tourists as well, as it is now possible to reach scenic highlights like Epina much more comfortably. The single fare for the full distance between Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso is a modest four Euros and the new connection will have the number 8 (Linea 8).

La Gomera's public bus services have been owned and successfully run by the local government for many years now, after the previous private service went bankrupt despite generous subsidies. The timetable for the new service can be found here: Linea 8 Guagua Gomera SAU

Note: A bus is called  'GUAGUA' (pronounced 'gwa-gwa') in the Canary Islands and not 'autobus' as in Spain.