Picture from the exibition

...taken early this morning. See yesterday's post

You'll never row alone

To mark this year's Atlantic Challenge rowing race across the Atlantic which starts from La Gomera in about 22 days' time, an exhibition was opened in the harbour terminal of San Sebastian de La Gomera on Friday. The exhibition will feature works by various artists under the theme 'You'll never row alone - The interior journey II' and is open to the public in the upstairs lounge until January 8th 2018 and is well worth a visit.

Passenger terminal nearing completion

Image taken a couple of weeks ago by H.P.

The new passenger terminal in the port of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey is nearing completion and the facility should be officially opened just in time for the busy winter season. 
All that's missing now is some solid news regarding the reopening of the sorely missed ferry connection...

Construction of terminal progressing

The construction of the new passenger terminal building in the port of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera is making good progress. The terminal will cost nearly 400.000 Euros and should be finished by summer. I have been asked several times if the construction of this building would point to the reopening of the ferry line between Valle Gran Rey and San Sebastian de La Gomera (etc.), but sadly this is not the case. The terminal building is a separate entity even if it should facilitate passengers in case of a re-establishment of the ferry connection. There is still no news concerning the ferry line and personally I am a bit pessimistic about the prospects at this stage. 

The terminal is a step in the right direction, however, and it is also intended to make the now mostly empty exterior harbour more attractive to the increasingly popular cruise ship and yacht traffic. Visiting yachts have to pay the same harbour dues here as in other ports in the Canaries, but do not find the same facilities included.

In any case Vueltas and Valle Gran Rey will finally receive the first (and badly needed) public toilets. Below you can see what the finished project should look like:

Major Revamp for the Port of San Sebastian

The area around the terminal building in the harbour of San Sebastian de La Gomera is to be remodelled and improved. San Sebastian port handles about 1,2 million passengers per annum and parking in the harbour has been notoriously difficult for many years. The planned new and much larger car parks should make it easier for travellers and those picking up passengers, buying tickets as well as for the hire cars and taxis. Ample parking for buses and heavy goods vehicles, trucks and containers will also be provided. Let's just hope the new car parks will remain free of charge, but a 'hut to control parking' will be constructed which doesn't bode well for free parking. 

Planned redevelopment (click to enlarge)

The embarkation areas for cars intending to travel on the ferries will also be redesigned as will be the final stretch of the port access road. Even traffic lights have been mentioned - these would be the first of their kind here, as La Gomera has been delightfully free of traffic lights up to now. Some trees and green areas are also included in the plans and a general tidy-up of the whole area. 

The building phase is to take just eight months and the whole project is to cost 1,7 million Euros. Another 2,9 million Euros is to be invested in the extension of the pier by 38 metres to accommodate more and even larger cruise ships next season. The number of cruise ship passengers visiting San Sebastian de La Gomera has doubled during the current season from 40.000 last season to over 80.000 and La Gomera is receiving the highest ratings by cruise ship passengers. Work on the pier extension which will also include works on the marina, beach and existing pier is to begin shortly with all the paperwork in place and contractors appointed already.

Let's hope that the derelict-looking outer harbour of Valle Gran Rey will be next in line for an upgrade. Can we have a piece of that cake, pleeeeease ?

The port of San Sebastian de La Gomera seen from the marina