Naval base planned for La Gomera

Aircraft carrier 'Juan Carlos I' heading for Valle Gran Rey in La Gomera island soon ? (Image:gomeranoticias.com)

It has just been announced that the outer harbour of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, is to be turned into a Spanish naval base.

After the revelation a few days ago that the Spanish navy has been shadowing and tracking Russian vessels which had been acting suspiciously while in waters around the Canary Islands for a while, it comes as no surprise that European and Nato forces are stepping up surveillance of vessels around these islands.

In a recent article published by local media like gomeranoticias, navy commander Alejandro Fraga Pardo de Guevara was quoted as saying: “It is a satisfaction for the navy personnel to contribute to collective deterrence in the archipelago, our work guarantees the integrity of the territory and prevents conflicts through a credible presence at sea”.

In another interview later rear admiral Juan Antonio Pepino de Bromista-Chistoso revealed: ''In view of the recent growth of global instability and conflict our presence in this remote archipelago in the Atlantic will now be increased significantly with the addition of a new small naval base in La Gomera's Valle Gran Rey to support our existing presence in these parts. This new base will help to protect Spain in line with our European and Nato defence obligations. The measure may also help to reassure the large number of anxious elderly German tourists and residents in the area and in general promote the area's safety.'' However,. the move should also be seen in light of the American president laying claim to the Canary Islands last year, as I reported HERE...

The rear admiral added: "Most ports and harbours of the Canary Islands are extremely busy or at capacity. They also often accommodate busy marinas which hamper our manoeuvrability. Valle Gran Rey's under-used, almost empty, large outer port facility is the natural choice for a new navy base. Further, its strategic far south-western location in the Atlantic with sweeping views over that area of operations and protection by tall mountains shoreside combined with only a small civilian population are making it most suitable.'' 

The long outer pier in Vueltas port with this SAR ship one of its few regular visitors

It is planned that the base will initially be home to 3 to 5 warships only during phase one. The current almost empty ferry terminal is to be converted into the naval base's command centre and an additional two floors will be added on top of this. The pier ''will get a long-range radar, a watchtower, fuel storage and ancillary facilities''. The ferry 'Benchi Express' will continue to operate from Vueltas, but will be moved to the old pier in the inner harbour. 

It remains to be seen how the spending power of the sailors when on leave will transform the nightlife of Valle Gran Rey when the naval base comes into operation on April 1st, 2027...ahoy there!

The port of Valle Gran Rey

The port of Valle Gran Rey situated in Vueltas handled about 158.000 passengers in 2018, most them using the new high speed car ferry service introduced by Naviera Armas towards the end of 2017 and the smaller Fred. Olsen passenger ferry which arrived in the autumn of 2017. The latter also sails to La Gomera's southern port of Playa de Santiago which handled almost 41.000 passengers in 2018. I took the above image of Vueltas ln late December 2017 when a small luxury cruise ship passed by at sunset.

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)

Sail away

British West Country ketch Bessie Ellen sailing away from Valle Gran Rey this morning. The 120ft vessel built of timber in Plymouth in 1904 is one of the last surviving trading ketches and now offers charters, sailing holidays and training.

Large port and marina planned for Playa de Santiago

The existing harbour in La Gomera's southernmost town of Playa de Santiago will be dwarfed if the plans for a large extension of the pier and port will get funding. The plans have been around for quite some time but nothing has happened yet due to lack of financial support. Recently there have been renewed political efforts to have funds for project included in the 2018 budget of the Canarian government and to apply for some EU aid under the cohesion heading.

The project when first drawn up had a price tag of around 106.5 million Euros and will involve massive movement of rock and concrete, of which the municipal region of Alajero, in which Playa de Santiago is situated has more than plenty. The new port, if built, will provide berths for ships and ferries of up to 340 ft in length, a marina with berths for about 350 pleasure craft of various sizes, a dedicated comercial fishing section and ancillary works. 

If only they would finish the port of Valle Gran Rey, which badly needs a marina and has been awaiting the final 'phase two' for many years, first...

Below an impressive animated introduction to the ambitious plans for Playa de Santiago

Cruise ship season in full swing

La Gomera is fast becoming a very popular cruise ship destination and this winter season more cruise ships are visiting the island than in previous years. It now regularly happens that two cruise ships are arriving in the harbour of San Sebastian de La Gomera, forcing one to anchor outside the port and having to bring guests ashore by ship's tender. This was the case yesterday when P&O's Aurora was occupying the cruise ship berth on the pier and the Ocean Majesty anchoring just outside the harbour's mouth in glorious weather.

Further growth for La Gomera's main port

Cruise ship 'Mein Schiff 4' with close to 2800 passengers in the port of San Sebastian de La Gomera yesterday

Latest statistics show further growth in both freight and passenger numbers passing through the port of La Gomera's capital San Sebastian de La Gomera. Freight handling has increased by 11,5% and passenger numbers were 6% more than during the same period last year. It is expected that more than 1,3 million passengers will have passed through the port by the end of 2017. What isn't clear from these figures is whether passengers travelling to and from the island of La Palma are counted or not. They do spend time in the port of La Gomera in large numbers and are included in the docking ferries' passenger numbers, but they don't disembark during the brief stopover.

Port terminal to be finished soon

Above plans for the landscaping and finishing of the recently constructed harbour terminal in the port of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey were published by the government of the Canary Islands. The terminal will be connected to all services and car parking, a taxi rank and bus stop will be provided. Green areas and trees to provide shade and shelter will be planted and public lighting with solar panels will be installed. The estimated cost for these improvements is close to 214.000 Euros and the works will take three months to complete. Let's hope they didn't forget public toilets.

The terminal in its present state

Further harbour improvements

The terminal building in Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey

The recently constructed terminal building in the outer harbour of Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey, is to be brought into service soon, according to the island's president Casimiro Curbelo. He announced a further investment of 310.000 Euros for the harbour yesterday and the terminal will get the necessary connections to services as well as landscaping and furnishings. 

Lets hope there will be public toilets open at all times as currently there are none in the whole Valle Gran Rey area which serves a population of around 5.000 and is the main tourist attraction of La Gomera. Public toilet facilities are extremely scarce in La Gomera in general and should be provided a.s.a.p. to avoid further unhygienic 'wild toilets'.

Passenger numbers increase

The port of San Sebastian de La Gomera

The port of San Sebastian de La Gomera recorded 1,3 million passenger movements in 2016, an increase of 6,6 %, while total traffic figures were up by 4 %. Almost 90.000 of the passengers representing an 15,8 % increase came aboard cruise ships during 74 visits by such vessels.

The movement of goods and merchandise through the port showed a 4,8 % higher number than in 2015 with over 150.000 tons processed through the port's facilities while the amount of bulk materials and liquids increased by 6,3 % last year, representing an additional 25.000 tons.

And just to bore you stiff with more statistics, La Gomera's main port handled a total of 2.870 vessels berthing there last year. 

All impressive figures for a small island with a population of just 20.000 !

Lord Nelson heading for Vueltas harbour

The 'Lord Nelson' sailing past the beach of La Playa close to shore under engine power, heading for Vueltas.

The STS 'Lord Nelson' is a sail training ship of 368 gross tonnage and was launched in 1986 by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson for the Jubilee Sailing Trust and is berthing in Valle Gran Rey's port of Vueltas as I write. She'll be dwarfed there tomorrow with the arrival of the huge cruise ship 'Thomson Majesty'. It seems the British are coming - despite 'Brexit'...

Red light for the 'Island without traffic lights'

Just some of the new traffic lights
Image: gomeranoticias.com

La Gomera island with a population of just 20.000 has always managed its road traffic without any traffic lights, but now several sets of traffic lights have been installed in the port of San Sebastian de La Gomera where recent road works have created a new traffic system for the busy harbour area. They have not yet been switched on and it is hoped they will only be used when there is a lot of cars coming off the ferries. The local population were always proud of the fact that La Gomera didn't need any traffic lights and many are calling the newly installed ones unnecessary, considering that the larger port of Los Cristianos on Tenerife doesn't have any.