Serious accident in tunnel

There was a serious accident in the tunnel of Yorima on the road between Arure and upper Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera yesterday afternoon. A fifty years old male cyclist is reported to have collided with a bus inside the tunnel. Police and an ambulance as well as a doctor and a nurse rushed to the scene. The cyclist was later transferred by air ambulance to a hospital on Tenerife, where he was said to be in  'critical condition'. 

The tunnel of Yorima is about 625 metres long and does not have any illumination.

Archive image on left shows entrance to tunnel near Arure

Over three million views in less than a year

I joined GooglePlus  less than a year ago and started sharing most posts from this blog on that medium (G+ account: Willie La Gomera). The response has been phenomenal and to date my Google plus page has been viewed more than three million times !

Thank you all for your interest, it is a great incentive to keep going...

Shepherd's leap

Above video demonstrates the traditional way of rapidly moving across the often difficult and steep terrain in the rural areas of the Canary Islands with the help of a long, pointed, lance-like vaulting pole. This allows the shepherd to move faster than his goats and is called salto del pastor Canario or 'leap of the Canarian shepherd'. It is still practised on La Gomera and it is fascinating to watch farmers move across rocky terrain in the mountains with breathtaking speed when they gather stray goats. The salto is now becoming increasingly popular as an adventure sport activity and classes are on offer sporadically all over the Canary Islands to learn this ancient form of pole vaulting.

Oil controversy continues. Greepeace ship arrives

phys.org reports:

Spain defends Canaries oil drilling plan

People protest against oil and gas exploration by Spanish group REPSOL off the coast of the Canary Islands, on the Spanish Canary island of Gran Canaria on August 23, 2014

Spain on Friday launched a legal challenge to defend plans to explore for oil and gas off the Canary Islands, a popular tourist destination. Authorities in the Canaries oppose the government-backed plan by oil giant Repsol to prospect under the seabed near the Spanish Atlantic archipelago and have said they will let locals vote on the plan on November 23.

The conservative government in Madrid decided Friday to appeal to the Constitutional Court against that referendum, Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said.

"This appeal motion has already been signed" by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, she told a news conference after Friday's weekly cabinet meeting.

She said the government would challenge the vote on the same legal grounds it has used to get a planned referendum on independence for the Catalonia region suspended.

In both cases, the government says the regional governments are not authorised to hold referendum-style votes.

"We are talking about matters that are in the power of the state, not of the Canary Islands government," Saenz said.

Madrid outraged the Canaries' regional government, residents and environmental groups in August by giving Repsol the all-clear to explore near the islands' coasts.

The company has been authorised to spend three years probing below the sea bed about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

Residents of the archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa fear Repsol's explorations will harm the environment and disrupt the tourism industry on which their economy relies.

Under the terms of the licence, Repsol must provide a deposit of 20 million euros ($25 million) "to cover its environmental responsibilities".

Those safeguards have not convinced the islands' government or residents, however. Protesters demonstrated across the eight inhabited islands of the archipelago on October 18.

Greenpeace said its campaign boat Arctic Sunrise was heading to the island of Lanzarote on Friday evening and would also visit two other ports in the Canaries over the coming 10 days to support the protests.

 Explore further: Spain's Canary Islands fume over oil exploration

© 2014 AFP 

Click to sign petition

Poster for In The Heart Of The Sea movie

Now the first official fim poster for the film 'In The Heart Of The Sea', directed by Ron Howard and shot partially on location in La Gomera, has been published by Warner Bros. The film is due for release in March of next year. It's a very impressive and stunningly beautiful poster and having had the luck to work on the set as a picture double I just can't wait to see the movie...

Poster © Warner Bros.

Oil find only 200 kms away from Canaries

Opposition against oil exploration remains strong in the Canary islands despite the latest discovery of oil off Morocco. Island Connections reports:

Moroccan oil find 'changes nothing' in Canaries, says government

News of the discovery of oil off Morocco in no way changes the opposition of the Canarian people to drilling in the waters off the islands, says the regional government. 

Image: Archive Lagomera1.blogspot.com

Canary Islands - 22.10.2014 

- Details emerged yesterday of what appears to be a major find by Genel Energy off Morocco and the news has, unsurprisingly, triggered conflicting views in the Canaries. While supporters of the drilling planned for waters off Lanzarote and Fuerteventura later this year say the find, which still has to be confirmed with further testing of the well, makes the explorations here of even greater interest, opponents say it changes nothing. "This is not the first time we have heard this type of news, which is often put out for stock market interests. The risks involved in the drilling there are not as serious as in the Canaries, which is why we will continue to oppose the plans" said regional president Paulino Rivero, who insisted that the stance taken by the government was "a matter of convictions" and not opportunism. Rivero called on Morocco to take the "strictest measures" to ensure the extraction of any oil found is carried out with full environmental guarantees. 

Weather warnings today

AEMET rain radar at 10:10 am showing heavy rain approaching La Gomera

There is an orange alert for occasionally heavy rain with accumulations of up to 90 mm in 12 hours for the western Canaries today. There are also warnings of thunderstorms today.
This is due to a developing storm between the Canaries and the Azores which will bring unsettled weather for a couple of days. The weather should have returned to normal conditions by mid-week.

In The Heart Of The Sea: First official trailer released

The first official teaser trailer for the film 'In The Heart Of The Sea', directed by Ron Howard and shot partially on location in La Gomera, has been published by Warner Bros. The film is due for release in March of next year.

Rain or shine

You do get 'proper weather' in the Canaries sometimes, too. I really enjoyed reading Queenie's post on one of her excellent blogs describing a weather event that sometimes can hit these usually sun-blessed islands of 'eternal spring'. I am reproducing it below, but I've added my own photo of a heavy downpour and wild seas during a storm experienced on La Gomera last winter. Don't worry though, bad weather is rare and short-lived in the Canaries. Actually, the locals hope and pray for rain at this time of the year. To them the rain is as important as the sun is for us.

The Storm

by Red Queen's Musings

This descriptive writing lark isn’t as easy as I imagined.  Firstly I find it particularly hard to find something to write about and then once I do I’m at a loss at how to create a vivid picture.  It makes you realise just how lacking in language you really are!

Long before technology people relied on observation to avoid being caught off guard by the elements. Despite being raised on the wild northeast coast, I was never good at predicting what was going to happen so inevitably I was taken totally by surprise.

The day started beautifully, the sky was like a dome of plasma-blue but there were those who saw the storm closing in. Within minutes of me setting off for town, the once clear sky became full of thick clouds, staining it a deadly shade of indigo. Birds silenced their song and people ran for cover as the saturated clouds start to rumble and spat out beads of water – it began as a whispering in the air but a storm was brewing.

I quickened my pace but caught the first splatter of rain when I was halfway down the road. I took refuge in a doorway, others huddled under shop awnings or sheltered in cars, their windscreen wipers furiously struggling against the increasingly pounding rain as we waited for the storm to pass but the rainfall became more intense. For a while, those who rushed off to work as they do every morning eventually made a wet scramble to stay on schedule only to be drowned and drenched.

So much rain was falling that the sound blurred into one long whirring noise.  It wasn’t the soft, sodden, swollen drops of spring; it was as if ball bearings were hitting the pavement with force. The thermometer plunged as we huddled together and shivered. For a brief moment, I thought that we might be doomed adventurers, destined to be swept away in a mighty flood but eventually, the noise lessened and we made a break for our destinations.  I hurried inside a small cafe, where the smells of strong coffee and wet woollen coats floated in the air. I chose a seat and gazed out of the steamed up windows every few seconds to check what was happening.

It was only a little after ten o’clock in the morning but the pallor of a winter evening seemed to have closed upon us as the lightning started. It never came through the menacing clouds, just lit them up from above, then the loud rumble of thunder echoed around the almost empty, lifeless streets. Any last remaining footsteps quickly disappear. The wind came in gusts; it blew with such force and swayed, like a drunken man, picking up then quickly releasing the scattered rubbish again and again. Trees surrender as the battering wind forced leaves to be torn off branches.

From the safety of my refuge I looked at the deserted street and the feeble daylight appeared to dim as the dark clouds moved across the sky. A lone dog pattered across the waste ground then threaded its way between the few surviving cars. Then as if some mighty hand had flicked a switch, the sun came out again, casting slanted beams of light across the land. An explosion of birdsong erupted from the dripping trees and it was as if the storm had never been. Steam climbed slowly from the rapidly drying ground. It rose up eerily and drifted mist-like towards the molten-gold sun. The image was so vivid that it stayed with me all the way home. 

Learn La Gomera's El Silbo for free

BUSUU.COM is offering free online courses to learn the whistled language unique to La Gomera and become silbador . Here's their Cannes-award winning promotional video:

New ferry service before end of this year ?

Former ferry on the interior line operated by Garajonay Express

The long awaited reopening of the so-called 'interior line' by sea connecting Tenerife with  La Gomera's ports of San Sebastian, Playa Santiago and Valle Gran Rey could be a reality before the end of the year, according to 'well informed sources'. Fact is that the Canarian government has increased and approved the subsidies for residents' tickets. A whopping 75% of the cost of the journey between any or all of La Gomera's ports will be subsidised  by the government leaving residents with only 25% of the regular ticket price to pay. This was a announced a few days ago and should encourage the quick re-establishment of the ferry service.

Well we've had lots of rumours, 'good news and good intentions' many times before and still there's no ferry. If it doesn't arrive in the few remaining months of this year it might never come again. We keep the fingers crossed, peak season is beginning soon...

Old road into Valle Gran Rey to be opened again

The present road leading down to the tunnel of Yorima and on to Valle Gran Rey

Entrance to tunnel near Arure

There is only one road leading in and out of Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera. This road is more like a twisted, winding mountain pass as it starts a height of about 3000 feet and then winds down to sea level along a rockface in the steep ravine that is upper Valle Gran Rey. In the nineties two long tunnels were driven through the rock to shorten the journey and make it much safer. The old road was skirting this rocky outcrop, hanging precariously over the abyss below. While this narrow, twisted strech offered spectacular views it was also prone to rockfalls and accidents and the tunnels made it much safer and shortened the road by half. However, the tunnels are a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists as they are not illuminated and the footpath is very narrow.

The island's government recently decided to reopen the abandoned old road around the lower tunnel (625 metres) for cyclists, pedestrians and tourists who want to enjoy the breathtaking views. It will also provide an alternative route in case of an accident in the tunnel as this road is the vital artery that feeds Valle Gran Rey. Work on the old road of 1,3 kms around the tunnel of Yorima has already begun and the whole project will cost an estimated 120.000 Euros.

Work in progess on the old road (This image: gomeranoticias.com)

La Gomera's wines receive boost

The 'Tenerife News' recently reported the following:

A toast to La Gomera wine

La Gomera wants to become better known for its wine.

The island’s Cabildo has signed an agreement with the local Wine Board which will cover special promotions, incentives, events, training and job creation. The aim is to increase demand, both on the island and throughout the Canaries, for La Gomera wine.

It is also hoped to encourage more farmers to take up wine cultivation, both for their own livelihoods and to protect and enhance La Gomera’s agricultural land-scape.

The bodega managed by the Cabildo has also launched a “Vintage 2014″ campaign. Grapes are said to be in good condition and a bigger than expected yield is expected of at least 40,000 kilos.

Stephen Hawking to open Tenerife festival

The 'NEWS IN THE SUN' reported a few days ago:

Stephen Hawking Arrives In Tenerife

September 15, 2014

Stephen Hawking arrived in Tenerife on Saturday aboard the luxury cruise liner  Oceana and will stay on the island for nearly a month as a guest of honour at the Starmus Festival.

Mr Hawking  will deliver the opening speech of the conference during this second edition of the Starmus Festival, which has the theme “Beginnings: The Making of the Modern Cosmos”.

The event will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Abama in Tenerife from the 22 to 27 September 2014 .

Hawking will be accompanied by a variety of internationally renowned speakers, including astronauts, cosmonauts, astronomers, cosmologists, chemists, biologists and Nobel Prize winners. The theoretical physicist will also join the round table discussion to be held in the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), at the Observatory of the Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma. More details here

New video of large stingray being fed and fondled

Here's a recently produced video of the amazingly tame stingray that regularly comes to the steps into the water in the harbour of Vueltas in La Gomera's Valle Gran Rey. The large ray always gets fed and petted by the children of the harbour town and local fishermen supply the fish for the stingray's breakfast.
Filmed by: © Henner Riemenschneider (Gekko Vision)

Passenger terminal planned for port

The planned terminal building  (Image source: eltambor.es)

The director responsible for infrastructure of the Ports Authority of the Canaries (Puertos de Canarias) has unveiled the design for a planned passenger terminal building for the port of Valle Gran Rey in the outer harbour of Vueltas. The large 392 sqm terminal is to be built and finished next year at a projected cost of 444.000 Euros. 

The modern concrete building will house a cafe/cafeteria, public toilets, offices, waiting areas and more. It will serve the travellers on the expectedly reopening ferry connection between V.G.R., P. Santiago, San Sebastian and Tenerife and will also provide facilities for the anticipated increase in visitors from cruise ships visiting the port as well a the general public visiting the popular harbour area.

It is expected that the contracts for building the terminal will go to tender soon and will be adjudicated before the end of this year.

Approximate location of planned facility (red arrow)

News update summer 2014

So now the kids have gone back to school and with the arrival of September the summer is slowly ending. I'm still in Ireland and enjoying an unusually excellent summer. Yesterday I  enjoyed myself on a huge golden beach and the temperature was a balmy 23 degrees in perfect weather conditions. 

While away I was in constant contact with La Gomera and followed all the news from there. So what has happened on La Gomera during my absence ?

Not all that much, really, and this summer was as quiet if not more quiet than previous years and I didn't miss much, I think.

News summary:

The good news is that there were no major fires during the past two months. There were a few minor fires that were put out by the emergency services very quickly. The latest and largest fire was fought successfully in Alajero last Sunday, but 18 hectares of scrub and some palms fell victim to the flames. The Air Tractor hydro-plane which was stationed on La Gomera's small airport in early July helped to extinguish the fires and it will remain on stand-by until the end of October.

The annual highest tides of August coupled with a strong Atlantic swell brought some very big waves which forced the closure of the promenade along the beach of Playa de Santiago for a time.

Vueltas, the harbour village of Valle Gran Grey is yet another step closer to the beginning of the eight month of works that will pedestrianise and improve the shopping streets there as the tenders for the work have been adjudicated now. Vueltas is well-known for its quirky little shops and boutiques and also boasts many restaurants that offer fresh fish from its harbour and much more.

Two councillors in Valle Gran Rey have resigned their posts in the local government due to 'differences with the mayor'.

Mobile phones in most parts of Valle Gran Rey seem to be working again after the main mast was sabotaged during bonfire night. A provisional mast was erected near the bus station by the Movistar phone operator until a permanent solution can be found.

The one-night rock festival in San Sebastian was a great success.

The access road to Valle Gran Rey's black-sand beach Playa del Ingles is to get street lights powered by photovoltaics.

Finally the improvement works in the harbour of San Sebastian are making good progress and the extension of the pier will be ready to welcome even larger cruise ships when the season begins in late autumn.

IF anything exciting or important happens on La Gomera, I promise to report it here on this blog immediately... but, as they say: NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS !

Teneriffe's Mount Teide seen from La Gomera (Photo taken in June 2014)

SUMMER BREAK

...just in case you're wondering:

summer has been perfect on La Gomera so far this year. Not too hot and just beautiful.

So this is a good time to take a break and go in search of imperfection. 

I'm back in Ireland for the time being with the promise that I'll report anything important that might happen on La Gomera on this blog - if and when it happens. 
UPDATE 15-08-12:
Nothing of any great importance to report - summer continues quietly and La Gomera rests. Ireland is having a VERY busy tourist season this summer, by the way.

Meanwhile you can meet me at one of the places below:

YES, INDEED !

Pedestrianisation of Vueltas a step closer to reality

Vueltas seen from the new pier

The long overdue revamp of the harbour town of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera is to go ahead finally with some modifications to the original plans. 

The work to be carried out will cost just over 600.000 Euros and an official announcement has been published inviting contractors to tender for the job. The duration of the construction phase is set at eight months and the work is to be carried out in three distinct phases to minimise traffic disruption. It is expected that work will begin later this summer.

Politicians, officials and  Canarian TV on a walkabout discussing the plans with residents in the centre of Vueltas recently

Fiesta San Pedro this weekend in VGR