On 23 March 2024 we headed back to ME for a week – this time together with our friends Michi and Sabine. Once again, though, we didn’t leave the marina: back home I had torn my biceps tendon and was wearing a brace. My arm was fixed at 90 degrees – so I was pretty handicapped.
A week with Michi and Sabine
Even so, we had a great time. We showed the two of them the island, went up the Roque de los Muchachos again and visited lots and lots of sights. They also got to know Ralf and Karin and other sailors. A really lovely week!
Father-daughter week with Lara
Afterwards Michi and Sabine flew home together with Steffi, and my daughter Lara came out. I spent another week on La Palma with her and showed her the whole island.
A special phone call
Just as Lara and I were about to drive up to the Roque de los Muchachos, my phone rang. It was Siggi from Lanzarote, asking when we would next be on La Palma. “Right now,” I said. Siggi used to live on La Palma himself, and a good friend of his had lost his wife – far too young. Could we perhaps do a burial at sea?
Of course I first had to talk it over with my daughter. We had never done anything like this before, and it felt a little strange. But we said: okay, we’ll do it – we’ll do Siggi this favour.
The family came on board with the children, bringing the urn – a very nice family. I couldn’t sail because of my arm, so we motored towards the airport, to a bay where the woman had always loved to be. There we stopped, the family scattered the ashes into the sea, and we played a little music. For Lara and me it was a very moving but also strange moment. We photographed the coordinates of the spot so that he will always know where his wife was laid to rest.
Stitches out on the neighbouring boat
Back in the marina in Santa Cruz, our boat neighbour Klaus-Peter, an orthopaedic surgeon by trade, offered to take out my stitches. It turned into a rather bloody affair – his scalpel and his glasses were no longer quite up to date, and it really looked bad. But we got it done!
After a lovely week with my daughter, we then flew home together.