03-Oct-2002 -- After having passed the Canal de São Vicente in the Cape Verde Islands with the Confluence 17N 25W, we continued on our voyage to Antwerp, and today we arrived in the archipelago of the Canary Islands. The Confluence lies 18 km West of a small village, Puerto San Nicolás.

Isla de Gran Canaria is the most important (together with Tenerife) of the Canary Islands - not only in respect to resources, fisheries and products but also by account of the large port of Puerto de La Luz (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) on its east coast. Gran Canaria is more fertile and better watered than any other of the archipelago, and most of the land capable of irrigation is under cultivation. Walnut, chestnut, oak and fir trees grow in abundance, and the apple, almond and fig trees thrive. Bananas, oranges, potatoes and tomatoes are grown extensively.

Gran Canaria is very mountainous, which can be seen from a closer look to it. Pico de las Nieves (Snow Peak) is located in the centre of the island, attains an elevation of 1,949 m (6,394 ft) and is the highest point.

The island, seen from seaward, appears high in the centre with a broken and serrated slope on either side to the sea, showing here and there secondary peaks and remarkable craters. Numerous streams, which rise in the ravines of the higher peaks, flow into the sea.

In the sea, but with a view of Gran Canaria