Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The living room had a hide-a-bed couch, two end tables, a coffee table, two chairs, an ottoman, a six-drawer dresser, and a hutch which held a TV and VCR.

The bedroom had a king bed, two night tables, a small writing desk, a large closet, and a six-drawer dresser. Both the living room and the bedroom had sliding glass doors leading out to a large private patio with a glass-topped wrought-iron table and four wrought-iron chairs. The patio had two adjustable awnings to control sun exposure. We had a 180-degree view of the ocean. The only phone was located in the living room.

At 30 meters long, it holds a maximum capacity of 195 people and features an upper and lower deck, as well as a spacious and luxurious salon that seats up to 70 people. We noticed that there were a few disabled people boarding. The crew offered assistance but would not lift disabled passengers onto the boat. They said they must have enough mobility to climb the boarding steps on their own. Wheelchairs could not be sat in, but were stored safely on board during the trip.

We were welcomed aboard and told that Freebird Sailing catamarans have the latest technologies, including VHF Radio, depth sounders and water temperature gauges. The boat has restrooms on board, is insured and is equipped with fire fighting equipment, life rafts and adult and children's life jackets.

On this cruise, we sailed between Tenerife and La Gomera, where we viewed the whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. The professional, international crew and guides spoke several languages and shared their in-depth knowledge about the sea and the marine life of the area. Speakers placed all around the boat made it possible for everyone to hear the entertaining, informative and thorough commentary no matter where they were on the boat. We were told that a total of 27 species of Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) have been spotted during Freebird Sailing catamaran excursions.

The short-finned Pilot Whale is the most common. Around 750 reside off the Southwest coast of Tenerife. We sighted about twenty-five that day. They are one of the smaller species of whales, with the average adult male reaching 7.2m and, on occasion, weighing up to almost 4 tons. Females are considerably smaller, around 5.5m and weighing 1.6 tons when fully matured. They are nocturnal hunters, preferring to relax and sleep near the surface during the day, increasing our chances of seeing them. The tranquil waters and abundance of giant squid in the Tenerife-La Gomera channel account for this normally transient species decision to make this their permanent home.

Halfway through our trip, we enjoyed a delicious buffet of cooked meats, salad, pasta, rice dishes and fresh baked bread along with unlimited beverages from the bar including sangria, champagne, beer, wine and soft drinks.

Later, the captain sailed along the coast, showing us the magnificent and breathtaking volcanic cliffs of Los Gigantes, before anchoring in the secluded Bay of Masca and giving us the opportunity to swim or snorkel in the crystal-clear waters. Following the advice in their brochure, we had remembered to bring sun cream, dark glasses, hats, swimwear, towels, light jackets, bottled water, a camera and money for souvenirs.

We returned to the marina around 5:15pm and boarded the bus to be chauffeured back to our resort. By 6pm, we were "home".

When we got to Los Cristianos, we had a half-hour wait for the connecting bus to Santa Cruz, the capital. That gave us enough time to find the Deutsche Bank, where we were able to exchange some money. The rate of exchange was 77 euros for 100 U.S. dollars, after the commission. Then we caught bus number 110 and traveled through an area that was mostly arid, rocky, and not built up, unlike the area where our resort and many others crowd each other for space. There was lots of cactus and low scrub brush. We also saw farms with banana plants covered with gauzy-looking cloth that shielded them from the sun.

After about an hour, we pulled into the marina area of Santa Cruz, where the large, modern bus terminal was located. From the bus station, we took a short, two-block walk to El Corte Ingles, the largest department store in Santa Cruz, where we ate lunch in one of the three restaurants within the eight-story store. After a lunch of veggie lasagna and an Oregon burger for about six dollars each with soft drinks, we checked out this amazing store. The store sells everything, including clothing, appliances, hardware, groceries, and almost anything else you can think of.

Next, we headed across a bridge over the river and into the downtown area. They were decorating and getting ready to celebrate Canary Day on May 30th. We walked all over the center of Santa Cruz, where many streets are blocked off to allow more pedestrian traffic. The area is very picturesque, with many well-kept older buildings, a couple of small parks, several outdoor cafes, and lots of ritzy, expensive shops. Later, we returned to El Corte Ingles to do a little grocery shopping before catching the bus back to Los Cristianos, where we transferred to the local bus that took us to within a block of our resort. We had a great day and would recommend that everyone see Tenerife this way.