Marine biologists from Universities of La Laguna in Tenerife and La Palma in Gran Canaria have discovered a species of Millepora Hydrocoral growing around the coast of Tenerife.

The coral which normally grows in shallow, tropical or subtropical reefs in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Red Sea (see pic right) has never before been found North of the Cape Verde Islands.

The marine biologists say the coral’s migration is a direct result of increasing temperatures in the Canaries.

This year’s Playa Arena to Puerto Santiago swimming competition, which was the 15th organised by the local council, attracted over 300 competitors.

First place in the men’s race was claimed by Francisco Javier Perez with a finishing time of 12 minutes and 51 seconds. Second place went to Jose Carlos Baez Gonzalez with a time of 12 minutes and 54 seconds and third place went to Ciro Ascanio Gutierrez with a time of 13 minutes and 59 seconds.

In the women’s race first over the finish line was Design Escatllar with a time of 15 minutes 28 seconds, second place was Usoa Gala Arocena with a time of 15 minutes and 29 seconds while third place went to Carmen Elsa Dominguez with a time of 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

There was also prizes for locals who entered. In the men’s category first place went to José Juan Casañas with a time of 16 minutes and 47 seconds, second place went to Thomas Jonay Glez Garcia with a time of 18 minutes and 13 seconds and third place went to Javier Diaz Linares with a time of 18 minutes and 15 seconds.

Local women’s category was as follows: first Dácil Hernandez finished, using a time of 21 minutes and 21 seconds, second place went to Vanessa Sanchez with a time of 23 minutes and 52 seconds, while the Third place went to Ana Belén Socas with a time of 27 minutes and 9 seconds.

I’ve spent the past few days planning a family and friends BBQ for tomorrow in one of the BBQ/picknic parks up Teide. The dive centre is closed for the day (wow a day off). I have 15kg of chicken legs thawing in my fridge! Plus there’s a good supply of beer in several friends fridge!

I was rather horrified this morning when the cabildo announced that they were banning fires and bonfires in the woods and hills due to the heat wave expected this weekend and the ban will not be lifted until the weather cools down. Panic what do I do with 15kg of thawed out chicken legs???

From tomorrow, July 10th and until further notice certain parts of the middle and higher ground on the island of Tenerife will be on orange alert due to a heat wave following the weather forecast issued yesterday by the Spanish Met Office.

The temperature is expected to hit 37 degrees centigrade this weekend, and has prompted an official ban on lighting of fires of any kind in recreation and BBQ areas. The Cabildo has confirmed that the ban will not be officially lifted until the weather cools down and the risk of forest and wild fires is reduced.
Some parts of Tenerife will be on orange alert tomorrow, which means significant risk. The affected areas will be the mountains and the lower hills in the south, east and west of Tenerife from 11.00 until 21.00 tomorrow, Saturday 10 July 2010, mainly those which are south and west facing because they received less draught from the cooler north westerly winds.

All visitors and residents on the island are strongly urged NOT to go up into the hills and woods over the next few days until the situation improves. The Island Corporation kindly request that drivers use only the tarmacked roads and avoid forest tracks whenever possible. Holidaymakers and residents are strongly recommended to take extra precautions when visiting the mountains.
In an emergency please call 112.

Our BBQ has been saved, thanks to Fred and Glynis, we are moving our venue to lower down the mountain where it will be a bit cooler at Tajinaste restaurant. We will just have to plan the mountain BBQ for another day.

This year all events will be taking place in the area of the Plaza de Puerto de Santiago on the evening of Wednesday June 23, Midsummer.

The entertainment and activities will begin at 21:00 pm.

There will be giant paella for all attendees and the lighting of bonfires. To top off the night there will be dancing to “Malagua” until well into the night.

Airport help line 922 759 027/ 922 759 028.

Flights restrictions in the UK caused by a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano will remain in place until at least 1am on Saturday.

The latest advice from the Tenerife authorities is for intending flight passengers to most Northern European destinations not to travel to the airport unless they have confirmation that their particular flight is leaving and when. This way they are hoping to avoid unnecessary chaos at the airports.

People are advised to contact their tour operator or airline to find out what is happening with their flights. For more information call Freefone Turismo de Tenerife: 00800 100 101 00 where operators can offer help in English, German, French and Spanish. Tour operators are also being asked to check first before bringing bus loads of people to the airport. The Spanish Airport Authority also has a helpline 902 404 704 & el +34 91 321 10 00 with information about upcoming flight cancellation.

John and Jean Oliver, long time visitors to Tenerife, were returning to Reina Sofia Airport on 16th March following a month’s stay at Los Gigantes. They parked their hire car in a car park at Los Abrigos whilst they had lunch at one of the popular sea-front restaurants.

On return to the car, they discovered that that the vehicle had been entered and various items removed from the locked boot including their passports, a laptop computer, their UK car keys and several other personal items.

The Oliver’s travel mascot – a cuddly baby gorilla called “Bruno” was in the stolen travel bag and is, therefore, also missing. Bruno has travelled for over 20 years all over the world with John & Jean and is sorely missed. If you come across him, please contact losgigantes.com – a reward payment is possible.

The moral of this story is, of course, never leave your passports & other valuables in your car – always take them with you!

A second blackout in just over a week, hit not just Los Gigantes but the whole of Tenerife for several hours early this morning.

The problem occurred at 1am at a sub-station in Las Caletillas. 50% of power was restored by around 5am to Santa Cruz and the south of the islands. Full power should be resumed during the course of today.

The emergency services had few serious incidents to deal with because the blackout occurred during the night, but a few people had to be rescued from lifts.

A new deal has been signed between Thomson holidays and Durham Tees Valley airport to provide a weekly flight to Tenerife.

The new service will depart from Durham tees valley airport on Saturdays at 08:00 and return at 18:15

The German supermarket chain Lidl, who’s aim is to offer clients maximum quality at the best possible price, has now opened in the canary Islands. On their respective opening mornings large queues were waiting and gifts of flowers, balloons and parasols were given out to the happy shoppers.

12 Lidl stores have opened in the Canary Islands. In Tenerife they are located in Puerto de la Cruz, Granadilla, La Laguna, Adeje, Santa Úrsula, Las Chafiras. In Gran Canaria they will open in Telde and Agüimes on February 25th and in Ingenio and Vecindario on March 4th and in Arrecife (Lanzarote) on March 11th and Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura) on March 18th.

Stormy seas, high winds and heavy thunderstorms continue to cause chaos to the whole of the Caranry Islands.

In our local area yesterday heavy metal manhole covers were lifted out of their places by the sheer volume of water causing the closure of the main road in Playa Arena. Today the clean up begins as dozens of council workers clear mud and rocks from the roads.

The new beach and car park in San Juan has been badly damaged due to a river of flood water which was too much for the drains. (See pics below) At the time of flooding 2 cars were washed down from the car park on to the beach.

Waves of between 4.5 and 5.5 metres have been recorded. A yacht ran aground on the coast of Puerto del Carmen in Gran Canaria yesterday while the Fred Olsen ferry was forced to return to Tenerife after attempting to enter the port of Agaete in Gran Canaria. Further crossings were cancelled.

In Las Calletillas, wind ripped off a gas station roof, which resulted in some people being evacuated from their homes.

Schools and universities are closed until further notice and several roads to Mt. Teide remain closed due to heavy snow, rain or rock falls. Carnival events in Santa Cruz were cancelled yesterday and again today.

Many places were without power yesterday, and today from around mid day until 4pm the whole of Tenerife was without electricity.

Several flights have been cancelled or delayed but all ports, airports and bus services are now operating normally.

It’s not over. There are more storms lurking in the Atlantic, due to hit us over the weekend, so don’t put out your garden furniture yet, but it looks like we may have a bit of a reprieve for tomorrow.

Click on pic for larger view

Click on photos to enlarge

Los Gigantes continues to be battered by high winds and torrential rain. The orange alert issued by the Met Office is extended until Tuesday evening.

A yellow alert for the south of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro has been issued with warnings of heavy seas and gale force winds which could reach up to force 6 or 7.

Floods and electricity cuts are causing major chaos and the fire brigade and local authorities are working round the clock to unblock drains and clear the blocked roads of rocks.

The Cabildo de Tenerife Road Services Department has closed the TF-631 road from kilometre 3 to 4.8 from Abades to San Miguel de Tajao in Arico, due rock falls caused by torrential rain falls. The TF-21 Teide road from La Orotava is also closed because of hail storms. Access to the National Park using any of the other roads is not recommended.

Because of torrential rainfall and possible flooding, the following advice is a guide for the general public to follow:
1. Stay calm and stay at home; be on the alert for possible danger areas such as gullies and drains etc. nearby.
2. Keep watching local media for the latest weather updates.
3. Avoid driving during heavy rain. If you have to drive, pay particular attention to the depth of the water and be careful when braking. If your vehicle starts to fill with water, park it safely and abandon it.
4. If you are driving, keep to the major roads avoiding secondary roads, and drive in a lower gear.
5. Don’t cross bridges if the water has risen above the road level.
6. Don’t go into the lower areas of your house if they are flooded, such as garages and basements etc. If you are flooded, leave your house and find higher ground.
7. Disconnect the electrical power in these circumstances. Don’t use lifts in case there is a power cut.
8. If flooding has trapped you in the upper levels of your house, don’t attempt to leave it by swimming as you could be swept away by the current. It is preferable to call 112 and wait for help.
9. Keep a battery powered radio and follow instructions issued by the Protección Civíl through the press, television and radio.
10. Avoid unnecessary phone calls in order to keep lines open for emergencies.
11. In case of emergency, call 112.
These guidelines will be updated as weather conditions change.

Article from Tenerife News
‘The train now leaving for Fonsalia’….. words which will eventually come true.

As promised, Tenerife Cabildo has approved a plan which will extend the proposed train of the south to Fonsalia (the small village between Alcala and San Juan).

The idea received cross-party support last March and the formal document has now been approved. It will go out for public consultation for 70 days and also to the various public administrations.

Four alternative routes at a cost of 307 million Euros were studied. Including five kilometres of tunnels and one and a half viaducts.

The train service will eventually unite Fonsalia with Santa cruz with the journey time taking 52 minutes.
The trains will run every 15 minutes and will be capable of reaching speeds of 220kms an hour.

Santiago del Teide’s local police force now has six new officers. The new recruits were sworn in earlier this week.

The six new members took up their posts formally on Monday and were introduced to the public at a ceremony led by the town’s mayor.

Santiago’s police force now has 20 officers.

There are bargains galore to be had as the winter sales begin today.

The date was announced last month by the Dirección General de Comercio, and has the backing of all the islands’ commissions, businesses, unions and consumer associations.

The chosen date was aimed at starting the sales as soon as possible after Kings’ Day on the 6th Jan, to give businesses the best possible chance of success. However a consumer group’s survey shows that people will be spending less than in previous years, with the average expenditure at 88 Euros per person. Items purchased will be essential items not impulvise purchases. The sales will finish on 6th March.

The Summer Sales will be from 1 July to 31 August.

The MSC Splendida, the biggest ship ever built in Europe, docked in Santa Cruz during the New Year festivities as part of an 11-day cruise. The ship brought 3200 passengers to Tenerife for a day attracting a large crowd of spectators in the port.

The Splendida left Barcelona on 30 December and visited Casablanca in Morocco on its way to the Canaries, from Santa cruz it heads to Madeira, Malaga and then Roma and Genoa.

Since the beginning of the year over 7000 cruise ship passengers have visited Santa Cruz.

The yacht, said to belong to one of Russia’s mega-tycoons was ‘pictured’ at berth in Santa Cruz on a secret stop-over.
Other gags included the revelation that regional tourism minister Rita Hernández is to be replaced by Angel Llanos. Other jokes on Spanish newspaper websites include the scoop that National Geographic is to public scientific evidence that Stonehenge is a fake and news of Madrid’s plans to seek the 2018 Winter Olympics after its failed Summer Games bid.

It is with great regret that Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz has announced the death of the Orca whale coach Alexis Martínez, following an unfortunate accident during the first training session at the stadium ‘Orca Ocean’, which as usual, involved seven coaches.
Alexis Martínez was attended to immediately by Loro Parque’s specialized staff and the Canary Emergency Department who responded immediately after a 112 emergency call.
After on-the-spot cardiopulmonary resuscitation he was taken by ambulance to BellVue Clinic, where he went into cardiac arrest.
This news has caused enormous pain to all the Loro Parque Orca staff and the show has been temporarily suspended as a sign of mourning.
Alexis Martínez Hernández was an excellent trainer with 29 years experience. He joined the Loro Parque family in 2004 which he loved. The post Mortem is expected to take place soon.

All the members of the various administrations insist that you gain much more than you lose by registering as a resident at your town hall.

For young mums and students, residents may have the right to grants for transport, school meals and materials. There is a wealth of free cultural and leisure activities for everybody such as theatre workshops, learning computer skills, excursions and holidays within the islands, within Spain and international at very cheap prices, celebra¬tions at Christmas and New Year, folklore classes, hiking and trekking, beach sports, yoga, golf, visits to spas, open air gym classes and Spanish classes.
Tenerife’s island council also has grants available and summer camps, here and abroad for your chil¬dren. They give out craft licences, hunting, fishing and camping permits and help to administer free public transport for those who are eligible.
The local social services department offer personal homecare for disabled peo¬ple or the elderly, tele-assist¬ance, help with paperwork and administration and there is also economic help available in special cases.
There website is www.tenerife.es, which has a selection of branch offices all over the island and a central phone line at 901 501 901 which operates 24 hours but is better 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday.

Cancer, a foreign medical system, and no insurance cover – how would you cope with that? At times like this Spanish charities such as the AECC (one of two groups to benefit from the Walk For Life on 13th December) are there to offer compassion and kindness.
It’s four years since the Walk For Life began raising money and awareness in Tenerife for breast cancer – last year 2,000 walkers raised 20,000 euros. This year the streets of Playa de las Americas will again become a procession of pink as it winds its way some 3.5 kms from the Mediterranean Palace to the Sal Y Tien plaza. Proceeds will be split between the Spanish charities AECC and Amate.
Men, women, young and old are all invited to join the Walk Of Life on Sunday 13 December at 10.30am for an 11am set off. There will be music, entertainment and commentary in English and Spanish as both communities come together to support the cause. All you have to do is raise some money through sponsorship, or donation, and most of all, turn up in the pink and give your support. There is more information at the website www.carreraporlavida.com or telephone 600 821100.

The Black Heritage Choir is one of the most prestigious gospel choirs in the United Sates. Formed in 1994 their repertoire includes both classic and cotemporary gospel numbers and hymns. In this performance entitled ,The Sound Of Gospel, they recreate the history of this musical form.

Auditorio de Tenerife- Sala Sinfonica.
Avda. de la Constitución
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
S.C.Tenerife
Tel. 902 317 327

It’s not just the sun and sea which take centre-stage when Tenerife promotes itself these days.
Sustainability, our green spaces, renewable energy, the island’s whales, festivals, its landscape and nature are all high on the list.

The point was demonstrated when executives from Thomas Cook and Neckermann (Germany), together with nearly 100 journalists, were invited on a hospitality trip to Tenerife.

The programme included a reception at the Hotel Iberostar Anthelia at Costa Adeje where the Tenerife Cabildo president Ricardo Melchior stressed the importance of sustainability.

There was much praise from the delegates for Tenerife’s hotels, leisure, maritime activities, green spaces, infrastructure and the ‘magnificent’ south airport.

They were personally shown many of the island’s top attractions, including the new Katandra Treetops free flight jungle aviary at Loro Parque and were also entertained to lunch at the Casa de los Vinos wine museum.

Delegates also went on a tour of the Institute of Renewable Energies at Granadilla under the huge wind turbines, as well as enjoying whale-watching trips, golf at Costa Adeje and hiking in the Mount Teide National Park. They were also treated to two theme suppers, one of them on a Carnival theme to show the colour and excitement of the annual event in Santa Cruz.

Changes in existing regulations will see a uniform application of (fixed) fines, regardless of which authority is imposing the sanction, and a 50 per cent reduction (as opposed to 30 per cent) in the event of prompt payment of said fines. Guardia Civil traffic officers will also carry a technology allowing drivers to pay on the spot fines by credit card if they so wish
From the beginning of 2010 the Spanish department of traffic will introduce new fixed distance speed traps, which are to be placed in traffic black spots throughout the country..
The new system works with two radars in place between two fixed points. The time it takes to travel from one spot to another is pre-determined, so any vehicle that does the distance in a shorter time, having exceeded the speed limit at some point in the journey, will be automatically sanctioned. The length of road will be between three and five kilometres and the special radar cameras will be able to record car registrations and the exact time of the incident with a high level of precision

The government have also just approved new points reductions (see chart on this page) as well as introducing higher fines for certain crimes – for instance possession of radar detection equipment which previously carried a fine of €150 could now see you €6,000 worse off.

Hang up
Mobiles as dangerous as drink driving

There will be a series of TV and radio ads as well as increased vigilance by police on roads throughout Spain designed to alert people to the dangers of talking on the phone while behind the wheel of a car.

According to the depart¬ment inappropriate use of your phone while driving increases by four the risk of an accident – similar to driving under the influence of alcohol. There is also, say the experts, a false perception that use of the hands free apparatus means there is no distraction – evidence shows that a driver involved in a conversation of over a minute and a half will have reduced levels of concentration. Studies show this could lead to a 40 per cent reduction in attention to road signs, speed drops by up to 12 per cent, the heart rate accelerates rapidly during the phone call and reaction times are slower, “behavioural traits that combined could lead to an accident”

New points reduction chart
The following are the new points reductions as passed recently by the Spanish government.

6 points
• Driving under the influence of alcohol: 50mg/l private drivers, +25mg/l professionals and drivers with less than two years experience
• Driving under the influence of drugs
• Refusing to take drink/drug test
• Driving carelessly, in the wrong direction, taking part in illegal road races/competitions
• Using or carrying instruments that would inhibit traffic officers, such as radar inhibitors
• Exceeding commercial transport driving time by over 50 per cent/resting for less than 50 per cent of established time
• Manipulation/participation in the manipulation of a tachograph

4 points
• Driving under the influence of alcohol: 25mg/l – 50mg/l private drivers, 15mg/l – 30mg/l professionals and drivers with less than two years experience
• Driving with a licence inappropriate for the vehicle
• Throwing onto the road objects with could ignite a fire, cause traffic accidents, impede free circulation of traffic
• Ignore give way or stop signs or traffic light signals
• Ignore norms regarding overtaking on roads thus placing other drivers in danger, overtaking where there is reduced visibility
• Endangering/hindering cyclists during overtaking
• Reversing on a motorway
• Ignoring a traffic officer’s instructions/signals
• Failure to leave appropriate braking distance between you and the vehicle in front
• Driving on motorways in vehicles that are not licenced for these roads
• Driving a car exceeding by more than 50 per cent the allowed number of passengers, except for buses in urban/inter-urban areas

3 points
• Wearing headgear/headphone while driving or using a hand held mobile phone, navigator or other medium of communication. (This list may be updated in line with technological advances)
• Failure to wear seatbelt, use child seats or other protective apparatus where appropriate
• Making illegal u-turns; Failure to comply with mandatory traffic signs at junctions/u-turn points
• Driving a vehicle that is not licenced to be on the road/that you are not permitted to drive

2 points
• Stopping or parking on bends, in tunnels, intersections or other dangerous areas which would cause a risk to the flow of traffic and pedestrians
• Stopping or parking in zones designated for public transport
• Driving without lights when it is obligatory or failure to use lights in accordance with regulations
• Driving a motorbike/scooter with passengers under 12 years of age (some exceptions apply)
• Driving in a negligent manner, creating risks for other road users
• Speeding. The amount of points to be deducted depends on the speed limits exceeded and by how much

Last Tuesday the Spanish health authorities believe swine flu epidemic will reach its peak in late November before it starts to decline.

Health authorities believe “the peak” will be “in the last days of November,” Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez told reporters.

But she admitted that it was “difficult to predict” how the epidemic would develop. Spain announced that swine flu vaccinations would begin on 16th November, later than in many other European countries, including the UK.

The groups that will be given priority are pregnant women, health workers, members of the security forces and the fire and prison services, and those in high-risk groups, including those with heart conditions and respiratory diseases.

The government plans to have enough stocks of the A(H1N1) flu vaccine to inoculate 60 percent of the population. More than 5,700 people have died of swine flu worldwide since the virus was first uncovered in April, with most of the deaths recorded in the Americas, according to the World Health Organisation.

At least 63 of the deaths have been in Spain, according the latest toll by the health ministry, issued October 22. Spain was the first European country to confirm a case of the virus.

PAY-AS-YOU-GO mobile phones are becoming more and more popular, especially with youngsters because it enables them to know exactly how much they are spending by the day.

From last Monday (9th Nov), many of them will have been shocked to find their mobiles not functioning.
The reason is that they have not registered with their network providers, despite a government instruction in 2007, which gave them two years to comply with the ruling.

Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Minister for the Interior, says they will still be able to reactivate their numbers and recover their lines if they provide their network operators with personal details within six months.

The move was aimed at preventing terrorists and organised criminal gangs from being untraceable by using pay-as-you-go mobiles.

Now, anyone who buys a new phone of this type will automatically be registered, and anyone who has not registered his or her previous number will have 6months to register.

Rubalcaba said the six-month stand-off would enable the “least-informed members of society, such as the young and the elderly” a chance to register.

THE British Consulate in Tenerife, together with the Pension, Benefit and Healthcare Team, are holding an Open Day on Monday (16th Nov) at Adeje in the afternoon, and at Arona in the evening.

The officials will be advising on some of the issues which matter most to British residents in Tenerife.
The Pension, Benefit and Healthcare Team will provide essential information on the ex-pats’ entitlements here, and the services their team can offer.

The Adeje session, starting at 2pm, will take place at Casa de Cultura, Calle Principe Pelinor, which is situated in the street behind the Ayuntamiento.

The evening session, from 6pm, will be hosted by the South Tenerife Christian Fellowship, on the first floor of the Apolo Centre, Los Cristianos.

To book a place, please visit www.ukinspain.fco.gov.uk and click on “Open Days” on the home page. If you experience any problems booking, call 917 146 443

Following Sundays tragic events on Los Gigantes beach, when two people
lost their lives, the inquest will undoubtedly begin.

In an interview yesterday, Mayor Gorrín expressed his sadness and regret
at the terrible and unexpected events of the day he also said that
from Monday at noon, three days of mourning will begin for the two
dead women, who it seems, just happened to be in the wrong place at
the wrong time.

He also said that there was a project in place, under the direction of
the Department of Coasts, to stabilise that particular area of the
cliff, which had been cordoned off with tape as a precaution, following
a similar, though much smaller rock fall just weeks ago.

Flowers have been laid at the site by businesses owners of the Los
Gigantes marina who are still in shock at the tragic event.

The beach will now remain closed to the public until further notice.

Meetings are taking place, we will bring you more infomation soon.

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

At approximately 15:30 this afternoon there was a serious rock fall on Los Gigantes beach. News from the Mayor’s office confirms 8 are injured and 2 are dead, one Spanish girl age 22yrs, one English woman 57yrs  staying in Calle el Pino on holiday.

Guardia Civil officers, sniffer dogs, Policia Local and volunteers from local fire brigades as far away as Adeje continued well into the evening searching through the rubble for possible more victims.

The English woman who died was Marion Auril O’Hara. She arrived in Los Gigantes yesterday with her son to celebrate a 60th birthday in the family. Her son was in the sea swimming when the incident occurred.

The tide was high, the weather perfect and the beach was packed with sun worshipers, both residents and tourists,  enjoying a lazy afternoon.  A spokes man said it was fortunate that more were not injured or killed.

It is rumoured that there have been a number of smaller rock falls in recent days and questions are now being asked as to why the area was not cordoned off adequately.

Condolences to the families from the Los Gigantes.com team

Low cost airline Jet2.com will operate a direct weekly flight from East Midlands airport to Tenerife south airport from May 2010.

The flight costs 67 Euros one way with all rates and taxes included, and reservations can be made now.