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THE INDEPENDENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS
EDITION 525
FRIDAY 8th MAY TO THURSDAY 21st MAY 2015
PAGE 20
HELP EIDHER GET TO BOSTON
PAGE 45
PAGES 29 - 36
CANARIES ON “OIL WATCH” ALERT Photo courtesy of www.unidoscontraelfuel.org
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LL eyes have been on the weather conditions in the Canary Islands after oil from a stricken Russian fishing boat reached the beaches of Gran Canaria. Over the last fortnight, a major operation has been taking place each day to control the slick which has caused a clash of opinion between the authorities and environmentalists. Salvage teams said the oil residue was not large but campaigners begged to differ, saying it has already affected wildlife and could still pose a problem for beaches on the other islands, including Tenerife and La Gomera, should the weather and wind direction change. Environmental groups are also concerned that the boat is currently sitting on the seabed and could break up, causing more fuel to spill out.
HELL’S GORGE TO THRIVE AGAIN
Experts say this will not happen and all cracks have been filled up. At one stage, the emergency services were so worried that they called for people to form an army of volunteers ready to swing into action if needed. There is still fury about the circumstances which led to the Oleg Naydenov sinking off the south coast of Gran Canaria, particularly because the boat was on the banned list. The trawler was docked in Las Palmas when a fire broke out and the authorities decided to tow it out to sea, rather than risk an explosion in a populated area. However, the force of the water jets
caused it to lisp and then sink. A maritime rescue boat has been out at sea collecting the residue oil with a mechanical device and other boats are conducting surveillance along the coastlines and cliffs. Others are on alert in case they need to be activitated. A helicopter has also been keeping watch. Canary president, Paulino Rivero said if the sinking of a fishing boat could cause this much of a problem, imagine what would have happened if there had been an accident during oil exploration. A website has been set up at http://unidoscontraelfuel.org/ to keep people up to date with what is happening and to explain how they can register to be a volunteer if needed.
On Gran Canaria, oil affected the beache of Veneguera (Mogán) and Tasarte (La Aldea) and over the weekend, it was reported that spots had been found in the tourist resort of Maspalomas. Ecologists in Action say at least five beaches on Gran Canaria were affected. So far, three loggerhead turtles have been affected and eleven shearwaters, four of which have died. Greenpeace says a dolphin was also spotted with oil on its fin.
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IX years after it was sealed up, the famous Barranco del Infierno at Adeje is reopening its “doors” to the general public.
The stunning nature reserve was scheduled to accept its first visitors this week, with strict conditions over its use. These include a limit of 300 people a day between the hours of 8am and 2.30pm and everyone to leave by 7pm. Walkers will be arranged in groups, with a guide to ensure safety and to give information about the natural ravine and its flora and fauna. The tour takes about three hours, over a route of 6,500 metres, starting at 350m above sea level and is medium to low difficulty. Suitable shoes are needed for slippery and rocky terrain. The first day of opening was set for May 6th, with a 50 per cent discount offer for the first
15 days and there are special concessions for Canary residents and those who live in Adeje. The barranco was closed for safety reasons but is now set to become one of the island’s most visited attractions again. It used to be visited by two million people a year. Extensive refurbishment has taken place, including the repair of retaining walls, pathways, new signs, the removal of rubbish and stone clearance. The company in charge of the concession is taking bookings on http://www.barrancodelinfierno.es/ where further information about the barranco is available. Reservations are necessary.
MONSTER CATCH STUNS THE CROWDS
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OLIDAY-makers in Puerto Colon were amazed when a tourist fishing boat returned from an excursion with this monster catch on board.
Photo by Gerard Zenou
FIVE STAR DOG HOTEL OPENS
The blue marlin is one of the biggest fishes in the world and also amongst the fastest in the ocean. They are considered the “holy grail” by sport fishers. This particular specimen weighed more than 250 kilos and was three metres long. They are often returned to the sea after being caught but on this occasion, this did not prove possible. It was caught by the boat Raggie about a mile from Los Cristianos which is also unusual because the marlin, which is not an endangered species, usually spends its time far out in the ocean. They are also renowned for putting up a tremendous fight and the battle between fish and man apparently lasted one hour. Because the marlin could not returned to the sea, it was cut up and distributed amongst friends and local people.