Throughout Friday and Saturday morning, a sea storm is expected that will especially affect the north of Lanzarote, so from the Territorial Meteorological Center in the Eastern Canary Islands, caution is recommended, especially with small boats. Líneas Romero, the maritime company that connects with La Graciosa, has already suspended the connection with the eighth island from the early hours, due to the strong waves in the Port of Órzola.
From the National Institute of Meteorology they have reported that there will be swell with waves of four to five meters, and this height could be exceeded in the north of the island. This situation is expected to subside, but until noon on Saturday, the alert will remain, although from the Meteorological Center in the Eastern Canary Islands they detail that large boats and the ports in the south of the island, in principle, do not have to be affected by the storm.
In fact, the arrival of ships scheduled for this Friday in the Port of Los Mármoles is taking place normally and, in Playa Blanca, the Fred Olsen line has not suffered any mishap in the departure of ships to Fuerteventura, although apparently, according to reports from the company in the Port of Corralejo, on the neighboring island, the waves are affecting the entrance of some boats.
In the north, however, Líneas Romero has not allowed the boat to leave on Friday morning to La Graciosa due to the strong waves recorded in the Port of Órzola. "There is no problem to navigate, the problem is in the entrance and exit of the port, because with the swell the waves break strongly on the shore", describes Jorge Juan Romero, owner of the line.
The north component wind will also increase. It will be moderate with strong intervals, and during this Friday there have already been maximums that exceed 40 kilometers per hour. What is more, on Thursday intervals of more than 60 kilometers per hour were recorded at the Guacimeta airport.
Recommendations
In application of the Specific Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Attention of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, a series of safety tips are recommended to the population: Never bathe on secluded beaches or that you do not know well enough, because there may be local eddies; avoid bathing on beaches with a red flag and in areas where there are strong waves or undertow and try not to bathe on beaches that lack surveillance and rescue services.
In addition, it is advisable not to practice water sports in the areas affected by the swell and not to stand near the sea when there is a storm warning, especially in areas such as the ends of docks or breakwaters. To overcome the alert without personal injury, it is recommended that if you see other people in dangerous places you should warn them and if someone falls into the water, ask for help at 1-1-2, do not jump to look for them, just throw a rope with a float or any other object.