The Canary Islands are an integral part of Spain, and as such are part of the E.U. although they have a special economic status. The seven main islands of the Canary Islands are well spaced out so that it is only a day's sail between most of them. The logical route for most yachts arriving from the north is to visit Lanzarote and Fuerteventura first before sailing to
Gran Canaria island, then Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. The Canaries remain the logical jumping-off point for yachts crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean, ever since Columbus started the fashion over 500 years ago, and from November to January the islands are full of yachts preparing for their Atlantic crossing
