A happy Sunday morning to you.

Lanzarote is an island of amazing visual contrasts, made all the more powerful when there is good light and a few clouds. Yesterday we did a bit of touring, pulling off the road periodically to sample the aesthetic delights, of which there are many, with perfect conditions for taking the odd snapshot.

One minute you are faced with sharp edged volcanic rock, the next with manicured slopes.

The sculpting Mother Nature has been doing the last few centuries is wonderful.

There are lichens in many areas.

And here and there heartier growth.

Wildlife is limited, just a few birds, a lizard or two, and the odd cockroach have caught our attention.

If you fancy a bit of riding, camels, previously used for farming, will oblige.

The vast majority of the buildings are white but here and there a rebel stands out.

Much of the island is used for farming.

Local wines are excellent.

There are even watermelons enjoying the volcanic soil and plentiful sunshine (we resisted the temptation to test this one left over from a recent harvest).

Charming villages dot the landscape.

Lanzarote – indeed all of the Canary islands – depend on tourism for economic survival. There are apartments that can be rented quite reasonably almost everywhere.

After a hard morning scrambling over the lava in search of the perfect photo a leisurely lunch is in order.

Perhaps in the afternoon we’ll rent a board and check out the beach break.

Our attempts at bird photography have been disappointing. There are targets, but they are hard to get near, and the lighting angles have been wrong.

The big waves of a few days ago are gone. But the sky, water, and black lava coastline is still stunning.

What we need are big seas, low sun, occasional clouds, and the foresight to be at the right spot at the right time.

This is a test photo, so if the conditions cooperate while we are still here, the correct camera settings will be in the notebook.

We include this as a commentary on Lanzarote and Puerto Calero. The security system typically tells you something about the local environment. Most other marinas we have visited have secure, difficult to subvert, gate systems.

And where else can you take a ride on a yellow submarine?

We’ll close with this work of art from the Puerto Calero offices.