Within a few days it will mark the first anniversary since it was delivered to the Canary Islands "Correillo La Palma" and given the great service you gave all its inhabitants, even today he has special affection. Is currently docked at the pier Rivera in Santa Cruz de Tenerife as a trace of a difficult time living in the Canary.The Correíllos were originally a sailing ships carrying the Spanish Postal Service mail between the Canary Islands and overseas whose first line opened in 1855 with the task of connecting the islands major commercial (Gran Canaria and Tenerife), two to three times per week. The frequency with the rest of the smaller islands (La Palma, Lanzarote, La Gomera, Fuerteventura, El Hierro) was reduced, and not forgetting, trade with Cuba and England, major trading partners
Isolation is a constant in the history of the Canary Islands. The sea, until the construction of the first airports islanders was the only means of connection to the outside for centuries .The Correillo La Palma was built by W. Harkerss & Son Ltd., Middlesbrough and launching took place on 15 February 1.912. After the 10 April, came the 16 commanded by Captain D. Aurelio del Arco and after a stopover in Bremen arrived in Las Palmas 24 of that month.
Later, en 1.930, Mail Steamship Company Interinsular Canarios was acquired by the Company Transmediterranea and other boats came to support veterans Correíllos. These new ships are carectirzaban by having a white hull and is precisely why, primitives so became known Correíllos “the black Correíllos”.
Only “La Palma” survived the scrapping, still leading a thousand and one adventures and vicissitudes different.So, being in the port of Arrecife, the 16 March 1.976 suffered a serious fault in one of its boilers. The next day he arrived in Las Palmas. Since that time I was already scheduled next decommissioning and taking into account the high cost of having the boiler repair, ended up tied to the dock in Las Palmas waiting for what is decided in their future.
The 12 November of that year was acquired at public auction and the amount of a million and a half pesetas by Jürgen Flick, who intended to convert it into a museum, yacht club and casino-restaurant. However, Mr. Flick stumbled upon the endless bureaucracy and paperwork almost infinite obstacles that joined, impediments and objections of all kinds that ended his patience.
Then, the 6 December 1.982 Liverpool City Council agreed to buy Flick boat to make it public cultural center, and for this purpose a committee was formed. But this operation was never carried. The 6 February 1.985, sick and not knowing what to do with it, Flick provides the boat, free to the city of Las Palmas. Not answered. Insists. Nothing.Steam “La Palma” now belongs to the Cabildo Insular de Tenerife, by Flick family donation, former owner of the ship, that he had offered to other agencies and entities to save the dismantling. At the end the first Tenerife Corporation who agreed to take his Correíllo to transform it into Canaria Navigation Museum.
In the capital of Gran Canaria was founded the Friends of the steam “La Palma”, he tried to avoid at all costs the veteran out of his enclave ship, adding to it several political bodies of the island and other representations. Ultimately, day 13 March and in tow of Tamarán”, in good weather conditions, the steamship La Palma” began his last voyage to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
In this blog my support and admiration to the “Fundacion Canaria La Palma Correillo”.
Very good article and especially the photos chronologically so help us follow the story of the famous “Correillo”,maybe missing experiences of people who have utlizado and finally it's a shame you have been a victim of the famous “insular lawsuit” and is an element of separation over when it should be by union.