I had a  day in Peniche. I had found on deck a washer and a nut, now where on earth did they come from? A check around revealed nothing but ah did the radar reflector mounted up the mast look a little wobbly? So it was up the mast armed with spanners and a new nut and bolt and that was soon fixed. Later sitting outside a bar using their wifi I noticed across the street a restaurant that seemed very popular they were queuing outside. I thought that it must be good so a bit later when the crowds thinned  I treated myself to a lavish lunch of grilled swordfish with prawns for starters. Yes it was good.

There was a 16th century  citadel in Peniche that had been used more recently for a high security prison for opponents  of the dictatorship which was only overthrown in 1974. Now that is recent history to me, a dictatorship in Europe that short time ago. It makes you think. Insular buggers us British we don’t know much of European history really do we.

Leaving next morning I was a bit hemmed in on the pontoon with boats close astern and in front. The beamy bugger in front was moored bow in so his broad back end was sticking right out. Time to spring off. A rear spring line a fender on the stern quarter and motoring astern swung my bow out nicely to clear him.

The first 2 miles away from the harbour or so was a veritable minefield of pot bouys. Further down the coast I passed close to 2 anglers far out in a little rib. One proudly held up 2 huge fish that they had caught. The forecast had promised northerly breezes but I had only a light southerly headwind and the northerlies did not start until late in the afternoon.  At one time I had about 8 yacht sails in sight, all on passage south. We passed the impressive Cabo da Roca and shortly after low lying Cabo Raso. From here we headed into Cascais where we anchored for the night.

It blew quite hard in the night and the morning was windy too but I was in rush to get away as I was waiting to catch the tide up the Rio Tejo as I had decided to visit Lisbon. It was an interesting sail up the river passing many of the old fortifications. Passing under the suspension bridge I entered the Doca de Alcantara, an old commercial dock where now there is a marina. Plenty of berthing practise today, first at the waiting pontoon for the swing bridge, second on a long pontoon where I left Sea Bear to visit the marina office and thirdly to the berth they allocated me. That last was tight, but I got in OK without hitting anything.

I keep seeing boats that I have seen before, all on their passage south, its like nautical leapfrog. Here it was a bid German boat flying a huge ARC2014 flag, on the way to the Arc obviously, last seen in Camarinas. At Cascais it was Jean Michell again in his Wharrram, who I first met in the Ria Cedeira, the big French HR seen at anchor at Bueu and a German Al boat also seen in Camarinas.

Peniche citidal

Cabo da Roco

Cascais