SEA BEAR

A day walking around in the hot sun. I visited the maritime museum which was worthwhile. Hats off to those early Portugese navigators exploring in boats that were sometimes not that much bigger than some modern couples yachts. Lisbon is a fascinating city, huge and sprawling with loads of character summed up by old buildings, cobbled roads and pavements, and tiled buildings. If you liked cities it is the sort of place you could get stuck in. Found a non tourist area and had lunch at a cafe on the street a sort of mixed fish stew flavoured with fresh coriander and one of the custard tarts that Matt told me to look out for.

Passing out through the swing bridge into the Rio Tejo we took the first of the ebb down the river. There were some huge cruise ships moored on the outside of the dock disgorging passengers for their day in Lisbon. The river is really wide so with a gentle following wind I gybed down the river and out passed the light of Bugio built on a shoal at the river entrance. The entrance shoals to the south so you have to stand out quite a way to sea to clear it before turning south. Much later we rounded Cabo Espichel with on its south side some dramatic sea cliffs. One of which issued jets of spray from some undersea opening. Off Sesimbra was a Portugese four masted schooner anchored, a lovely sight. Passing into the harbour we anchored off the beach. I don’t think I have ever seen so many seagulls in one place before, oh maybe except at Bridlington.

Sesimbra has a reputation for its strong northerly breezes in late eve and night and today was no exception. First light saw us weighing the anchor and away. There were now two schooners anchored outside. From the look of it  they are Naval training vessels, The Portugese are obviously rightly proud of their seafaring tradition and their navy can find the money to run these fine ships. So why can’t Britain? Probabaly because our Govt choose to spend it on useless high tech weaponry and the Trident Nuclear submarines instead.

Our route today lay across the wide Canhao (Bay) de Setubal so we were out of sight of the coast mostly and there was not much to see apart from lots of dolphins. Still we had a good sail in the morning with a fine easterly breeze and Sea Bear could stretch her legs on a beam reach.

Cabo de Sines was reached and rounding it and the long breakwater we entered the harbour of Sines and moored up in the Marina. Another nice looking town climbing up the hillside and a nice beach.

5th Oct – Sines to Enseada de Sagres

The next leg was gonna be  a long one. It was 56 n miles from Sines to Cabo de Sao Vincente, a coast with no intermediate harbours and then another 5 or so to an anchorage. It would be touch and go whether I could do the whole thing in daylight, which at the moment is from 7.30 to 19.30. The forecast was for quite strong winds with a 2.7 m swell and Cabo de Sao Vincente has a reputation for roughish seas so I was in two minds whether to go . On the other hand I needed good winds to stand a chance of making it in daylight.

Out from the shelter of the harbour it was certainly a little rolly, but then you can’t have wind without waves. With 1 reef in the main a staysail and a partly furled yankee Sea Bear started to pick up her pace. The dolphins certainly seemed to revell in the conditions and  you could see them clearly in the waves appearing to surf them. I  watched them for ages from the foredeck whilst sweet Martha looked after the steering. Martha is the self steering gear.

The wind later picked up a little, we had 20 knots apparent wind and since we were running at about 5 to 6 knots the real wind was about 26 knots. Go Sea Bear go. There were lots of white horses and you could hear the roar as crests break behind you. Sometimes it is better not to look. Still she is such a good sea boat that we stayed dry, not so much as a splash in the cockpit all day. Late in the afternoon I could see  Cabo de Sao Vincente, we were making good time. Of course the last few miles always seem to take ages even though the GPS was recording Sea Bear as touching 7 knots at times. 18.30 saw us almost up with the Cape and Pta de Sabres was starting to open up beyond. It was a position were we could gybe towards Pta de Sagres. We were round Cabo de Sao Vincente in daylight and rounding Pta de Sagres dark was failing but there lay the anchorage.  It was a question of creeping carefully into the beach in the dark, there was a moon but also clouds. Finally I could let the anchor go in 9 m off the beach and once assured it was properly set I could relax.

6th Oct – Enseada de Sagres to Lagos

In the morning I could appreciate what a pretty little bay and beach it was. Here we are at the start of the Algarve. Sailing along the coast was spoilt a little by a nightmare of fishing nets. They were all highly visible and well buoyed and so simple to avoid but it meant keeping out by the 50nm depth contour and it was a bit far out. It looked such an interesting coast I would have like to have been able to sail closer in. Hey but the sea was flat, such a contrast to yesterday.

Turning Pointa de Piedade, a lovely stretch of cliffs with pinnacles coves and caves I arrived at Lagos and anchored off the beach.  It was mid afternoon but I awarded myself a short day on account of yesterday.

6th Oct – Enseada de Sagres to Lagos

In the morning I could appreciate what a pretty little bay and beach it was. Here we are at the start of the Algarve. Sailing along the coast was spoilt a little by a nightmare of fishing nets. They were all highly visible and well buoyed and so simple to avoid but it meant keeping out by the 50nm depth contour and it was a bit far out. It looked such an interesting coast I would have like to have been able to sail closer in.

Turning Pointa de Piedade, a lovely stretch of cliffs with pinnacles coves and caves I arrived at Lagos and anchored off the beach.  It was mid afternoon but I awarded myself a short day on account of yesterday.

7th Oct – Lagos to Albufiera

A gentle day, sailing slowly past the coast. There were some lovely stretches of cliffs with sea caves and by mid afternoon I wasted up  inside Albufiera marina.

Albufiera was the full blown complete tourist resort. The marina was surrounded by apartments and the old fishing village completed lost amongst tourist development. The beach was like something out of a holiday brochure, rows of sun loungers with thatched sunshades. The cafes boasted menu touriste and full english breakfast and rows of shops with holiday mementos. It was all rather ghastly.

In the afternoon I waked to a smaller beach or cove with crumbling cliffs and pinnacles. There were still the sun loungers etc but at one end was quieter so I went for a swim.

Later I walked backed along the cliff tops, a nice walk.

Rain and more rain the next day so I took the opportunity to tidy and clean up the boat.

10th Oct – Albufiera to Ilha de Culatra

Next morning was raining too, but the forecast was for it to stop raining by 10 and then sunshine. Away from the marina there was a deceptively nasty little swell which threw the boat about all which ways. There were wrong about the sun too it never appeared all day. Eventually we got a little wind and we got to the entrance to the lagoons of Faro and Olhao, which was a couple of stone moles sticking out from the sand dunes. The book warned of a strong set across the entrance and they were not wrong and once between the moles the flood tide accelerated me down the channel. Once the lagoons opened out the tide eased off and I went and anchored in the lee of the island of Culatra. It was a popular anchorage, there was probably 20 or so boats anchored up.

The final cap of a not particularly enjoyable day was the cooker stopping working hallway through cooking tea and despite my efforts refusing to work.

11th Oct – Ilha de Culatra to Vila Real de Santo Antonio

In the morning there was nothing for it but to empty the cooker tank and clean everything out. Taking out the tank didn’t prove to such a difficult task as I feared. I cleaned the crud from the tank and unblocked the fuel valve and viola I could have my morning cup of tea.

Mindfull of the tide experienced through the channel yesterday I planned my departure for low water slack so departure was less stressful. It was another grey and dismal day though and it wasn’t long before the rain started accompaigned by peals of thunder. This went on all day until about 1 hour short of the entrance to the river Guardiana, when the sun came out for a while. The river  marks the border between Portugal and Spain. By the bar buoys I handed the main and ran in over the bar under the yankee alone. Fortuitously I arrived at the marina in Vila Real de Santo Antonio at slack water. The marina is just built stuck out into the river so the speak and the tide runs strongly through it so berthing at slack water is less traumatic than at other times. Ashore there was a market in full swing so I went for a wander. Pots and pans, crookery, knives, sheepskin slippers, were the main items on offer but there was a van selling the Portuguese version of hot fresh doughnuts. Later  it rained again torrentially.

According to the book and people I spoke to, the upper reaches of the Rio Guardiana are not to be missed. Accordingly next afternoon I took the flood tide up the river. Indeed once under the suspension bridge the river side is pretty much unspoilt and sparsely populated. The weather was a little unsettled and at one point I was hit by a 35 knot squall which came out of nowhere. I thought I might end up in the bank but managed to avoid that with a struggle. The squall was of course accompaigned by heavy rain so I was drenched in no time, most unpleasant but it was all over in about 20 minutes. Strangely enough a boat about 2 or 300 metres further up the river than me missed this squall completely.

Reaching the tiny village of Foz de Odeitte I anchored and spent a tranquil late afternoon and evening just sitting in the cockpit.

In the morning I had to clear  a raft of canes, reeds and small branches that had accumulated around the anchor chain before I could weigh anchor. I then motored and drifted slowly back down the river on the ebb. The sky looked threatening with rain but by dint of getting waterproofs all ready to don I seemed to ward it off.

I entered the marina at Ayamonte, on the Spanish side of the river by a ferry glide manouvere as the tide runs strongly past the entrance, but once inside you are completely sheltered. The almost obligatory wander around the town revealed it to be quite charming with tiled plazas.

Later the bad weather did arrive, it blew strongly and bucketed it down with rain.