SEA BEAR

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.

City of scooters, narrow streets, parraquetes nesting in palm trees, fishing from the city walls, a fantastic fish market. Surrounded on almost all sides by the Atlantic ocean. Its a nice city.

Provisions for the boat, the boat all checked over, it is time to leave mainland Europe and head further south. We will see if the swell will let us into any of the Moroccan ports.

After topping up with diesel at the fuelling berth we headed out off the harbour and out to the clearwater water at the end of the Canal Norte. Here we could turn southwards and after passing the west cardinal buoy marking the rocks and shoals to the west of the Cadiz peninsular set a course for Rabat some 170 miles away. I had crew now, a Dutch girl, Merel, so it would help with these longer passages to come. There was a nasty cross swell so the boats movement was a trifle lively but with little wind, so progress was slow and eventually resort was made to the engine for an hour. Then the wind picked up , great at first but later after dark it further strengthened leading to to put in first one reef and then later a second reef in the main and furling the yankee. There were quite some waves, one even decided to join me in the cockpit, a fortunately unusual occurrence for Sea Bear.

Later the wind and seas calmed down but then it became foggy, very foggy. I knew there were some fishing boats about as I had seen their lights before the fog and I could hear their engines in the distance. The AIS told me they were 2 miles off so not too worrying but I slowed the boat down  but loosing all the sheets and proceeded cautiously.  The fog cleared later to return briefly after daylight.  Then we had a nice day sailing, light winds, only 8 to 10 knots but progress on the desired course was being made. Just before sunset we saw a large pod of dolphins. Another night passed by . There were the lights of numerous fishing boats but none came very close and none for which we had to alter course for. In the early hours we could see the loom of lights on the Moroccan coast, the lights of Mehdiya and further on Rabat.

Dawn and were about 8 miles off Rabat however then the wind headed us so we had to go on the other tack and then it died completely. In a way this calm did us a favour as instead of slowly tacking our way in we had the perfect excuse to switch on the engine and motor the remaining miles. Of the harbour entrance we radioed  the marina for the pilot and although we got no reply the pilot boat appeared  and said to wait 1 hour and they would be back when there was enough water to cross the bar. So in due course the pilot boat led us in through the harbour entrance and up the river to the police and customs pontoon. I was glad for the pilot as the entrance was tricky and even what little swell was running made it a little exciting. But oh what an entrance, sailing up the river between two medieval walled towns, you knew you was arriving somewhere very different, was it even this century. There was a hug wow factor.

There was a little snag over our entrance formalities. You see the skipper had overlooked that the boat insurance had expired 2 days ago and we could not proceed into the marina until this had been sorted. They were pleasant enough about it and directed me around to the marina office  who again were more than helpful and I could email the insurance company  and I later phoned them  and they emailed me a new insurance document which the police then printed out for me so it was all sorted in the end , it just took a bit of time, and we could moor up in the marina.

Eh it were a bit warm – 35 degrees in the shade  thats in the nineties for us us oldies, but I love it.

In the evening we strolled into the walled city of Sale, we found a hole in the wall which accept my card and gave me some dirhams and then we wandered through the medina and after a glass of mint tea from a tea shop we bought some fresh cooked warm maize cakes from one stall and some fried fish with sauce in bread from  another stall so dinner was sorted.

21st Oct – Rabat

Sea Bear, when I bought her, came with a roll of canvas fabric labelled sunshade. Time to dig it out of the locker and figure out how to rig it. It provided shade in the cockpit and also kept the rest of the boat a little cooler. The marina is on the Sale side of the river, part of a big new development of apartments so later we walked down to the river and took a ferry boat across to the Rabat side. These are wooden rowing boats which they row facing forwards and standing up and ferry glide across the current in the river. In Rabat we went into the Medina and found a little place with tagines on a hot plate outside. Tagines are a traditional Moroccan shallow earthen ware dish with a pointy lid in which are cooked vegetables, onions, tomatoes, olives and potatoes eaten with bread. Very filling, very simple very tasty. Medinas all round are a bit of a sensory overload , so much going on, so much to hear and see. Clothes stalls, stalls of olives, stalls of spices, colours and smells . Emerging much later we were by the grave yard which lies between the city and the sea -its vast. We then found our way to the Kasbah des Oudayas a truly delightful walled community and the part that so impressed on our entrance yesterday. Lots of narrow winding street or alleys painted blue lower down and white higher with pots of plants. Descending to sea level we were at the beach, there seemed quite a lively surf scene. More mint tea was taken looking out over the beach. We passed back through the Kasbah, exploring a little more and then eventually took a ferry boat back to the the Sale side and so back to the boat. A fascinating day with the promise of yet more to explore and see tomorrow. 22nd Oct – Rabat Another day of exploring and sightseeing which was also good but once again it is time to move on. I had always had it in mind to arrive in the Canaries by the end of October. We plan to set off tomorrow for the Canary Islands all being well. It is 450 or so miles to the tip of the nearest northern most island , La Graciosa, so it should take from 5 to 8 days depending on the winds

After a walk into Sale in the morning to stock up on fresh veg and bread, clearance from Moroccan customs and Police was straightforward. A pleasant customs official gave me an orange to eat. The Police did  bring along a  sniffer dog, a big alsatian, who they persuaded with some difficulty to board the boat. But I must say all the officials we dealt with in Morocco were very polite, helpful and cheerful, not at all officious.

Around 3pm the pilot boat lead us out  down the river over the bar and through the outer harbour. We had enjoyed our stay in Morocco. I would heartily recommend a visit, its a crazy lovely place.

There was little wind although the weather site had suggested we would get Northerly winds so it was motoring at first. Later a gentle SW breeze filled in and we could sail, but hard on the wind as the coast trends SW here. Evening found us zigzagging to get past fishing nets. They were buouyed and lit at night and once which end was the landward end and which the seaward end was figured out didn’t pose to much of a problem. There was generally a small open Moroccan fishing boat close at hand and they would shout and wave their arms or flash a light at you if they thought you were going the wrong way.

In our 1st 24 hour period we logged 71 n miles, probably nearer 78 to allow for under reading log, which was not too bad considering the conditions. Alas it was not to last and for the next few days we were plagued with either light headwinds or calms. The forecast northerlies just never arrived. The log was a succession of engine on, engine off sailing again, engine on calm, again over and over again. It was a little frustrating at times. It doesn’t help when you are plotting your position on a passage chart where the passage distance of 470 miles measure about 330 mms so a plot of a 6 hour run consists of 2 points 12 mm apart – it looks so little progress.

You settle in some kind of rhythme as night follows day and without the written log it would be easy  to lose track of the days. Having Merel along to share  the watches was great help, even though sleep was maximum of 3 hours at a stretch  you didn’t get so dog tired and someone else besides myself to talk to.

Even  on our last full day at sea when we did have a NW wind, it came in fits and starts but we were getting closer.The last night fell and we had about 50 miles still to go and now the wind did blow and Sea Bear romped along. At around 11pm some lights high on Lanzaroote were visible. The only trouble was it now looked liked we would arrive off the North end of Lanzarotte in the early hours whilst it was still dark. There are few navigational lights, 1 small lighthouse on Pta Delagade, on of the outlying (uninhabited) islands and the unlit rocky island of Roque del Este. Its not a coast to flirt with in the dark. Some way off then I hove to for an hour or so and when the sky in the east showed signs of lightening let draw again and made for the channel between Lanzarotte and Isla Graciosa.

It certainly is a dramatic landfall. We soon reached the little harbour of Caleto de Sebo on Isla Graciosa. However we were told by a security official who after consulting his clipboard and found the name Sea Bear not on his list that the marina was full. Puzzling really as I could see at a glance at least 8 or more vacant berths. Turned away from the harbour we went and anchored in the next bay at 10 in the morning. The setting  and scenery were breathtaking but somehow I wasn’t expecting these desert islands, sand and volcanic cones set here in the ocean.

“When you land on Graciosa you take off your shoes and forget the world”

After anchoring and after lunch it was time to inflate the dinghy and row ashore, landing on a small beach. A short walk along a beach backed by volcanic rocks and desert shrubland took us into the small village of whitewashed single story houses where the streets were just sand and had a coffee at a little harbour front cafe. We later walked to Playa Francesa, another beautiful bay and anchorage.
Next morning we dinghied into the harbour and spoke with Pedro the “diretor do porto” who said yes the marina was full but after more talk ah well you can berth either there or there or there! So we moved Sea Bear into the harbour alongside a pontoon, this time we were on the security official’s list. This was better as we had discovered yesterday that the beach where we had landed yesterday was tricky to leave, being fringed with reefs and I had to launch the dinghy in a shallow lagoon then row out through a small gap, thankful that the waves were not bigger.
There are no paved roads on the island, just dirt tracks. Some mountain bikes were hired and a circuit of the northern part of the island undertaken. A visit to the beautiful Playa de Las Conchos, a walk up Montana Bermeja, the village of Pedro Barber visited and a swim in the bay there. One eve we dined ashore on Octopus, sardines and mushrooms with a bottle of wine from Lanzarotte – delicious.
Days passed, the island is touched by tourism but only very lightly, it is so laid back, such a relaxing place, a visit there is highly recommend by me.

Eventually we left Graciosa and with a Northerly wind of 10 to 13 knots had an uneventful sail around the top of Lanzarote and down the eastern coast. Arriving at Arrecife, the islands capital we entered into Puerto de Naos and there found, instead of the 2 pontoons mentioned in the pilot, a brand new marina. We discovered that it had only opened on 18th Oct. Lots of boats here including many from the Atlantic Odysey, a new cruise in company started by Jimmy Cornell.

Arrecife was a bit of a contrast to Graciosa, but with good connections a good place for crew to come and go and a good base to explore the island from. One day we took a bus to Yaiza, a delightful village, and walked and hitched to El Golfo, where there is a striking green lagoon and then along the coast past amazing lava flows. We ended the day with a swim on the beach at Playa Blanca, a place full of lobster coloured English – didn’t stay long.
It was then time for Merel to leave, she was flying back to Spain. Sad to see her go as she was great company and we had a good time together. She left me with a bottle of Rum as a leaving present, “Cuz real sailors (pirates) don’t sail without Rum! Arggh”

However I wasn’t alone for long as Wendy, my best friend from Sheffield, arrived on a plane a few days later. 15 minutes off the plane and we were swimming in the sea at Playa Honda, fabulous. The next week was spent exploring the island, swimming most days and taking in a few tourist sites. The house of the artist Cesar Manrique, who had such an influence on the island, the Mirador del Rio, a wonderful viewpoint, Cuevo de Verdes, the lava tube caves and Timanfaya, the fire mountain or Mount Doom as it became where you could feel the heat of the volcano and peer down a fumarole to its depths. Sardines, octopus, prawns were eaten along with various tapas too and the very good Lanzarote wine drunk. But in case you are thinking it was all just good times, work was done too, eye splicing to make up some new halyards for Sea Bear.

Its almost time to move on but a spell of bad weather has arrived, strong winds from the SW and yes it rained today. Will wait till things improve.