The Portuguese coast and on to Lanzarote 2014

We stayed a week to take advantage of the weekly rate.

The closed street market stalls eventually opened after a few days - all part of a book festival with classical music for ambience. This was a total contrast to the Spanish Fiestas we had previously witnessed.

We were ready to leave after the week was up... Next stop Pavoa do Varzim (1/2 day sail).

Leaving Viana, a French yacht cast off at the same time. He put his sails up in the river ( haven't got the confidence to do thet our selves) and soon disappeared over the horizon. We have room for much improvement it seams.

Povoa do Vazim

Pavoa was very interesting. A popular Portuguese holiday resort for families and the retired. The marina was very cheap but has the best showers yet! Negatives were the abundance of sea gulls and the fog horn (read air raid siren) which seemed to go off every night, all night as did the church bells.

We met up again with 'Shuma'. It was nice to meet up again and have a chat.

Douro Marina

We were finally able to fill up with diesel. Not wildly available on the Portuguese west coast. This was a very plush marina and Nuno was the best 'marinho' we have come across. He ecen told me off for going the wrong side of a buoy. If you visit Duoro Marina yourself be very careful as the water has very shallow patches at low tide and it's important to keep in the channel until you are level with the marina and fuel pontoon (take a sharp right).

Figuera de Foz

Up the river again and the current in the marina was deceiving. We and a few other boats were drifting while trying to maneuver - still we managed!

Here we met Nigel aboard 'Sea Brigand' together with his crew. Delivery skipper Steve ( from our neck of the woods) and crewman Paul. We had a very fluent get together one night - conversation and the booze ( eh Steve!)

Hitch hiking Dragon Fly

Nazare

Trying to steer between the breakwaters was like wrestling with a bull ( wish I'd took a video). This entrance was so rough!!!!

Once moored up we found a run down marina that had seen better days. The office was closed so I had to go and see the security guard. He was not best pleased to have another job to do (booking us in). However as with the Portuguese, after initial protests he was ok, thankfully.

Cascais

We arrived at Cascais at 12:30am and stayed on the reception pontoon until later that morning. We were made very welcome and enjoyed our stay.

We visited the Museum Condes De Castro and walked the gardens.

When we departed we were not charged for the first night on the visitors pontoon. BONUS !

Sines

A small town surrounded by industry. However from th town and marina you can't see it. Beautiful marina building but marina very windy.

Used the Asemetric Spinnaker, with success, on the way. 

On the beach

Lagos

We had to round Cape Vincent on route and boy did we get a shock!!! The wind (due to the Nortada) gusted up to 36 knots. With a tiny handkerchief of jib we made good headway but it was difficult heading into land. Phew!

Up a river again! Very busy!

Great English breakfast (1st in a year) and a pot of PG Tips, lovely!

Managed to source some decent tea. 

You can eat out like a Prince or buy great ingredients cheaply and eat in like a King. Steak is cheaper than chicken here. 

There was a lot of holiday makers tramping around the marina and numerous boat trips leaving and arriving every couple of hours.

Heading out was a bit of a nightmare - lots of boats and we had to wait a long time to fuel up as many local boats were piling up at the pumps.

Fuel pontoon Mele. 

Portimao

Just 6 Miles along the coast we anchored for the first time overnight. Loved it apart from the rave music blasting out all night. We stayed 10 days. FREE PARKING

We met up again with Nick and Jay aboard 'Bonventure'. Nick came aboard and helped us anchor as we were having difficulty as they were so many yachts there. Thank you Nick!

Nick and Jay threading a chain through a hosepipe for us. Cos we couldn't. 

Madeira 

We set out for Madeira, out of a calm bay to be hit with the strong wind of Cape Vincent and then the lumpy sea.

The shipping lane was busy and we had take avoiding action on a couple of occasions. 

After 8 hours we had had enough of the unpredictable beam sea (waves hitting the hull on the side) so we had to choose whether to continue, go back or change course. We changed course and headed south to Lanzarote. The ride was better with the sea behind and it was only 50 miles further. It was a new moon so we didn't expect much night time illumination but at the time of writing, we have a half moon and the stupid thing is out only a couple of hours at night but visible during the day. Pitts. We had difficulty sleeping because of the motion. This type of sea we had we called the 'washing machine' as it's rolly and pitchy at the same time. It makes doing anything very difficult.

At last after 4 1/2 days we sited land and anchored at the first opportunity-to get a good nights sleep. In the sheltered harbor of Arricife we were moving around like drunkards. The boat was in calm waters however we were not used to this. 

The next morning we moored in Puerto Calera Marina to set about shopping, fixing and cleaning.

"In and out the dusty bluebells"

We had read the warnings that the Portuguese waters have many lobster pots. They weren't wrong. They are numerous and difficult to spot, even in broad daylight. We must have altered course at least a dozen times that day, they just kept on coming.

Lots of pots

Entering The Viana channel (Rio Lima) the wind and tide was very strong. We moored onto the waiting pontoon on the outside of the marina entrance. Antonio from the marina welcomed us and informed us there was a finger pontoon available inside the marina. Alison looked at the current and wasn't keen. The current can run at about 7 knots and the entrance is quite narrow with a swing bridge. I wanted to enter the marina as it looked very sheltered so Alison said ok and let's have a go. Simples it was straightforward getting in and was very sheltered. Good prices, wifi available in most bars/ cafés.

Swing footbridge

Road/rail bridge designed by Eiffel

Flowers overhead in the charming streets

Heading South

IIt was difficult to leave Muros and we consider Pedro (The face of Muros Marina) a real friend!

Downwind to Sanxenxo we tried out our planned techniques. The poled (boom) out jib worked a treat. The A- symmetric spinnaker not so well. A bit more tweaking needed there.

Sanxenxo is a big marina full of "Gin Palaces" but a convenient stop to watch the World Cup Final. Not much atmosphere for the match as the Spanish had lost interest after they got knocked out.  A lot of the bars looked closed near the marina. Later we found out they opened at midnight and boomed out music till dawn hmmmmmmmmm!

Sanxenxo

Baiona

The next day we made the short hop to Baiona. The wind was all over the place and the sea got choppy between the islands. We moored at the MRCY marina as it was in a beautiful setting beneath the old defensive walls. Just stayed the night as this marina was expensive.

Next morning we headed for Viana Do Castelo. Alison had checked the forecasts for today and the wind was to be behind us again - more downwind practice. Well no! The wind blew in the complete opposite direction all day. Engine on!

Afternoon came and I popped below for a siesta. 20 minutes later Alison calls "Miles, FOG!" Yes a real pea Souper that was coming off the land so we decided to change course and head out to sea. We could sail at this angle so we put up the sails. After all the winching and tweaking we looked up, Fog gone, wind gone, speed 2.8 kn. Pah!      Sails down engine on back on course.

Magnificent Muros Marina

This is more like it! A must to visit. A new marina that is not in the pilot books yet. Helpful and friendly staff, Pedro & James. Facilities are all that you could want. Garden area, library, power showers and wifi room in this converted ex Police Station.

It is very easy to live here. The supermarket is a hop, skip and a jump away, opposite a beach,a couple  of good hardware shops, 2 tobacconists, bars, cafés and restaurants, and a market twice a week. We liked it so much we stayed a month.

Alison with Pedro

Floral carpets through the streets

The Marina's private garden where we enjoyed many internet mornings. 

The fireworks were spectacular

Muros got very noisy come fiesta time, but hey Spain like to party!!!!!!

While we were there I ordered the autopilot parts we needed off eBay. It's fixed now and ready for a sea trial. Also the toilet packed in but a service kit was ordered and is now back in action to the relief of Alison!

A Caruna

The night we arrived we walked into town - the main reason was that we had ran out of tobacco. The streets were alive with football fans. The local team had won and they were jubillant. Tables were booked in resruarants and they were having a great time.

The next morning some were still staggering about as we found a convenience store for some provisions. Spain is mainly closed on a Sunday - like Britain 30 years ago.

A Caruna and Northern Spain were not what I was expecting. The streets weren't  paved with Paella, no chickens roasting outside, no never ending Tapas. Had we come to the right country?

This was real Spain and not the tourist destinations of our Jollies. The locals were busy going about their business, earning a crust etc..  Outside of the marina not many people spoke English. Compared to France the average bodyweight was up a few stone probably something to do with the smell of deep fat frying that abound.

our autopilotwas on the blink again so we tried to phone the A Coruna Raymarine shop - number not connecting - took a bus to the other side of town to pay them a visit, didn't get off at the right stop due to the bus station not looking like a bus station. So we had an unplanned tour of the city and got off at the right stop next time around.

Asked a local for directions - down and out of the back of the building - Jobsworth wouldn't let us out where the buses came in - Alison has a bad knee - had to retrace steps and walk around.

   Went somewhere for lunch. Played it safe and pointed to a tasty looking picture in the window, not available till evening, got a burger that wasn't a burger. Eventually found th Raymarine shop. English spoken and very helpful but no parts in stock but could be ordered and our problem was probably the gearbox - Good advice I think.

     After a week of inclement weather the two German yachts we had crossed Biscay with were ready to leave on a good forecast so we tagged along.

At A Caruna we weren't best pleased with the boat being covered in coal dust and the strong smell of butane gas ( I thought we had a leak ) from unloading cargo ships upwind.

   If you visit marina Caruna ask for the free discount passport that covers other marinas in the chain but is not freely offered. Why?

'Mira' the yacht berthed next to us and heading north told us about Muros Marina around the coast that they were very impressed with.

    We rounded the Cote du Morte ( Coast of Death ) with no problems and fair seas. Spent the night at Camarinas and set off again early the next morning for Muros.

Biscay or Bust

We were ready to leave France. 

It was just about the right time of year, according to the pilot books, but still the weather evaded us. 

Our French friends are keen weather watchers also and we were waiting for the perfect weather. 

Too much wind, too little wind, wind wrong direction, sea state too rough. The weather grib files gave us all the information. 

But to get 3/4 days of favourable conditions was proving illusive. 

Many yachts had arrived in Camaret with the same goal. Mostly German. 

We got chatting to two boats on our pontoon whom were travelling together. One man had circumnavigated and we asked his advice. 

Sunday 25th May was a possibility but only on the morning of a proposed departure, with the latest weather information would Norbert make a decision. Sounds sensible. 

The other German yachts looked to him as well. 

Sunday was written off due to a possible force 6/7 looming around Cape Finisterre. We had already decided against. Looks like we were like minded. 

Wednesday 28th looked good but the grib filed prediction, as usual, changed from day to day. 

Norbert thought that this was our best chance for crossing Biscay. Take a direct route, motor until the wind arrived, the sea would be relatively calm and no severe weather was looming. 

We agreed. 

Our French friends also agreed after some persuasion. 

We made final preparations. The night before, we tested our engines. 'Erminig' our French pals found a nasty vibration coming from their prop shaft. Could require a haul out. They weren't going. 

We had to make a decision - wait while they made repairs and then start looking at the weather again or go with the Germans and Erminig could catch us up. 

After much deliberation we decided to accompany the Germans. 

Due to the marina diesel pump being out of order just 3 yachts set out at the crack of dawn. 

S/V's Artemis, Eos and Pancho. 

We motored at a gentle pace to save fuel, the wind was against us. 

After 25 hours the wind arrived in a favourable direction. 

We switched off our engine. We didn't want to burn any more fuel just yet. 

'Eos' motorsailed and 'Pancho' put up their cruising chute. 

We couldn't keep up. The wind was almost backing us. We tried our genoa on its own, then gullwing. We didn't have much experience sailing down wind and weren't very good at it. 

Then the wind died. 

After a couple of hours the wind was back and we broad reached for a day and a half of very comfortable sailing. 'Artemis' loved it and we switched on the auto pilot. 

We could see the other two yachts on the horizon, they changed course for the Spanish mainland and then dissappeared. 

By now the sea was nearly 5km deep and the moonless nights very dark. 

Dolphins arrived and entertained us every so often, superb at night with the phosphorescent. 

We were sailing well so continued on a direct route. The wind increased so we put in a reef, then another. Hmmm... Maybe we are making up some ground here. 

The next morning the wind backed us again and the sea was more unsettled due the Spanish continental shelf so we changed course for the Spanish coast. At 1pm we sighted land and 'Eos' and 'Pancho' motoring slowly up the coast. 

Still under sail we intersected them, waved hello and followed them under engine. 

The swell and wind grew as we neared la Coruna but nothing compared to our previous November Biscay attempt. 

We arrived safe and sound at 7.30pm Saturday 31st May

Alison's Birthday tomorrow !

Camaret sur Mer

It can get a but busy socialising in the marina ( the French wine, food and coffee taste so good and there is always something to talk about with like minded folk ) but we found time to get on with some more projects. 

We replaced our broken cockpit speakers with shiny new ones,

 fitted a fully working  Sony car stereo to play through them, installed air vents in the cockpit lockers next to said speakers to stop the condensation on the inside of the lids, fitted a door brush to the companionway sliding hatch ( I had previously put up an aluminium rubber squeegee set up that was a bit too effective and pulled itself apart with the friction on the acrylic )

Alison is working on a lee cloth, we had to fix a leak on the fresh water pump. The spray hood has been cleaned and re waterproofed. Repair to fibreglass under anchor fairlead. Perspex to engine control panel. Also we had to buy a new mattress as the original cushions had come to the end of their life. 

Mast straightened so that the sail goes up and down smoothly. 

And the biggest job was buying and installing a solar panel on top of our davits. 

It started on the drawing board. 

I haven't found an ideal way of locking the panel in position yet. Using bungees at the moment. 

We realise now that the 'to do' list will never end. Things keep getting added to it, so prioritising is the name if the game. 

As the winter season ends at Brest and the prices go up. Our good friends aboard 'Erminig' and ourselves have moved 5 miles downstream to Camerat sur Mer. 

Here we are making final preparations to cross the Bay of Biscay together. 

Also it's a refreshing change of sceney for us. A beautiful place indeed. 

We have enjoyed making use of our dinghy and outboard to pop to the shops, the Chandlery or to the beach. 

We enjoyed a walk around the coast. 

WW2 gun emplacement. 

We also thought it wise to get an Epirb distress beacon 'just in case'. 

Now waiting for suitable weather to journey south.