Lagos

We arrived in Lagos in the Algarve on Tuesday 25th of September following an overnight sail. We anchored in the bay. The rocky coastline was spectacular and we took the dingy and followed the tourist boats for a tour of the caves and inlets. The dingy caused a few problems for me and Alex. I tried to get out against some steps which were slippery and ended up with one leg ashore and one in the dingy about to fall down the gap and go for a swim, along with my ever present handbag, containing all our passports and the video camera. I was saved by William who leapt to my rescue and pulled me back in. Alex was less fortunate while landing with Paul on the beach and fell in. There was a large vegetable and fish market, which sold lots of different kinds of chillies, Paul bought some very hot sauce!! We bought fresh large prawns and Alex cooked a very good Paella. We also bought a bag of green figs which were very nice. However the sink pump broke again so all washing up has to be done in a bucket and chuckit.

Portimao and Ferragudo

We sailed to Ferragudo, a lovely fishing village a short hop down the coast on the Rio Arade, near Portimao marina. We anchored for 2 nights. Ferragudo was well worth the visit with sardines being grilled on the quayside and steep cobbled alleys. The world P1 power boat championship was taking place in the resort of Praia da Roche opposite, so there was lots of noise and helicopters overhead etc. Praia da Roche is an unpleasant tacky place rather like Benidorm on a smaller scale. William and I walked miles in search of distilled water for the batteries, finally finding some ( 25 litres) in a hypermarket in Portimao. it is amazing how long a simple task takes when you don't where to go and don't have a car.

Ponte Cais

We sailed to Ponte Cais on Saturday to escape the power boats. We anchored for 2 nights. We visited Ilha da Culatra which is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve and went for a long walk. Alex managed to end up knee deep in thick black mud and nearly lost his famous size 13 (smell of cow dung) sandals, which were sucked down. He rescued the sandals and washed them in the sea and we think it's improved the smell of them!. The village of Ponte do Carvo was interesting, the houses being a cross between holiday chalets and a shanty town. It was a fishing community, very rural with no cars, a local place for local people. Alex reckoned it was Portugal's answer to Royston Vassey.

Mazagon

The weather turned bad, cold and wet. We sailed to Mazagon on Monday 1st of October. The boat sailed well at 7knots a lot of the way in 20 knots of breeze but a rough sea. I felt sick. Coming out of the river mouth from Ponte Cais was very choppy the dingy bounce up and down so violently on it's davits that it snapped one of the steel cables holding it, luckily the belly strap held. The filter coffee maker flew off the shelf and smashed on the galley floor so its instant coffee from now on. Water came in through Alex cabin hatch which wasn't closed tightly and swamped his ipod, phone and computer. The ipod and phone survived but the computer looks decidedly unwell, and will have to be tested when it dries out. Things went from bad to worse, as we came into Mezagon marina the engine died as we were mooring. Paul got the stern rope on and we stopped without doing too much damage, a bent stanchion and damaged port side nav. light. William has spent all day today (Tuesday) trying to fix it, helped by another visiting yachtsman who knows a lot about diesel. As I speak it has started thank goodness, time for a beer I think.