37°02.00'N 008°57.9 W Monday 28th September

Wow! Round the corner - Cabo Sao Vincente

Very hot, lots of dolphins, lots of shearwaters and gannets. The approach to the Cape is spectacular and rounding it does feel like an immense milestone achieved. We are suddenly in the Algarve. The cliffs are absolutely steep sided, the water is very deep right up close. Had a look at the first cove round the point, but settled on the second cove to rest up for the night.

Tuesday 29th September

Grottos da Ponta da Piedade. We feel we are in a different country! It is drier, warmer and the air has that scent of dry pine, dust and something else I can't quite identify except that it belongs to a different climate. Wanted to have a look at famous Lagos, where so many world travellers congregate. We rounded the Ponta da Piedade (just outside Lagos) to find huge caves and caverns that one could explore. The water was turquoise blue, crystal clear and about 3 or 4 degrees warmer than on the straight down bit. On a whim, we stopped there, for a swim, lunch and then got the dinghy out for an explore of the caves. Magical.