The pilot guide says of Aveiro, ‘Windswept channels and logoons inside an ever changing entrance’, not exactly the kind of place I like to hang out. However, it does reduce the next hop by over thirty miles and with no other options for anchoring either side of Aveiro we decided to go for it.
To be honest, I am trying to stall and kill time as (Brighton) Dave is arriving next week and if I don’t slow down I will have left Portugal before he arrives.
Anchors were lifted at 0600 utc, just as it was getting light with a healthy wind blowing. It seems that on the western Portuguese coast at least, it blows its boots off every morning and afternoon with very little wind during the day. This is probably due to the land & sea breeze formed by the cooling and heating of the land each day, offshore in the morning and then onshore in the evening.
Anyway on getting clear of the Lexoes breakwater to my astonishment I was being called by name ‘Doris’ on channel sixteen and I knew the voice wasn’t Niels or Bruce. On the horizon I could just make out the shape of an old Lugger, it was Marcus.
Anchors were lifted at 0600 utc, just as it was getting light with a healthy wind blowing. It seems that on the western Portuguese coast at least, it blows its boots off every morning and afternoon with very little wind during the day. This is probably due to the land & sea breeze formed by the cooling and heating of the land each day, offshore in the morning and then onshore in the evening.
Anyway on getting clear of the Lexoes breakwater to my astonishment I was being called by name ‘Doris’ on channel sixteen and I knew the voice wasn’t Niels or Bruce. On the horizon I could just make out the shape of an old Lugger, it was Marcus.
The day past with me mostly miles out to sea away from the other group and with very little wind all day I got to play with different sail arrangements and the Hydrovane. The Asymmetric Spinnaker made an appearance until I got tired of manning the helm and hunger forced me to play with a poled out Genoa Wing N Wing style.
Niels spent the day fishing catching plenty of Mackerel for dinner. Bruce sailed all day only finding time to consume three ginger nuts! Due to the lack of wind we arrived about 2 hours later than planned and the ebbing tidal flow had started to pour out of the Aveiro entrance.
I downed my sails and made my way under motor to the anchorage, however, the others were another hour behind. I later heard that Bruce had to pull out his headsail as his single cylinder engine could barely power him forward against the now 3 knots of outgoing tide.
Marcus tried to sail Veracity (due to not having a proper motor) up the entrance only to be nearly swept onto the rocks. Luckily, a RIB towed him clear into a small bay where he dropped anchor not being able to go any further. Later conversations with him over the VHF had him saying that he really needed to consider his options and maybe get an engine fitted in Cascais.
There was also talk about going back to the UK, so watch this space. I should hook up with Marcus in Cascais and will then know what his future plans are.
The anchorage was very busy and I made about five passes trying to find a decent depth of water with one aborted attempt to get the anchor in as I would ended up too close to another boat. After the Camarinas cock-up I always try and stay well away from everyone if possible.
The anchorage was very busy and I made about five passes trying to find a decent depth of water with one aborted attempt to get the anchor in as I would ended up too close to another boat. After the Camarinas cock-up I always try and stay well away from everyone if possible.
Finally, I anchored in 3.6m of water (not including the 2.5m offset) of which about 2m was tide. I was a little worried about the depth due to the swell caused by the large commercial traffic and motorboats roaring past the anchorage.
Opposite me in the anchorage was Laurie a guy I met in Baiona who is on his way back to Oz with his wife, so he came over in his dinghy and we chatted over a beer before Niels and Bruce turned up. Bruce and I spent the evening aboard Niels boat generally relaxing and discussing the sail and what we will do next.
Not much else to report, accept that we still haven’t officially cleared ourselves into the country yet and with the police taking all the names of the boats in the anchorage, can only hope we do not get reprimanded accordingly. OK I can handle a ‘telling off’ but I do not want get fined!
We plan to stay here in Aveiro for a day before heading to Nazare, which is a night passage of about 75nm to get there for Tuesday morning.
Opposite me in the anchorage was Laurie a guy I met in Baiona who is on his way back to Oz with his wife, so he came over in his dinghy and we chatted over a beer before Niels and Bruce turned up. Bruce and I spent the evening aboard Niels boat generally relaxing and discussing the sail and what we will do next.
Not much else to report, accept that we still haven’t officially cleared ourselves into the country yet and with the police taking all the names of the boats in the anchorage, can only hope we do not get reprimanded accordingly. OK I can handle a ‘telling off’ but I do not want get fined!
We plan to stay here in Aveiro for a day before heading to Nazare, which is a night passage of about 75nm to get there for Tuesday morning.
Stay tuned…
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