Nazare (2)

So what’s been going on in Nazare, well lots of odd jobs around the boat and laundry to start with and a few trips to the beach and around town to see the sights.

Doris in laundry mode.

Me in beach mode ...

Niels - The man behind the lens (usually!)

We did actually manage to blag a lift from a 'man with a van', which saved the walk in to town.

I finally got permanent dedicated gybe preventer lines rigged up so no more using my spinnaker sheets and going forward to rig them, simply clip the outboard end on to the boom and tighten at the rear cleat. I also have a shackle which Bruce helped me splice (he’s a Navy man and splicing is his forte) on to my 30m x 18mm rope. I can now anchor in deeper water if I have to and lay more scope (rope) by hand if bad weather comes in. Not as good as all chain I know but a welcome extra bit of security ‘just in case’.

Since arriving the marina price per night has almost halved due to the 1st October marking the start of the ‘off’ season and in addition it has been blowing like made with winds to 30kn. Hence we have decided to stay and relax a while.

We should be leaving Nazare Saturday morning for a (hopefully) pleasant 25nm cruise down to Peniche. If the weather is light and the winds are from the North I should be able to anchor there. The marina is available if required but I have been warned about the outer pontoons being a nightmare due to the waves caused by the fishing boats. Going by this marina here in Nazare, the marinas are struggling for room due to the large number of boats still heading South despite it being quite late in the year.

Dave from Brighton is flying out on Sunday eve (for 1 week) and arrives around 20:30 local time in Lisbon, so it will probably be quite late before he arrives in Peniche. The general idea is to day sail and travel South (well duh!) via Cascais, Sesimbra and Sines.

Dave will come bearing gifts in the form of my new LED lights, so anchoring will no longer consume approx 20 amps per night!

Updates: Who's doing what and where...
Brian (Timshel), who I met in La Coruna is now in Lagos with his other half onboard and doing well.

Marcus (Veracity) is in Cascais but visiting the U.K shortly to sort some stuff out and possibly do a quick yacht delivery job.

Mark & Amanda (Blush) are still enjoying life in Povoa de Varzim.

Steve (Zanda) is still in Baiona on a conquest (nuff said for now). After having his bike stolen he is also on the war path and thinks he knows who has it. I won’t post the name of the guilty vessel here just in case. Rest assured there will be blood when Steve catches up with him.

Kat has been doing her Day Skipper course in the foulest of UK weather, the last I heard it was Gale Force 8 on the South Coast. Then almost immediately she is on a plane to deliver a 36ft Ketch back from Mallorca to Brighton in 3 weeks! That’s a hardcore trip going the wrong way (weather, current and winds) at the wrong time of year, so mucho respect for that! Kat – be sure to wave as you go past me!

That’s all for now folks …