WASHED UP IN POVOA

October 3, 2010

Since Thursday we have known a severe storm system was heading our way and would hit Saturday evening and Sunday.  Being cautious people, we entered a harbor Friday afternoon about 1600 hours so we could be all neatly tied up and tucked away when the worst of the storm hits.  As a courtesy we usually call the marina as we are entering to ask for a berth so they can direct us.  Their answer quite shockingly was, sorry we don’t have room for your size boat.  Apparently our boat is too heavy for their finger docks in a storm.  We were stunned and at a loss of where to go since we had already sailed all day.  They suggested we anchor just outside the harbor.  Sure that’s ok for this one night, but a violent storm is raging in the Atlantic and they are sending us away. 

In the meantime W and I have teamed up with another couple heading in the same direction.  Great fun couple, our age and you won’t believe it, he is Austrian she is German.  We get together most evenings or do day trips when we are a place long enough.  More about them later.

The four of us decided to go north (where we just came from)13 miles, the nearest harbor just to be on the safe side.  We left 7:30 Saturday morning, arriving at 9:30 in Povoa only to be told that we can’t stay...also because of the upcoming storm....WTF.   By now the storm was fairly immanent and there was no guarantee of a place anywhere else. Most of these ports and/or harbors are also commercial fishing harbors. The fishing boat wharf looked like a good alternative.  We tied our lines to the 10 meter high wall and  felt relieved to be in a sheltered space.

The storm has been raging for almost 24 hours now with winds more than 40 knots, a good sailing wind is about 15 knots.   During this time W has put out more lines and double tied other lines as well.  In between checking the lines for chaffing, most of the day was spent reading, and napping.  We are starting to get a little cabin fever, but as I am writing this the winds have calmed down a bit and the sky is clearing.

ANCHORED IN HOLDING PATTERN

October 8, 2010

The character of the Atlantic coasts of Portugal and Spain varies widely between the sheer cliffs north of Cabo Finisterre and the flat sandy lagoons of the Faro area. Spain’s coast has rolling hills, many with wind mills and small towns built into the hillside, quaint and picturesque. I can imagine the cruising here is pleasant and interesting in the summer months, but in stormy conditions it can easily be quite dangerous. Locally it is known as the Costa del Morte (Coast of Death).

Portugal’s coast on the other hand is flat and one continuous line of high rise buildings with miles of empty, featureless beach. The harbors are commercial and /or fishing in nature. Many have hazards of one sort or another in the entrance. The most common is a sand bar, although safe enough for freighters and large fishing vessels they can be dangerous for the smaller boat if there is a swell running......and worse if it is running across the tidal stream. This brings me to our present anchorage.

After much deliberation about whether or not to leave the marina at Povoa de Varzim we headed back out into the choppy waters of the Atlantic coast with it’s 2-3 meter high swells. Looking back from the sea I can still see the high-rise buildings, hotels and a very modern Casino which belies the interesting old town just behind.

We headed for Aveiro a ten hour trip motoring the entire time. The Aveiro

harbor is a very large commercial port with hugh freighters rallying for space and fishing boats hauling their nets in or letting them out. By the time we arrived at the entrance, the sun had set and we knew it wasn’t long before it would be dark. This entrance has a reputation for being dangerous with strong tidal streams that make for high swells, therefore it’s not advised to enter at night. After being in radio contact with the harbor control tower we were nevertheless glad to hear that the entrance was open to traffic. The harbor master’s last words to us were, “good luck”.

The next ten minutes were a total adrenaline rush. The high waves and the swirling water took us for a roller coaster ride we still like to talk about; incredibly scary, yet incredibly exhilarating. In our log book W’s entry under “remarks” for that day “don’t go into Aveiro in the dark, against the tide and with big swells!” W’s analogy “coming in was like riding a sand-worm on Arakis” from the movie Dune.

The anchorage was very calm and quiet a very welcome refuge after the stormy entrance. We stayed several days, did a day trip into the city of Aveiro which is described in some books as the second Venice. Yes there was a canal and yes they had gondolas, but Venice it wasn’t. The day we planned to leave the entrance was once again closed due to the high winds and large swells.

Finally lifted anchor, after control tower cleared us for exit (don’t want to tango with a freighter).

Day trips are usually anywhere from 6-10 hours. This was going to be another 10 hour day, but well worth the effort, Nazarene. Calling ahead Captain Hadley, a British man who runs the small marina assured us a spot would be available. We rafted up with Viva-mare and had a disturbing night from the fishing boats loading and unloading their goods.

We took the bus into town the next morning. The town relies largely on tourism for it’s prosperity, but the lower town on the beach has kept some of the old atmosphere. For me the most compelling reason to visit Nazare is the view from the upper town which we reached via steep electric gondola.

Except for the occasional rain storm, the weather has been fabulous and continues to lift our spirits.

FINAL WEEK IN PORTUGAL

October 24th 2010

Marina de Cascais

The moment we arrived on October 15, at this fabulous facility I felt completely at home. In a setting of such unparalleled natural beauty you can’t help let down your hair (the thin amount I can still let down) and relax either on-board or at one of the many outdoor cafes or restaurants in the marina.

Before being allocated a berth, the captain and his crew (me) are required to check in at the reception desk. After filling out all the necessary documents and a passport check with immigration, you are given a bottle of the local red wine, a detailed city map for shopping and transportation along with your security cards.

After a little relaxation we decided to investigate a suitable place for dinner. Grabbing our city map we set off in search of a quaint little place at reasonable prices. Cascais , basically a suburb of Lisbon is a pretty town, with a large number of tourists so there is no shortage of restaurants to choose from. We were all quite famished and we try to eat where we see locals eating. Just ten minutes along the shore we found a place to satisfy our immediate needs. Good food and friendly atmosphere. We no longer have to worry about drinking and driving, simple, NO CAR. Bonus is you can walk off a few of the many calories you just consumed.

Days have been filled with domestic chores, laundry 2-3 loads, hanging it up, (no dryer) refilling the water tank to do dishes and take showers. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t intensive labour and I’m not complaining, just trying to create a picture.

Supermarket shopping is challenging because to can only buy what you can carry...even with a two-wheel cart. Once you figure in the essentials....beer and wine, there isn’t much more room in the cart for anything else. When the cart is empty it’s easy to maneuver over the cobble stone street, but getting back with a heavy load makes the 1 1/2 km trip seem a little tedious.

Yesterday we took a little bus trip to the MALL. The bus driving skills required to drive the narrow streets is a story in itself. W needed a grinder for a small repair so we needed a Canadian Tire equivalent. We found a “Home Depot wanna-be” in this very up-scale mall, and within minutes we found what we needed.

We are getting ready now for our trip back to Canada. Our dinghy has been deflated and put into it’s storage bag. Putting things away in the same way you do with a house when you go on vacation. Simple Abundance will stay in the water here at the marina. Our friends from Vivamare will be staying here also until we return.....they have promised to keep an eye out just as an extra security measure.