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.