Ayamonte to 27/03/11

We’ve spent the last few days at Ayamonte while Rosanna gets on with the canvas work to extend the spray hood and bimini across the whole cockpit and sort out side walls, etc.– not easy as each boat is different and there are loads of things to work around.

We need a part for the engine and after asking around found that the main Yanmar dealer was about 20miles away so we hired a car for a couple of days with the intention of getting the part in Spain and then driving back to Portugal to decide where we were going to lift the boat out of the water. At the motor dealer the response was “not in Spain – impossible”. Not too desperate as I can put the engine back together and carry on but slowly – but I think that this has decided us to leave the boat where it is and come back to it in a month or so and then take it out rather than rushing to do so on this trip. All is not lost as we still had the car and decided to go site seeing around parts of Portugal. We firstly ended up at a place called Alcoutim – about 30 miles up river from Ayamonte, We got chatting to a English chap, Ted, on his boat, Edewsia of Fowey – He’s 69, still sailing the lovely boat he built himself whilst in his early sixties and looking very well for it too – makes a pretty good cup of tea as well.

From there we travelled inland, due west. The map suggested we stop at a small town called Martin Longue – when we looked up what was so special it was described in the guide book as the “centre of nothingness”, take a look at the photos!

On leaving there we saw a sign for Parque Lazer pointing up a dirt track – 8 miles of dirt track later we came to two fords – managed the first one in the brand new hire car but bottled the second after wading across it – nearly knee deep. The fords were just below the Parque Lazer – it turned out to be a picnic site for long distance walkers and mountain bikers – great track though – should have been in a Land Rover. Tracks went all over the place, it was fantastic. After managing to get back to tarmac we headed roughly south and ended up in Albufeira. Carole found a great hotel on the edge of the old town, €60 for B+B in a 4 star hotel – good haggling!

Since then we’ve been back on the boat, helping(?) with the canvas work and doing various jobs.

Canela to Ayamonte

Set off from Canela in completely different weather to the last few days, the wind died completely and the sea flattened to a mill pond. Motored all the way.

Carole multitasking – fishing and on watch.

We hadn’t originally planned to come back to Ayamonte but we’ve decided to have a porch put on the back of the boat and the girl who will be doing the canvas work lives on her boat in Ayamonte so we’ll be here for a week or so whilst the canvas work is done. It’ll attach to our existing spray hood and sun bimini and give us a lot more covered living area when not sailing.

Brits abroad – can’t miss a good cup of tea however hot it is (and we've sorted the camera timer out)

Carole setting up the camera on timer!

Ended up with an impromptu cockpit party last night with some of the neighbouring yachties – emptied the wine cellar!

Mazagon to Canela

Came out of the main harbour at Mazagon and as forecast the wind was coming directly from where we wanted to go. Shortly after leaving came across the main fishing fleet, it was almost gridlock with the things. We dutifully gave way and dodged away from anything that was fishing only from them to haul their nets, steam past us and start fishing across our course all over again – not fair. We wasted well over an hour dodging out of their way – got some good photos though.

Back on course bashing into the wind and much smaller waves than yesterday. One tack was 30miles, short tack inshore and then back out again. There’s a saying that “Gentlemen don’t sail to windward” – today was a good example of why! Long day but got into the harbour just in time to get access to the showers and then time for a beer.

Tea at sea, for those of you not used to boats, the cooker is horizontal!

We left Chipiona, a one night stop after Rota, with a good wind blowing on our rear quarter pushing us along really well, one reef in the main and all of the genoa out. The seas were pretty big, I reckon that when stood up in the cockpit my eyes are about two and a bit metres above sea level, when in the trough of a wave I could normally just see their tops but some waves came through which were a lot bigger. They weren’t very steep just big moving blocks of water. I tried to get some photos but came to the conclusion that it’s not easy! The images just don’t do it justice.

Despite the fairly big size they weren’t threatening and we sped along, surfing down some waves. It was interesting to watch a fairly big ship rolling in these waves, made us feel a little better to know they were suffering as well! We made good time and were in Mazagon by 3.30.
We decided to have “a big night out” in Mazagon, just because we thought you couldn’t. We did find a decent restaurant, El Nino, recommended by a local who we bought onions off (don’t ask but they fitted into Carole’s handbag nicely). I ordered a steak from the menu – not a type I’d heard off and out turned out to be ox – huge, and I mean huge, very fatty but what meat there was, was good – a local delicacy that needs to be tried and then avoided. Carole had swordfish – good choice. Everywhere was pretty quiet apart from this one restaurant.

Rota / Chipiona

Had another go today at making bread as I'd found another recipe but whilst the bread was OK the damn thing glued itself to the pan and as a result it ended up as potential bait for Carole's fishing - third time lucky.


We left Rota fairly early today, 15/03/11, to head off to Chipiona we ended up motoring the whole way as the wind died and left a sloppy sea in which we rocked and rolled our way along the coast.

Near to the entrance to the port we found a quiet but pretty shallow bay so anchored up for some fishing in the afternoon sun. Carole fished while I faffed around in the lockers trying to find a vibration that is starting to become a pain. Despite using my best bread as bait the sucess rate was the same as usual.

We pulled up the anchor and found it had become much heavier than normal. A rock had wedged itself into the anchor and I couldn't shake it off. We ended up motoring the last few hundred yards into the harbour with the thing hanging off the front of the bow until we could get to it and unhook it.

Rota 14/03/11

In between dodging the heavy showers we sorted out the washing, did some maintenance and then decided to make some bread – seemed like a good idea as it was pouring with rain outside. I make bread at home – very therapeutic beating, sorry kneading, the dough. Had to construct some scales using bits of string and Carole’s fishing scales.

I used the pressure cooker pan and baked it on the hob.

It turned out slightly underdone but can’t have been too bad as we sat down and ate the whole loaf before it had cooled.

Back to Cadiz for more Canaval

Left Puerto Sherry in a big wind, the office staff there couldn’t understand why we would go in this weather.

Our friends, Neil and Yvonne, came out on a mercy mission with tea bags and stopped for the weekend. Carole had wanted to stop in a place called Rota, meet them there, and then sail to Cadiz, stop for a couple of nights and then sail back – I’d checked the official weather forecast and came to the conclusion that we’d just have two very wet days on the boat. I should have listened to Carole, as Yvonne had had a word with someone and ordered good weather and apart from a few showers we had a great weekend. Yvonne said she’d booked the weather until 4pm on the Sunday. Picked the life raft up with the help of Neil’s hire car – nearly got there without getting lost; big bill but worth it if you need it.
Not sure if our friends were prepared for Cadiz at Carnaval time! – this was the last weekend of it. Good food, good nights out and good company made for a great weekend. The costumes weren’t as extreme as last weekend but still pretty good.

Neil and Yvonne left about midday on the Sunday to have a quick look around Seville before flying back.

We set off for Rota once they’d left in dry, bright weather, with a decent breeze sending us along at about 5 knots, arriving about 3pm. We sorted out a berth and were just putting up a big boom tent to protect the cockpit when the heavens opened at 3.45, had to complain to Yvonne about short changing us with the weather by 15 minutes. Comedy rain again with howling gusts of wind. The forecast is for more of the same tomorrow, so have decided to stop for two nights!

Microsoft!

Dear All,

Will insert photos when Microsoft and Blogger decide to talk to each other again!

To 09/03/11

Puerto Sherry 09/03/11

We had another beating against the pontoon last night, so when the wind died this morning and the sun came out we spent some time drying everything out and then moved away from El Puerto a couple of miles to Puerto Sherry. This is a big half-finished marina “village” place – not particularly nice but it should offer good shelter from the very strong winds forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning. The total distance was only about 2 ½ miles – including messing about so that Carole could go fishing, usual success rate. A complete change in atmosphere here – from friendly and cosy to big and impersonal, although the staff have been nice and helpful. We had to pay a €75 deposit for an electrical connection plug for me to wire into our mains power circuit. The picture shows the size of the normal plug in comparison – clearly a place aimed at bigger boats than us!

Spent the next 5 hours sorting out the washing due to strange machines that fought back then insisted on a siesta.

Should be in Cadiz tomorrow to meet up with Neil and Yvonne.

El Peurto De Santa Maria 07+08/7/11

We’ve booked in for another night, 8^th, had planned to go today, but the heavens opened and for the first time we’ve had proper rain. Before now we’ve had a bit of dampness, not fit for the name of rain really but this is stuff we’d be proud of in England. When we sail in Scotland we call it comedy rain - because it really is having a laugh.

Last night, 6/7^th, the wind gave us a serious pasting against the pontoon, the forecast was for 30+ knot gusts on the beam and it certainly felt like that, no damage fortunately, had every fender out, even the little ones I keep hidden for emergencies that are not fit for much.

Yesterday in El Peurto was good, had a tour round one of the sherry bodegas, sampled most of their Sherries and brandies, surprisingly ended up buying some of their wares. Had a good cycle around the local area too, although the knees felt the slightest hill after the sherry.

Fish and chips El Puerto style – the strange things with short tentacles are small whole squid, Carole said they were good!

Then Carole dragged me onto the tennis courts at the yacht club – included in the price (!) – for my ritual humiliation, no photos, too exhausted to hold the camera.

Great Restaurants.

Having a “duvet” day on the boat today, as it’s raining so hard. Sheet lightning and rolls of thunder – shouldn’t have been so smug with those sunsets.

Determined to move off tomorrow, weather permitting!

Cadiz and El Peurto 06/03/11

Lazy breakfast after last night then walked into Cadiz for wifi – recognised some of the Roman gladiators, Mickey Mouse’s and cowboys from last night as they staggered out of the town having finally given up the party at 11:00am – felt mixture of admiration and pity! The town had an army of street cleaners out and by 12:00 all the mess was sorted out and families were out for the kids fancy dress parade and general promenading around – bars packed again by 12:30! After further Microsoft frustrations we went back to the marina and packed up ready for sea.

The weather was supposed to be OK according to the forecasts but from the top of the breakwater you could see a pretty big storm off shore. We had wanted to go to a place called Sancti Petri – another tricky spot to enter but sounding idyllic once there but would need to pass through the storm. Discretion got the better part of valour and we turned away from the bad weather and simply ran with the wind across Cadiz Bay to Puerto do Santa Maria, a port ½ mile up a river at the head of the bay. As we crossed the bay you could see lightning bouncing off the clouds offshore.

El Puerto de Santa Maria

Great private yacht club, sort of faded elegance, but in summer it will be a great spot for a few days, with a swimming pool, tennis courts and a restaurant all within the yacht club. The rain arrived, briefly, with some of the wind from the storm just after we’d tucked ourselves onto a berth, slightly bouncy from passing ferries to Cadiz, but a good view. This place is the most expensive we’ve stopped in, at €15/night, by a long way but decided to stop for two nights to have a proper look around the town and hopefully do a trip round one of the Sherry Bodegas.

Two pan dinner – shouldn’t have said anything before.

Cadiz 05/03/11

Crisis averted – found small supply of Twining’s tea bags – not told Carole how much they cost but it is worth it to get her out of bed in the morning! Emptied supermarket shelves of their stock.

Jobs day today; emails for Carole’s work, had trouble sending attachments, very frustrating; got cooking gas – the last one in Cadiz we were told as the Carnival stalls use the same sort. Do some stitching on the sail cover, stuff like that. By 7pm the streets are filled with people in fancy dress heading for the city centre, with bags of alcohol, coachload after coachload, ferry after ferry, train load after train load. It is going to be chaos! Can’t believe all these people will fit in the old city centre. 9pm off to find out!

0300 – Bonkers – Chaos – Huge Fun, streets packed with people in fancy dress, literally thousands of people, carrying bags of alcohol, bands playing, stage acts being performed, drag artistes doing their stuff. Absolutely no sign of any trouble, despite the vast amounts of alcohol. That said we left at 0230 and some bars had only just opened! Never seen so many people in fancy dress. Lots of effort too, not just a silly hat – unlike us – not much fancy dress on the boat, the nearest we have are the oillies so we wore those with ball masks – could have done with sowesters and pipes really to look like salty sea dogs – next time.

I’ve got to hand it to the Spanish – thousands of people, huge amount of alcohol, no trouble – what would have happened in the UK?

Cadiz 04/03/11

Tea situation still desperate, having to visit all markets and alimentacions to search for supplies. As Carole refuses to get out of bed without a cup of tea this is becoming problematic. Have found some Spanish teabags but they are a faint substitute for the real thing.

Went into Cadiz and chatted to the tourist info people and they told us of the parade to “the beautiful people”. We couldn’t resist that and found it was a beauty parade with a difference the ladies parade around the streets on house drawn carriages and end in in one of the grand plaza. Just as the church bells were striking 8pm a burlesque stage show based loosely on Cabaret starts up with all of the girls “doing a turn”. I’d taken the camera and with the “paparazzi” lens and have to admit it felt faintly pervy taking the pictures – with that lens you can see all of the girl’s assets! For a fee I’ll let you see the ones not on the blog…..

One pan pressure cooker stew becoming an art form but as I do the washing up, it’s a good thing.

Wind blew a hooley last night and as the tide came in and we rose towards the top of the sea walls we were gradually exposed to more of the force – fenders squished again but eased as the tide ebbed and the water level fell again.

Cadiz 030311

What can you say about this place?

Well, you don’t sail here for the marina surroundings, outside the marina is a bit of a concrete wasteland, next to the commercial container port, but the staff are great.  We spent about an hour in the office sorting out where to get gas and where to get our liferaft serviced; the combined linguistic skills of three marina staff and ourselves got there in the end. Security is excellent although because of the Carnaval (more later) they switch off the swipe card access to the showers and pontoons and employ extra security staff to make sure nobody gets in who shouldn’t; slightly disconcerting but also very secure.

It’s about a 15-20 minute walk along the sea wall to the edge of the old city.

The marina arranged for a taxi to take us to the life raft service centre – it very nearly didn’t get there as I forgot to undo the activation cord before trying to heave the thing off the boat onto the pontoon – just stopped before it went off and I had an inflated liferaft sat on the pontoon.

What you come here for is the city – what a place, if you get chance, come and visit.

It’s just an amazing place.

The old part is surrounded on three sides by the sea and the huge city walls on the fourth leading to a really narrow peninsular to the mainland. There are buildings from the 3^rd century onwards, thousands of bars, some tiny ones tucked away without any signs just a door, hundreds of restaurants and shops all built into the ancient buildings.  Every few hundred yards are grand plazas and tiny squares.   Thousands of narrow streets and alleyways with tall buildings.  You can get to the top of the bell tower of the “New Cathedral” (about 300 years old), the pictures don’t really do it justice but you get the idea.

You can see the marina in the distance from the bell tower.

We took this picture in a cider bar where we had a cheap lunch – they give you a pump to sit on top of the bottle – quite bizarre.

They also have free wi-fi across the city which is great as Carole sorts out her business via the internet and phone sat in a square under the sun.

The Carnaval – Spanish spelling – we’ve fallen across the biggest event of the year, 10 days of carnival and mayhem. All of the streets within the old part of the city are being prepared – from hundreds of extra toilets (there’s even a map of where the extra ones are!) to loads of street lights, stages in every square, and each bar dressed up for the week.  We think it’s a sort of grand masked ball across the city, and the biggest gay festival in the area.  It starts on Saturday.  We plan to stop for the start of it before sailing off for the rest of the week, returning on Thursday when some friends join us for the weekend and the Carnaval comes to a crescendo.

Unusual wild birds around here too!  Any ideas? Plenty of these in the area.

To Cadiz 02/03/11

Left Chipiona with a decent wind blowing directly from behind so we pulled out most of the genoa and ran straight offshore until we could clear large areas of rocks that extend about a mile and a half offshore. Lots of wrecks marked on the charts so caution needed.  A large mark was built on the rocks – the first one was destroyed in storms.

The wind was blowing strongly but the sun was shining and the water had a milky blue colour that sparkled as the waves broke.  Once past the rocks we put up the main sail with two reefs in it and turned east to sail parallel to the coast at about 5.5knts, occasionally 6.5 in the bigger gusts.  The wind was forecast to decrease as the day went on but it didn’t, keeping up 15-20knts of breeze all day, pushing us along really well.  The wind was cold despite the sun and we spent some of the time keeping watch from inside the wheelhouse.

As you can see from the photo Carole took, I really have done away with black work socks!

 As we approached Cadiz, we had to dodge out of the way of a couple of ships in the main shipping channel to the harbour before arriving at Peurto de America.

The wind is now pinning us to the pontoon and the fenders are getting a good squishing, but safe and sound in the harbour and having our traditional arrival feast of tomato salad and beer – weird I know.

 Peurto America, Cadiz’s yacht harbour, is situated right on the point of the spit of land Cadiz is built on.  Bit of an ugly commercial harbour really but only about 15 minute walk away from the old part of Cadiz which is a great city.  The marina itself is fine just the surroundings.  The whole area is full of history but the city is quite spectacular.  We’ve booked in for a couple of days to have a nosey around before setting off again.

Great  day, now shattered from the wind and the sun. Tea bag situation has reached critical.  Now sat in a square in the middle of Cadiz with free wifi - sun still shining!