Breakout!  Tuesday was the day that we intended to leave but only 2-3 kts of wind all day and the forecast does not look much better for the rest of the week. Wednesday there was still no wind but we decided that motor or not we had to get going and that is what we did.

Povoa da Varzim to Figueira da Foz was 77nm and slipping at 09:00 and motoring into a very light breeze for all but two hours when the wind got itself up from a sensible direction but then died we arrived off Figueira as dusk was falling at 20:00.

Figueira has no tenable anchorage and as we had heard enough from the engine for the day the only option was to head for the marina. Coming alongside the very substantial floating concrete reception jetty we were met by a charming GNR (Maritime Police) policeman who took our lines.  Our Portuguese being limited to “Please” and “Thank you” there followed an Anglo/Portuguese version of Allo Allo minus Lieutenant Grubber and a Madonna with the big what nots.  “The Marina is broken” we eventually realised meant that the “Marina office is closed for the night” but were happy that we could  “anchor for the night” where we were.

We settled down to an  Elizabeth special of Tuna Pasta and spent a quiet night.  The marina not opening before 09:00 we slipped into the dawn just after 08:00 having had an economical stay!