37:57.04N 08:52.11W Cascais to Portinhos de Arrabida to Sines

Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Fri 31 Aug 2007 18:06
29th August - Cascais: For a suburb of a capital city, a bustling tourist centre and fishing port, this is a surprisingly elegant and pleasant place to visit, explained in part by the well preserved architecture of the 1870s arising from the presence during summer months of the Royal Court who moved to escape the heat of the capital city. The former royal palace is now a residence of the Head of State. The marina is correspondingly smart (and expensive) with numerous large luxury yachts. Gaudeo was placed in the peasant quarter which was still very comfortable and close to several good restaurants.
 
Fortunately we had arrived for market day which for the jubilados with time on their hands always provides a morning of immense pleasure. One of the treats carried back to the boat was a kilo of navajas (razor clams), our favourite shell fish. A decadent lunch at dockside restaurant, a bathe off a rather crowded sandy beach, and extended evening drinks on board Gaudeo for the crew of Bluefin ended an arduous day. The navajas which I had prepared were sandy and sardines soggy, yet contrary to obtuse honesty which abounds on board Gaudeo, the manner in which these offerings were accepted by Bluefin`s crew was gracious in the extreme, though darkness, and consumption of several litres of Alverinhos probably helped dull the senses.
 
Departure at a civilized hour mid morning and a broad reach 32 miles down the coast in a perfect breeze of 15-20knts from the NW,  brought Gaudeo into a spectacular anchorage in the Serra da Arrabida nature reserve at Portinhos de Arrabida 10 miles away from the busy port of Setubal. Regrettably, bathing seemed less of a priority after we dropped anchor as the wind increased due to katabatic effects - it reached 30 knts during the night. Since every other respect this was a perfect anchorage, we thought it strange that there was only one other yacht; perhaps it was considered too shallow for others given the present high spring tides and entry across a shallow sand bank.
 
31st August: We had hoped, rather I had, that last night`s strong breeze would last but we had to motor half way to Sines 38 miles south but the sail in between with boomed out yankie was gorgeous. The contrast in marina facilities, attentiveness and cost in comparison with those at Figueira, for example, was extraordinary - immaculate toilets, laundrette, WiFi etc.
 
Bluefin arrived a few minutes after us from Cascais. They have to move on again in the morning but we shall stay another day..        

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