Cascais and Lisbon

Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Sun 27 Sep 2015 16:33
We left Penishe early on Thursday 24th for the 40 odd miles to Cascais, and had little wind until we rounded Cabo Roca (the most westerly point in mainland Europe) when we were able to get the genoa out and sail the rest of the way.

The marina at Cascais is the most expensive place we have stayed so far, although not particularly expensive compared to English south coast marinas, but we have stayed 3 nights, enjoying the facilities (showers/laundry) and the fact that there isn’t a constant fishy smell.  It feels almost Mediterranean here with palm trees, Cicadas and hot, hot sunshine.  The temperature in the sun is off the scale on our little thermometer, which goes up to 40.

We visited Lisbon on Friday and enjoyed the bustle and the old streets with the trams, but we weren’t really in tourist mood, so didn't walk far and really only saw the oldest part of the city,

Yesterday we got some exercise by going for a run with Lisbon Hash House Harriers, who were running on the coast out towards Cabo Roca (for those who don’t know what Hash House Harriers are, it is a social running club, sometimes know as a ‘drinking club with a running problem’). We were given a lift to the venue by Manuel, together with another English couple who were visiting from Cotswold H3, and were made very welcome.  The full run was 14k, which was too much for us after 2 months with no running and in this heat, so we took the short option (probably about 7k).

Today was the Cascais Triathlon, making the town really busy, so we have enjoyed the sunshine on board, listening to the music from the bars around the marina.  We are now looking for the right weather for the passage to Madeira, but the north easterlies you expect along this coast at this time of the year have been pushed further west into the  Atlantic, and the forecast for our route is light and variable next week.  We will probably continue down the west coast of Portugal, which will shorten the passage when we can make it, and keep an eye on the weather for something more helpful.

Pictures:
Sailing in the sun
Lisbon
Running with Lisbon H3
Cascais
Cabo Roca

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