We left the mooring around 11.30 after an excellent shower and yet another
wonderfully late breakfast. The wind was 0!!! So again we motored east. The
total run was 27 miles.
Leaving Albufeira
We stayed close to the coast to improve the view. We passed Vilamoura and
almost turned in to hire some golf clubs, as it has some of the best courses
in Portugal!! However we motored on, as our target is to get to Cadiz and
Tarifa for some surfing and kite surfing. We can play golf when we are
older!!!!
The navigation in to Olhao was quite interesting, as the tide was running at
3 knots against us and the depth was going down and down!!! As we passed
between the moles (man made sea walls) for Faro & Olhao we entered a huge
shallow lagoon surrounded and sheltered by large sand dunes. We slowed the
boat and edged our way up the sand bars till we found a great anchorage,
really quiet and only a short dinghy ride to a tiny little settlement on the
dunes.
The dunes are protected and a large information board explained what was and
was not allowed. Strictly no leaving the paths! A fantastic wooden path
lead us through the settlement and out to the Atlantic Ocean on the other
side of the dunes. We had taken our running shoes so did a 20 minute run
down the endless sandy beach.
On the way back we found a small shop and purchased some eggs and salad for
dinner and an unusual looking local cake for desert. Back on the yacht I
set up the rod holder and cast my first line on my new rod!! (thanks to
Jiff, mole, Liz & Wynn) Alas, it was not to be, with only 30 minutes of
light my tiny shrimp-like lures did not entice any black spotted bream so
its egg salad for dinner!
This place is a million miles away from a day in the Solent and it really
felt like we had been exploring much further a field than here :o)
Night falls on a perfect day!
