37:57.141N 008:52.114W
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Fri 24 Aug 2018 19:17
We are picking up the anchor and leaving the harbour, leaving Sines.
It is not clear at the moment where we are going:
— the weather forecast is lovely inconsistent… And all what can be said about the weather — ‘ about 2pm the fog ( which is frequent at this area ) usually disappearing, and the wind picks up… Blowing, sometimes, 15-20 kts until the Sun set… ‘
— presently, there is ‘ a whole in the fog’ — right on top of the marina… But further down, towards the ocean — there is a grey wall of fog…
— the only ‘theoretical anchorage’ before St. Vincent — Is about 40 nm South… And it is not a protected harbour, but rather a place in front of the beach….
I’m not sure — should I stop there, or press all the way towards St. Vincent, clear it, turn to the left, and find a place for some rest and weather evaluation on ‘the straight line to Gibraltar… There are plenty of places, obviously… Lagos — is one of them…
So, my ‘planning horizon’ becoming shorter and shorter… ;-)
I have a few destination points, but I’m not sure where I’ll find myself. All I know for sure — we are lifting the anchor now, and leaving Sines!
It is a nice place, very helpful and friendly people!
But it is very small. And — though Vasco da Gama was born there… If you have seen Porto, Lisboa, and small Sesimbra…. You know exactly what to expect around the corner… It is a very nice and typical town…
What makes it unique — the rapid development of the port, with terminals capable to receive 500,000 tones tankers… And when you see their arrival… any boat becomes small… Rapid development of the port — with gal, petroleum, cargo, coal terminals — making the city to develop towards the industrial centre… But… that process — though it is going fast — still at the beginning…
Meantime, the my interest in the port — very practical. I have to cross it in visibility about 100 meters… then turn around anchorage for the ‘big ships’, clear it, and hopefully, it would be no fog at this point…
So, we will see!!!
Talk to you soon,
M.