Lagos
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Tue 9 Aug 2011 18:59
We have moved out of the marina to anchor in the bay. We are due into the boatyard for hydrovane repairs and to have the towed water generator fitted within the next 48 hours---we hope.
We will then be ready for our first visitors----Niall and Janie Kilgour and Martin (my younger brother) and his family although they are staying at Praia de Luz.
We forgot to mention that when at Sagres we were boarded (about 10am) by the maritime police who arrived at our anchorage on a rib(a young woman with a gun and hand cuffs on her hips!),who then inspected our baot's and personal papers. She then wanted to know if we had life jackets on board and how many and then inspected our flares to ensure that we had the right ones and that they were in-date (they were). We have heard stories of boats being required to go and buy in-date flares and report to the police station to have them photographed before being allowed to continue their passage but only after paying a 650 euro fine. First thing that morning we had put our anchor ball up otherwise that would have been a 60 euro fine!!
Later that evening in the pitch dark we were raked by a searchlight and on putting our heads up through the hatch found an even larger police rib doing a further inspection of the bay. This time they did not come on board but just asked questions. There were about 5 boats anchored that night.
They then pretended to leave the bay at speed but apparently they hid in the corner of the bay and switched to an electric motor and infra red lights so as not to be seen or heard. We met up with them again when they arrived at the Marina to investigate the clobbering that we had received from the Spanish boat!!
Moral of the story----if sailing south have the correct in-date flares, no out of date flares and show an anchor ball/light when anchoring.
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