Simes to Lagos
Minka of Southampton - Cruising Log
Edmund Wigan
Fri 30 Apr 2010 18:05
|
Last things first: I ended up here rather than my
planned destination, Portimao, which is only another 5nm for two reasons.
Firstly the winds were much more favourable than I expected so I got here in the
dark and Lagos seemed to be easier in these conditions. Secondly because I got
fed up dodging little fishing boats and was concerned I might run into one of
the long nets they leave coming out up to a mile offshore.
It was a very good trip in great sailing weather
and I found it quite emotional swinging a left after passing Cabo de Sao Vicente
which to the geographicaly challenged is the bottom corner of Portugal. There is
a lighthouse on this corner and a second one on the next headland Ponte de
Sagres which is only 2nm further on. Imagine Minka swishing through the waves at
7kts and it is a dark but moonlit night with Sao Vicente light sweeping round
and flashing white every 5 seconds. Then as you round the corner there is Ponte
de Sagres light flashing red Iso every 2 seconds. It was an indescribable
experience as I felt Minka and I had mastered our small challenge and were now
pointing in the direction of the mediterranean. So I tried to take a
photo......
 So I got the moon, a few stars and towards the
bottom on the left you can see the afterglow of the lighthouse flash. That,
believe it or not is the best of 10 shots. Just to give you a feel of what it is
like with the lights on I took this earlier before the wind built
up.
 Lagos (La Gosh) is brilliant. I came up the short
river, narrowly missing some unlit steel columns they planted in the middle, at
about 5.30 this morning. It is a bit like driving up their high street as it
parallels a main shopping road. There is a bridge at the top which has to lift
to let you into the marina so they have put a really good reception pontoon
below the bridge. I tied up there at about 6.00am and went to bed. I woke
up at about 1000 and went to the office to check in. All very helpful so they
allocated me this berth which is why there are probably two positions showing on
the map for Minka. My new next door neighbour kindly helped with my lines and
then after a quick walk I went back to bed. Now 1900 and the well travelled wine
is about to be demolished.
|