Figuera de Foz - (or is that de fog)
Moxie - Beck Family Adventure
Mike, Denise, Asia and Aranya Beck
Thu 26 Aug 2010 22:26
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40.08.85N 008.51.46W Figueira de Foz Portugal 27 08
2010
We had a very uneventful trip down from Leixeos, but we
like uneventful sometimes.
 Leaving Leixoes - Oh how we wish we had seen this well when
entering
There was no wind for 11 of the 12 hour trip and 20
knots just for the last hour like just when we were navigating through the
narrow entrance and berthing the boat and stuff. So it was a long motor
and our new tuna lures enjoyed the swim having now travelled 140 miles of
Atlantic quite safely indeed.
The entrance to Fig is up a river with the mouth being
some 100 metres or so wide, they bring container ships in so we really had
nothing to worry about. The approach was made interesting due to the
15 or so small fishing boats right at the entrance forming what looked to be a
blockade, interestingly they were all pointing the wrong way.
While we had a strong tidal current sweeping us south, all the fishing
dinghies were pointed into a Northerly stream, the cross current at the entrance
was quite something although not quite with the rapids we got back in Portsmouth
Harbour entrance. There was certainly no safe path through all the
fishermen and their lines however we steamed in with a might is right attitude
and they soon started peeling away. By the time we got to what is
obviously the prime the fishing spot they had all moved well clear and let
us through with friendly waves.
 Beach at the Foz - it's enormous.
With customs formalities complete we were directed to
the fishing harbour for fuel but upon inspection decided that we still had
enough. The fuel dock might be fine for steel fishing trawlers but it's
not exactly plastic yacht friendly with ragged concrete piles and car tyres
aplenty. So after a brief tour of the fishing harbour we
returned to the full marina and so were directed to the incomplete
section that has no shore power or water, barely any cleats, and fingers
designed for little fizz boats (but is half price), also to get to the loo
and shower we need to go in the tender which is a bit of a pain.
There's an interesting market right opposite the marina
gates, we enjoyed wandering around the fish stalls and seeing what looked
familiar to us. The girls were particularly impressed with a swordfish,
hopefully one of those will take our tuna lure before we pack up for
winter. Denise likes the look of some plants there, the fly eating
variety. Next year we'll try one of these out for sure, the kids
really want a pet after all.
    Asia had some further dinghy driving lessons today in
the marina and has managed her first engine start which she is very pleased
with. The marinas in Portugal have all been teaming with fish some of
which are quite large 40cm or so. They all seem to hang out at surface,
hundreds of them and a fast approaching tender with an 8 year old at the tiller
is apparently nothing to be concerned about. The fish are so thick in
places that we half expect to see seafood chowder appearing behind us as we go
through, not so. Last night whilst whizzing back from the loo (no pun), in
fog of course, we managed to snare an onion sack which wrapped itself
tightly around the prop and stalled the motor, thankfully we always take the
oars. The fog has been really patchy here, it seems to come and go every
hour or so.
Our next stop is just 35 miles away and as soon as we
get a fog free forecast we'll be off again.
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