Sunday 2^nd March – Alcoutim - Rio Vascao

37:31.648N 7:30.775W

Having spoken to the owners of another of the British yachts alongside at Alcoutim (which has been here two years) we decided to go further up river today rather than hang around Alcoutim waiting to get back onto the pontoon after the canoeing regatta. 

They told us about a lovely spot at the mouth of one of the tributaries on the Guadiana, so we set off after breakfast and arrived here just off the Rio Vascao late morning and anchored.

It was another fabulously hot and sunny day and we lazed around for the rest of the morning enjoying the brilliant surroundings whilst I made some bread.  Richard launched the dinghy and took the short run up the river to Pomarão.

This afternoon we took the dinghy up the Rio Vascao; we rowed rather than used the engine so that we didn’t disturb the wildlife (as advised by John and Nora) and were delighted to spot terrapins basking on the bank in the sun.

At the small dam, part way up the river, we beached the dinghy and went walking before drifting back down on the tide. 

Back on the main river we started the engine on the dinghy and both went up river to see the village Pomarão (overall about 7 nm up from Alcoutim).  Just before it is a large dam to the right.

Back on Pyxis, we both did a spot of fly fishing late afternoon – no luck however.

Tonight we have stayed here on anchor.  This is a pretty remote spot – we have this part of the river to ourselves, barely a mobile signal (having to upload the blog on the sat phone) and a very black, clear sky full of stars.