So enough of this relaxing and doing the tourist thing, it’s time to get sailing again. Unless the weather forecast changes significantly overnight we are planning to leave Cascais tomorrow for the Canary Islands. A mere 650 to 700 nautical miles.

At the moment the forecast gives us light but favourable winds for a couple of days, but the wind then turns against us for the next few days. In theory the passage should take between 5 and 6 days, depending on whether we end up motoring into wind. It also, unsurprisingly, depends on where we go to. We will decide when we get closer to the Canaries whether we go to Lanzarote or Gran Canaria. Lanzarote is about 70 miles closer, and would give us the opportunity to see another island before going to Gran Canaria which is the final destination. But if we are late, or winds unfavourable, we may go directly to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria.

We said a fond farewell to Fiona this afternoon, and welcomed Bob who joins us for this trip. Bob has his own Lagoon 380, so we will be comparing notes the whole way I expect.

And of course fishing will re-commence, with a new and even more expensive reel personally recommended by Portugal’s 10 times champion game fisherman (he’s 2 boats down from us in the marina). Expectations are high, but we have plenty of other provisions just in case…