Sines to Lagos (Algarve)

Shelena
Phil Scourfield
Wed 9 Sep 2015 12:52
37;06.6H 08;40.46W
We set off from Sines on our longer passage of about 85Nm from Sines to
Lagos on the Algarve without breakfast. We can have that as we sail. What an
excellent day it turned out to be.

Before the highlights, I need to say that the health and safety of all
aboard is my first priority as skipper of Shelena. It seems to me that too
much drinking and eating needs to be constrained with a little exercise. So,
Rachael and Adam had their work out on instructions from an iphone aboard
Shelena. The only instructions were, do 30 seconds of say, squats, and a
whistle is heard to start and then to finish. Next it would be sit-ups. No
music. Clearly, we are amidst an advanced class of fitness freaks because
the exercise is done to your own rhythm and not to that of say, Abba, or
similar. Proof is in the photo. When that hour had passed it was time to
snooze on the bow deck in the sun. Meanwhile, Helen gets the exercise bug;
but to music. It lasted exactly 2 minutes. Why, because Helen yells.
Dolphins! We had just 4 or 5 ride our bow for about 25 minutes. It ended as
soon as it began. The male nudges the baby as if to say, "enough of this
play. We are leaving this bow now". They were gone. I tried hard to take
photos. The effort was pretty useless. The dolphins move quickly and
unpredictably making it impossible to take a classic shot of them arching
through the water. I guess this is why we need memories. Hopefully, not to
fade. Not only that. Helen claims to have spotted a whale about 2 to 3
cables to port quarter. Nobody else saw it. Nevertheless the sighting is in
the yacht's log as fact for posterity. Helen is becoming pretty eagle eyed
at spotting the wild life. Keep it up.

The interesting part of the day came as we approached Sao Vicente. The coast
runs from broadly north south, then at the Algarve broadly west to east.
Headlands often create a wind acceleration zone where the 8 knot northerly
increases, and as the course alters the wind, still from the north now comes
from our port beam. This makes for an exhilarating sail. Finally, engine
off, sails out and we are doing over 9 knots. This was the opportunity for
all to take turn on the helm. Not that we are competitive about these
things, but the speed is clearly displayed for all to see. Adam achieved an
impressive 10.9Knots and I now believe he to be hooked on sailing! The
record for Shelena remains with Helen at exactly 11 knots.

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