Cascais anchorage
Thursdays Child
Robin & Joanna Minchin
Sat 25 Oct 2014 20:41
009:24.775W
The cockpit-den was a triumph with the children sleeping through until dawn. I popped up on deck about 6.30am to check all was well and found dolphins around the boat, presumably the same dolphins who had accompanied us in to the anchorage at 6.30am the previous morning, a beautiful sight and sound. Night two in the cockpit experimenting with the hammocks with integral mozzie nets.
A day of amazing coincidences which will make Carla B shake her head as wherever I go I seem to know people..... Two oppies sailed by last night with Dad as safety boat rowing behind, he invited us to tea this morning which we were delighted with (especially Isabelle as the oppies were helmed by 6 year old and 8 year old Skye & Lily). I said to Bol that I recognised the Dad and "if that isn't Ashley who I had sailed with the OYC 20 years ago, I'd eat my hat".
So we puttered over this morning to 'Martha Primrose' and established very early on that yes Ashley and I had sailed on OYC The Master Builder from Ramsgate in about 1994 for a week, he had then stayed with us at Ward Avenue in Cowes as he was a boat builder and knew of Partridge and wanted to see her. We were welcomed aboard the beautiful Martha Primrose by Ashley and Georgie, and quickly established a second coincidence; Georgie knows Yarmouth very well and for years used to come to Yarmouth Carnival Week with their family boat. When one year they didn't have a boat to stay on in the harbour, Bol's mother Bunty who ran the carnival committee in those days, invited them to stay at her house Byecross for Carnival Week! As you might imagine, much chuckling all day. A very special day followed with lunch on board, Harry and Isabelle went sailing in their oppies, and then all ashore for beach time before walkabout and ice creams in Cascais.
Cascais is a very pleasant anchorage, slightly rolly which is good to keep the sea-legs going. The forecast is calm so a few more days here before heading into a marina for a night to enable us to visit Lisbon next week. With The Med option now being the way forwards our time pressure has been removed and we can explore this coastline at a luxuriously leisurely pace.
Much appreciate further advice received today on emails re French canal options and Med cruising, thank you. Clearly much approval at the new option! Lots for us to think about and Bol quietly relieved all round.