Mazagon

Thursdays Child
Robin & Joanna Minchin
Thu 8 Jan 2015 19:49
37:08.189N
006:50.640W

Mazagon, at the entrance of the Ria de Huelva

We've finally broken free from the "Guadiana Glue"! The temperature has risen 10 degrees, instead of 9 degrees in the cabin this evening, it is 19 degrees, such a relief.

It was a very bleak wintry scene this morning with the top of big suspension bridge linking Andalucia and the Algarve hidden in mist and the bitter air temperature making us feel we were preparing to take part in the winter series at the yacht club with every piece of clothing on.

However, as we had hoped, the hours went by and the layers came off until by 3pm when we entered the Ria de Huelva it was a glorious sunny sail with TC flying along at 8 knots with the tide under her.

We are anchored between a long sandy beach and one of the longest breakwaters in the world, Juan Carlos 1 breakwater 7 miles long. We will hopefully return here as there is plenty of Columbus history, the announcement that the voyage would go ahead was made in the Church, crew was sourced from here, and it was from here that Columbus finally set sail.

Our first sunset in over 5 weeks was a deep rich orange with a clear blue sky from horizon to horizon. It felt good to be underway again and the children did very well adjusting back to TC moving and heeling to one side. We trailed a squid but caught no fish, had one brief glimpse of dolphins and picked our way through literally thousands of pots that resembled a mine field, plenty to keep us on our toes.