Cascais
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Mon 11 Aug 2008 19:17
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38:41.791N 09:24.819
After one night in Nazare, the crews of both boats
(Troutbridge & Moonshiner) decided that they had sampled all the
'charms' of the marina/port that were immediately apparent and since the nearest
town was about one and a half miles away we decided to give that a miss as well.
Both boats arrived early in the morning and people were in various states of
'crashed-outness' for most of the day. Dinner onboard Moonshiner followed by
movies onboard Troutbridge.The marina was a bit 'rickety' and although the
English harbourmaster was helpful in as much as he showed me where the various
officials were, showers etc he was obviously having a 'glass half empty' sort of
day (actually, he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine the following morning,
either).
I picked up fuel the following morning (100 litres
per tank which indicated full in both). Fuel consumption figures are markedly
better than the UK trip, I've been using 1600 RPM to cruise, giving on average
one litre per hour consumption.
On a forecast of NW 4 to 5, becoming 3 to 4,
veering SW later, we had a cracking sail for about, oh let me see, it must have
been 15 or 20 minutes, then like a duck in a thunderstorm the wind just died
away.....and on went a motor. To add insult the weather wasn't great, reasonably
warm but overcast. Anyway, I spent most of the trip with all sails furled,
Moonshiner had a reefed main to try and stop the rolling (a problem I don't have
to the same degree....brief pause for smugness here ). :)
Arrived in Cascais about 2330 local. Not too many
boats in the anchorage and no problem with the moorings that the RCC book
mentions. Dick & I went into the marina office this morning to complete
formalities but the 'person' in the office said the authorities based at the
marina were only interested in boats in the marina and as they weren't there we
couldn't confirm that. The cost of 'parking' a dingy in the marina is 15 euros
+tax for the day (but you can use the marina facilities!). As I paid 15 euros
for Troutbridge in Povoa we both declined the kind offer and are using steps in
the area where the small fishing boats are, pretty much next to the main drag.
It was suggested that we contact the maritime police via VHF but a Swedish boat
who's been here a week hasn't done that, the police have been round once noting
the boats in the anchorage but they didn't come over to talk to him so I guess
that's that.
The only bit of excitement happened first thing
when I decided to anchor a bit closer in. The port engine was stuck in reverse!
I entertained the entire anchorage by piroueting gracefully untill I realised
what the problem was. Investigation disclosed a broken morse cable. Multihull
world have been contacted as I reckon this should be covered by warranty, the
engine has only done 329 hours since new. I await a reply.
Apart from that, all is 'fine & dandy'. Cascais
is more built up than it was, the swell in the anchorage hasn't (yet) been as
bad as it was and there is a superb supermarket ten minutes walk from the dingy
dock. The best since the UK (England that is, this one beats anything on
Guernsey into a cocked hat). To anybody wondering why I am enrapturted by a
supermarket, you get that way cruising, trust me!
Somewhat spookily, in 1995 Moonshiner and Ocean
Freedom (my last boat) arrived in Cascais on the 10th of August, albeit about
four hours earlier. We stayed four days then went to Doca da Alcantara, a marina
in Lisbon, leaving on the 19th August for Porto Santo. All things being equal,
we'll probably stay at anchor in Cascais due to the exhorbitant marina prices
now in the area. About ten days worth of shopping this morning was roughly half
what a night in the marina would cost me! The plan at the moment is to leave
'bound towards' Porto Santo on the 23rd Aug.
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