42:46.565N 009:03.302W
Whisper
Noel Dilly
Wed 15 Aug 2012 17:42
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We woke to a
dry but windy grey day and took a short walk to the supermarket for a few bits
with our indispensible shopping trolley. On our return we were called to
be quick by our host who had organised one of his sons to take us to a lagoon to
see the birds there. In our hurry we forgot our binoculars but did see herons, a
spoonbill, great black backs and mallards. Our elderly host had come with us and
determinedly led us along a narrow overgrown and at times rocky path aided by
his walking stick and his very attentive son who gently held his hand to help
him balance and lifted branches so that he could pass under them
unscathed. I admired him very much he so obviously loved the area and
wanted to show it to us, he was disappointed that the lagoon water was so low
and the birds far away. Our walk took us close to an almost deserted sandy
beach where the Atlantic waves crashed onto the beach, evidently not a good
place to anchor as there are many rocks under the surface. The lagoon was
tucked behind the sand dunes under the protection of the headland and was quite
beautiful.
We arrived back on Whisper and had lunch planning a walk around the old town. As we cleared up, the heavens opened and we spent the afternoon in the cosiness of the saloon as we were tossed about tied securely to the pontoon but feeling that we were at sea and very relieved that we were not! Dinner was organised for us at a restaurant about 30 minutes walk away from the marina. Word filtered through that the sons would ferry us all by car. Luckily the rain had stopped as we gathered to await our lift but the gusts of wind were gale force strength. The evening was lively and very very noisey. The room was built of stone and the ceiling of concrete so nothing to absorb the sound. I was not the only one to find it impossible to hear what was being spoken. Once the meal was over I whispered to Noel that I would walk back to the boat. As I collected my coat the skipper from one of the Swiss boats was getting his too, I asked if I could walk with him and his wife and we set off taking a short cut across the wall behind the tidal mill. The mill is in the centre of the river mouth and the wall stretches across the width. It was quite amazing to walk on these huge worn stones, the wind was strong and the shelter from the mill very welcome before entering into the blast of wind on the other side. I hope that we will get the opportunity to visit it in daylight! As we reached the town so it started to rain, we crossed the road to be undercover of the arch way in front of the shops and finding a small restaurant sat outside under the arch and enjoyed a coffee, the wind and rain lashing down on the road a few feet away. As it started to ease and worried that Noel, who would have had a lift and I had the boat key in my pocket, might be locked out, I decided to hurry on regardless. I arrived back at Whisper to find a huddled up Noel bivouacked on top of the companionway lid under the shelter of the hood. Fortunately although rather damp he was still warm! What a night the wind howled and the boat rolled about, fenders screeched between the pontoon and the heavy weight of Whisper and the boat lying next to us. The rain in Spain most definitely not falling on the plain! |