The Algarve
ALICE'S ADVENTURES
ANDREW AND CELIA SHARPE
Sun 3 Oct 2010 18:21
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We stayed 2 nights at anchor in the bay at
Cascais. Only trouble was our autohelm decided to read 180 degrees
out. Over the next week with emails and a phone call to Dave at Raymarine
we managed to get it sorted out - fingers crossed! Met up with Dave and
Sharon again on Symphony. We went to introduce ourselves to Martin and Liz
on Caduceus as they were also flying an ARC flag. They were very
welcoming and we had a very pleasant morning chatting to them. Another
musical boat as they have a piano and bagpipes on board, although we didnt hear
either of them!
Then it was another trip south to Sines (pronounced
Cinch). The sea was flat clam and we saw masses of dolphins and
whales. It is wonderful when the dolphins come and play in the bow
wave.
When we came into the marina at Sines Andrew said there
was another Freedom like Derrick and Alis. Then he realized it was Green
Flash, so it was lovely to see them again. They were on the pontoon to
help us tie up. Spent a musical evening at the marina bar. Dave
playing guitar and singing and Ali and Derrick accompanying him on violin and
drum.
We stayed in Sines for a week as the winds were very
strong and also by that time we had found out the price of moorings in the
Algarve - not far off Med prices - 90 euros a night. However after 1st
October it was winter rates which are far more sensible. Sines was a
strange place, it is the birthplace of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama
and there is a statue of him and a castle. Other than that there was a
Lidl!!
We left Sines to make the trip to the Algarve having
heard tales of very strong winds around Cape St Vincent. However when we
got down there the sea was flat calm. We went round the corner and
anchored off the beach at Sagres. A very calm anchorage. The next
day we headed for Lagos and had a lovely sail - got Alice up to 10.5
knots. Then after an hour the wind dropped again, dolphins were
everywhere. We anchored off the beach at Lagos as the weather was perfect
- calm sea, hot and sunny. Went into Lagos by dinghy to find out the
price and book ourselves in to the marina. As ARC participants we get one
free night so we had that for the last night in September!! Back on the
anchorage we looked out to see Green Flash appearing again!! Spent the
afternoon with them in our tender exploring the rocks and caves at the entrance
to Lagos Harbour. Spectacular.
The next day Elizabeth and Martin in Caduceus arrived
and moored 2 boats away from us. It was lovely to see them again and we
spent a very pleasant evening over delicious chateaubriand and red wine in
town. Last night we had a superb meal cooked by Ali on Green Flash.
We all celebrated the achievement of getting to the Algarve.
It is very sociable here. Today we introduced
ourselves to fellow Moody owners John and Janine on Gin and Tonic and then saw
Martin and Jean on Freedom 2 who we had met in Sines.
Alice is staying here in Lagos while we pop home for
Lizzie's graduation.
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