After an extraordinarily depressing winter, things are now picking up.

Candida spent the time from our least entry in November until the end of March in the care of the excellent yard at Lagos (Sopromar).

Extensive work to old repairs around the keel were needed, and it proved a tricky and time consuming job.

At the same time I had to undergo spinal surgery to relieve a sudden back problem, I am happy to report that I now feel better than I have for 10 years.

We launched in April at Lagos and spent a couple of weeks ‘shakedown’ cruising.

Having then decided that the boat was back to her best, and the owner wasn’t too bad either!

We finally made the decision to bring her back to Yarmouth this summer. A really difficult choice, seeing as how we were poised for either the Atlantic, the Med – or anywhere! But finally the head ruled the heart.

So on 19^th March with Jeff as crew Candida took her leave of the Algarve, the first night we spent at anchor with 30 knots of Northerly wind – next morning the wind had died and we set off for C St Vincent which we rounded at 9.30 and then motor-sailed into 15-20 knots to Sines arriving at 7 pm in the very friendly and sheltered marina – but a bit of a long walk from the time – a good workout for boat and crew.

George the autopilot had decided not to work, but fortunately it appeared that he had had a memory failure and ‘re-commission’ as per the book of words restored him health (sofar)

Next morning – thick fog – so we finally left around 10 am – and had a pleasant sail in a WSW up as far as Cabo Espichel near Setubal, when own went the wind, down went the sails on went the engine!

Arrived at Oieras Marina at 6.45 – a great welcome, and our experience confirmed the award of 5 Gold Anchors from the Yacht Haven Association.

We then decided to have a lazy (ish) morning and left at lunchtime for an overnight sail to the North. Well we got about 2 hours sailing , the forecast WSW turned out to be 2 or 3 knots max, and we motored over a calm and at times almost oily sea, arriving at Povoa de Varzim North of Porto at 15.20 the following day -  we had done about 2 hours on 2 off overnight, but felt pretty relaxed, and treated ourselves to supper ashore.

Onwards and upwards on 24^th May we set off for Baiona, and surprise surprise no wind!

We arrived late afternoon having enjoyed a pretty relaxing trip and then took a day out , leaving Baiona on the 26^th we sailed to the Islas Cies where we anchored for a leisurely lunch in brilliant sunshine off a ‘Caribbean’ beach, then had a stunning sail up the Ria de Vigo to the marina in the centre of town.

As it was Jeff’s last night we went out to supper, and had the most fantastic steaks ever..  beautifully cooked and served, and only 200 yards from the marina.

Jeff left this morning 27^th May and the skipper has plenty of jobs before Tony Glover and Graham Morris arrive for the next leg to La Rochelle.