37:57.04N 08:52.11W Cascais to Portinhos de Arrabida to Sines
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Fri 31 Aug 2007 18:06
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29th August - Cascais: For a suburb of a capital
city, a bustling tourist centre and fishing port, this is a surprisingly elegant
and pleasant place to visit, explained in part by the well preserved
architecture of the 1870s arising from the presence during summer months of the
Royal Court who moved to escape the heat of the capital city. The former royal
palace is now a residence of the Head of State. The marina is correspondingly smart (and expensive) with numerous large
luxury yachts. Gaudeo was placed in the peasant quarter which was still very
comfortable and close to several good restaurants.
Fortunately we had arrived for market day which
for the jubilados with time on their hands always provides a
morning of immense pleasure. One of the treats carried back to the boat was a
kilo of navajas (razor clams), our favourite shell fish. A decadent
lunch at dockside restaurant, a bathe off a rather crowded sandy beach, and
extended evening drinks on board Gaudeo for the crew of Bluefin ended an arduous
day. The navajas which I had prepared were sandy and sardines
soggy, yet contrary to obtuse honesty which abounds on board Gaudeo, the manner
in which these offerings were accepted by Bluefin`s crew was gracious in
the extreme, though darkness, and consumption of several litres of Alverinhos
probably helped dull the senses.
Departure at a civilized hour mid morning and a
broad reach 32 miles down the coast in a perfect breeze of 15-20knts from
the NW, brought Gaudeo into a spectacular anchorage in the
Serra da Arrabida nature reserve at Portinhos de Arrabida 10 miles away
from the busy port of Setubal. Regrettably, bathing seemed less of a
priority after we dropped anchor as the wind increased due to
katabatic effects - it reached 30 knts during the night. Since every other
respect this was a perfect anchorage, we thought it strange that there was only
one other yacht; perhaps it was considered too shallow for others given the
present high spring tides and entry across a shallow sand
bank.
31st August: We had hoped, rather I had,
that last night`s strong breeze would last but we had to motor half way to
Sines 38 miles south but the sail in between with boomed out yankie
was gorgeous. The contrast in marina facilities, attentiveness and cost in
comparison with those at Figueira, for example, was extraordinary - immaculate
toilets, laundrette, WiFi etc.
Bluefin arrived a few minutes after us from
Cascais. They have to move on again in the morning but we shall stay
another day.. |
