37:05.90N 08:39.90W Sines to Cabo de Sao Vincente to Lagos (Algarve)
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Mon 3 Sep 2007 08:52
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2nd September: No matter how early the hour of
departure, the sight of rising sun across a calm sea, another sail on
the horizon, and a cup of warm tea in the hand, as a school of dolphins play in
the bow wave, can elevate even the lowest of spirit. Eighty miles with no
safe harbour in between dictated a 6.30 am start for the Algarve from
Sines.
After many days of stiff breezes, now there was no
wind so the iron sail was used for most of the passage.
The rounding of any headland is a memorable event
but for me there are two which are special: Cape Wrath - Viking for turning
point - and Cabo de Sao Vincente, also a turning point - for Africa and the
Mediterranean - which has been the scene of many a maritime
rendezvous, frequent plunder and at least two major sea battles. In Neolithic
and also in Roman times it was considered sacred ground where the sun sank
hissing into the sea at the edge of the world. Associated with this stunning
and strategically important headland are famous names such as Prince Henry
the Navigator, Sir Francis Drake, and Admirals Jervis and Nelson - now John
Quayle.
The swell down the coast had been from the NW so we
had hoped to anchor in solitary peace under the lee of the Cape for the night
and some bathing but as soon as we turned the swell not only increased but came
in from the SE, and instead of pleasant isolation we had to settle for the
flesh pots of Lagos, 25 miles along the coast, which is also the end of
this part of the over 60s outing. As any blog reader will know
Gaudeo`s crew are in an exhausted and emaciated state so a little R&R is on
the agenda before Prue`s return to
Blighty next Monday and the arrival of new crew for the next leg to
Tenerife via Porto Santo and Madeira.
Some Blog readers incidentally, have suggested that
I only report on the most hedonistic aspect of this gap year experience. Well, I
thought that a discourse on all the Romanesque churches we have visited and the
many other architectural and cultural delights would be too much for readers as
advised by the marine division sector head of Gaudeo`s large Diversity
department who suggested the importance of reading age twelve for the
script and avoidance of much mention of the Church of Rome lest it
offend the Anglican and Buddhist members of my next
crew.
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