Lagos revisited  37:06.000N 008:40.000w

Dawn and I have since discussed Sines and the three days there were enough - a good port in a storm but not somewhere to recommend. Anyhow at 9.00am Friday 8^th Jan, we left Sines headed for Lagos (Portugal) It was supposed to be about a day and a half journey averaging 4 knots (our usual average speed if we are lucky). However once we got out there the swells were massive, luckily they were massive going south and though bloody uncomfortable as the boat was surfing and occasionally being hit by a big one we were careening along at 6-7 knots. It soon became apparent that we would be arriving at 3 or 4 in the morning and not the 11-12 we expected. Yet another night time arrival!

We were looking forward to going right at the bottom of the Iberian Peninsula where the big Atlantic swells should subside. However as we rounded Cape St Vincente the waves got worse and the winds rose to 40- 50 knots, knocking us around like an apple in a barrel.

 Once we came round Ponta de Sagres and began to head north however the swells stopped and it was ooh so peaceful, spoilt only by the occasional hail storm! Because we had made such good time we were due to arrive in port exactly at low tide (not recommended in the guide books due to some shifting sand banks) having first hand experience of grounding at marina entrances, we decided that hanging around outside port for a while was probably a good idea. Anyhow at 4.00 in the morning we decided to attempt entry.

Now when we arrive it is good to have Hannah on deck, firstly because its exciting arriving somewhere in the middle of the night, the bright lights slowly appearing on the horizon, secondly because she has a good set of eyes and can pick up the navigational lights and pontoons a bit ahead of us, and then finally because we need someone to jump off and tie the boat up. At 4.00 in the morning it’s not that easy jumping off a 28 ton moving object, landing on a narrow pontoon and then securing it. However she does it with great aplomb. On the other hand getting a teenager to get up at 4.00 in the morning is another matter, and that is my job.

This is however a nerve wracking time for Dawn and I. “is that the starboard light, is that a dredger coming out.” On top of this Lagos is half a mile up a narrow canal with a green (starboard) and red (port) light marking the entrance. Lagos is a busy town filled with lights and getting the right red and green can be tricky, often a flashing red turns out to be someones brake light and chemist shops here have green flashing lights outside off them, so it can be confusing. Anyhow with the usual shouting going on we got in safely at 4.45 in the morning, bleary eyed and thankful.

Next day was beautiful and sunny. Dawn had been here in her interrailing youth with her friend  Belinda. Dawn remembers it as a bit of a hippy retreat with a nudist beach (Gabriel suddenly started to show interest) The town is pretty though totally filled with expats it sounds a bit like eastenders. Dawn took us to the beach she and Belinda hung out on and they are truly beautiful with steep rocky entrances and big rocks out in the water. However Gabriel was sorely disappointed due to the low temperature. Dawn on the other hand was treated to the sight of two naked Frenchmen on the catamaran next to us, who welcomed us to the marina and dit Bonjour with happy smiles as we woke up. Lagos has not changed that much.