They call this Velcro city, because yachts find it so hard to tear themselves away. Rob believes they are only staying here because they all still waiting for work to be done! This lot make the British Marine Trade look almost professional.

Saturday 28^th June –  Tuesday 1^st July

Rob spent much of the weekend planning his approach for Monday to the Mastervolt repair engineers which started with a very caustic text, several unanswered phone calls, quite a few empty promises from the engineers, further emails/calls to the powers-that-be in Lisbon and finally, today Tuesday, the engineer came and has put on every single new part sent from Holland regardless of need in the hopes that we will depart!   Even better, the engineer has proffered a suggestion as to why it may fail to work at sea – Najad may want to watch this space!

The upholstery returned in pristine condition yesterday (Monday) but unfortunately the foam is still (secretly) holding water – 6 days later, even with temps in the mid 30s!

Sarah went on a dinghy trip to the grottos (Rob continued to wait onboard for elusive engineers) which was really impressive;  both the rock formations (the driver insisted on pointing out rock formations that looked like anything from elephants to Michael Jackson, possibly the Queen Victoria one was a little lost on the young German couples who were the only other crew!) and the boat handling, as we dashed in and out of very narrow caves hotly pursued by other small boats.   There was also an offshore crag with an egret nesting ground, surrounded by hungry looking seagulls.

We both finally ventured into town for a wander together.   Lagos is particularly pretty, but crammed with touristy shops.   Happily for Rob, the shopping has revealed no desperate requirements of the credit card.   And there are the obligatory human statues dotted over the town.

Sarah ‘did’ the culture:  the Ponta da Bandeira Fort with its fantastic rooftop display of robotic working steel windvanes;  the museum and Church of Maritime Compromise (possibly lost something in translation?) with amazing gilt carving everywhere;  and St Sebastian’s Church, which was astonishingly simple and really attractively lit.

Robotic wind powered machine

Church of Maritime Compromise (or so the guide says!)

Tomorrow we hope to leave Lagos at last as it has proved to be an expensive wait for mechanics.   We are heading for Babate by the weekend to meet up with Rob’s sister, Anne and then on to Gibraltar.