Windy in Cascais
ULA
John & Jackie Richards
Thu 21 Aug 2008 08:35
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Position 038:41.430N 009:25.130W
Your good skipper is on the airwaves again from
Cascais 15 miles west of Lisbon. We sailed down from Nazare yesterday. We
intended to get off at 7.00 am but administration in the Port meant we were an
hour late. We were joined by a Dutch boat which was moored along side us for the
night. So the race was on! After a slow sail for the first hour the wind filled
in and we sailed to off Peniche. We had been warned to avoid this port as the
wash from an unruly fishing fleet causes damage to boats so we carried onto
Cascais, a total distance of 64 miles and with a totally blue sky. The swell
caused by a storm several days ago somewhere in the North Atlantic was high at
2.5metres so when we turned down wind off Peniche we slowed down. Jackie had
been talking to Sally in the Marina office before we left and had been told the
forecast was for strong winds by late afternoon. So we motored sailed for 3
hours to keep the speed up. About 3 pm the wind increased to a good force 4 and
we sailed for the next 4 hours to Cabo De Roca on the corner of the
river Tejo estuary which goes up to Lisbon. Just as we turned the corner we
had a school of Dolphins playing around the boat. Then the strong wind hit 3
miles from the marina gusting up to 30 knots or Force 7. We still had
full main up but limped into the sheltered bay by the marina and although
still windy the lack of waves meant we could take the mainsail down. Just in
time as one of the batten cars broke in the mainsail. The decision was then
do we anchor like several other boats and wait for the wind to die or try and
get in at the marina. We contacted the marina and they said they could offer
assistance with berthing as the conditions were strong. So in we went and made
their reception pontoon where we booked in. Then with help and an into wind
berth we managed to get Ula tied up safely alongside the Dutch who had arrived
30 minutes before us. Worth the struggle as everyone was glad to get off onto
Terra Firma even though the restuarant appeared to everyone to be
swaying.
We went out for a super meal at one of the many
posh restaurants in the Marina and literally crashed out. This morning boat
repairs and provisioning and planning the next 3 days with visits to Lisbon and
some of the local sights. More from you usual correspondent later.
John
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