Sundowner II log – 2004 update 8- Povoa de Varzim to Fugueiro da Foz

Sunday 10th October 2004

Well it’s been an interesting few weeks now it is time to head southwards once again. A few hours have been spent checking the harbours ahead. It seems strange to be getting on the move again especially as the weather has turned wintery and we now know that the wind prevails more to the south west at this time of year, which won’t be helpful. The wind and swell is dying down now after a storm passed over from Friday afternoon until this morning, for 36 hours it blew force 8 (34-40knts) gusting force 9 (41-47knts) causing ropes to snap and cleats ripped out and a finger came completely away from one pontoon taking the two yachts attached with it. Saturday morning Johnny had to move over to shelter in the fishing harbour as his boat was in danger of destroying the pontoon along with popping a couple of fenders and pulling out a cleat the bridge deck was also lifting as the ropes pulled up on the bollard. The French couple berthed on the boat next to us moved into a hotel for a rest, we should have been more prepared with our experiences at Beaucette but we had checked the forecast at the internet café the day before and it only gave winds of 25knts f8’s and 9’s had been shown further out to sea. In future we will study the satellite pictures tracking the highs and lows also if we had kept an eye on the barometer it would have shown us a drop of six millibars in an hour which is quite serious. It just goes to show even an extended stay in port you have to be vigilant; mind you there is always the bonus of a few hours in the bar with Eduardo and family after a welcome shower when it’s all calmed down. So it is Lisbon bound and hopefully somewhere near Vilamoura to work as we now have a website for British people looking for work abroad also the bonus of a group of friends will be staying there in January on a golfing week in a large apartment that sleeps twelve, funnily enough they all drink in our local the Westminster bar back in Yeovil. (I nearly wrote home then).

Tuesday 12th October 2004

The morning was spent saying goodbye to our departing friends on Balder, Double You and Tigger then shopping for gas and food also a couple of food flasks that keep hot things hot and cold things cold and as we found out later they can’t decide so keep things warmish. The marina looked decidedly empty as Karl and Julie waved us off at 5-30 our overnight passage would take us 80 miles to Figueira da Foz. We threaded our way through the minefields of pot markers to get 6 miles offshore and settled into a downwind course under cruising chute at a steady 4 knots the happy fact we were sailing tempered by the hour it took to untangle the ropes and untwist the sail made harder in the dark and longed for wind. After midnight in the black quiet night the dolphins arrived, a large pod darting under and around Sundowner looking at times like shooting stars as the phosphorescence sprayed around them every movement emphasised by millions of sparkles, their flippers sweeping swaves of flowing light and their perfectly formed bodies curves of white in the darkness. No torpedoes of death as they sped towards the boat just signals of the impending arrival of pure joy and the pleasure of living. Phew better sit down where did that come from?. How they smile at us evolving into land mammals then building vehicles to go back over the sea. With so much room in the ocean maybe we will evolve back again or have the dumb ones been left behind and it has it already happened?
A couple hours later the wind died so Perkins took us onwards through the huge fishing fleet out of Ria d’Aveiro feeling a bit under the weather I was trying to get a little rest but this was impossible as for a few hours dozens of large powerful boats darted at speed in all directions all we could do was keep our course and hope they had a good lookout which was confirmed they did as a few times they would flash a welcome powerful beam lighting up our sail. We moan about the pots scattered about but we must be of some annoyance as we put ourselves at risk interrupting their day and nightly working routine. As well as beautiful, dolphins can be very scary when in the darkness before dawn with your mind wandering a big splash alongside startles you with the arrival of another pod playing silly buggers leaping and dancing all around. I must whistle to them sometime ‘when do you actually sleep?’. Later as the sun rose over the horizon and the warm rays glowed across the sea a huge pod gathered again and for a long time we both watched from the bows at the front of the boat. As they leapt and dived all around whistling and blowing as they left the water sometimes 7 or 8 at a time slowing their pace down to cruise at the bow matching it’s shape and speed and a few used the warmth of the sun to indulge in a touchy feely upside down type of caress.
The day was finished off perfectly after a short sleep, welcome showers and a long walk along the sea front to a beach bar and with Dennis’ cold kicking in a few more beers were had at the marina bar where conveniently Portugal were thrashing Russia with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice and setting up 2 others, the day of the beautiful sea and the beautiful game came to a close with a night nurse.

Thursday 14th October 2004
Plans for a 7.30 departure were scrapped at 6.30 due to both of us feeling a bit lousy, as Sandra said it feels as if you are skiving off work or school but with over half a century of work combined between us one day won’t matter and it is our choice - he he! It does feel a bit odd though with Karl and Julie the last to leave Varzim we presume now past us and all the boats here wintered up we could be the last boat going south, a bit of the ‘would the last to leave please turn out the light’ - seems like a good day to clean behind the cooker.