13th and 14th May Rota and Cadiz

Wendy, Dave and Chris took the ferry from Rota to Cadiz on the 14^th, very convenient as the ferry departs from a few yards away from Cara Mara’s berth. The old city of Cadiz was busy, but really worth a visit, Wendy and Chris joined a free guided tour, which included stories from the 5000 year history of the city including Roman, Moor and Christian settlements. Apparently the Romans considered Cadiz to be one of the most important cities outside of Italy. Dave unfortunately spent this time in phone shops trying to get his phone to work with a new and expensive data SIM. Answer, data SIM works, Dave’s phone now doesn’t. We met up to have a wander through the city and climb one of the many merchants towers, where they kept lookout for returning ships.

When we returned to Rota in the evening Stuart was waiting to join us for 2 weeks.

Wendy in the City's main square

A combination of Moorish and Christian buildings which sit next to a Roman theatre, and on top of remains of Phoenician buildings

Courtyard of local homes housing 8 families

City walls, Cadiz was the only city in Spain to keep Bonaparte out.

View from the merchants tower, with the cathedral in the background

12th May to 13th May Vilamoura Portugal to Rota Spain

We left Vilamoura 2.30 in the afternoon for our planned 90 mile crossing from the Portuguese Algarve to Spain. The wind was forecast as 15 to 20 knots, a nice comfortable downwind sail but stubbornly stayed at 25 knots almost all the way, with Wendy gallantly remaining at the helm for our only rain of the night, a torrential 15 minute shower. We planned to reach Rota, just across the bay from Cadiz by 9.00 the next day but the extra wind meant we arrived just as day was breaking and were tied up and in bed for a couple of hours hard earned sleep by 7.30.

Rota is a lovely little town with narrow streets and nice beaches and is a historic home to the Spanish navy. It now also hosts 12,000 US navy personnel on a huge base just outside the town. 

A last look at the bling which is Vilamoura Marina

Rota

A cool drink in Rota market

Rota town beach

Lagos and and Villamoura, 7th to 10th May

As forecast, the week of our arrival on the Algarve coast has brought wet and windy weather. Saturday brought a truely grim mixture of gales and rain and consigned Chris to a sports bar to watch football and rugby. Luckily he met Paul, a sailing instructor between courses and they enjoyed themselves enormously.
Sunday though still windy and showery was and improvement and Dave and Wendy explored some of the old town and cliff walks before a restocking exercise at the local supermarket and then more Premiership football as the rain came down on Lagos. We were so happy to be getting messages from friends about their wonderful weekend at home having barbeques in the sunshine.
Monday gave us an exhilerating 4 hour, 28 mile sail down the coast to Villamoura, windy with a lumpy sea but fortunately almost completely without rain. We have decided to stay in Villamoura to sit out 2 more days of dire weather. Upsetting, as this is without doubt the marina with the most bling we have seen since leaving Preston and we had hoped to be anchored somewhere in the saltmarshes along the coast towards the Spainish border.

The Lagos marathon finishes with a run down the marina pontoon.

Lagos walls

Spectacular cliffs at Lagos

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This was the only photo Wendy took of Villamoura marina, (dozens of large motors boats, at least 5 Irish pubs, bling on sale everwhere and this is all we wanted to share!)

6th May, Sines to Lagos

We left Sines maina at 4am for the 76 mile journey down the last part of the Atlantic coast and round the corner onto the Algarve. It was a lovely sail, though it has to be said, not a hot or sunny one. We rounded Cabo de Sao Vincente mid afternoon and arrived at Lagos early evening.
The Pilot book states "As you round Cabo San Vicente from the north, both air and sea temperatures jump 5 degrees, the fog lifts, the wind moderates and suddenly you have a foretaste of Mediteranian weather". Oh we can dream, as sadly it was not to be!

Wendy looking very happy to be leaving the Atlantic behind

Cabo San Vicente, our last headland on the Atlantic coast

Chris, dressed for Algarve weather.

The cliffs to the west of Lagos are spectacular erroded sandstone arches and caves

down the last part of the Atlantic coast and round the corner onto the Algarve. It was a lovely sail, though it has to be said, not a hot or sunny one. We rounded Cabo de Sao Vincente mid afternoon and arrived at Lagos early evening.
The Pilot book states "As you round Cabo San Vicente from the north, both air and sea temperatures jump 5degrees, the fog lifts, the wind moderates and suddenly you have a foretaste of Mediteranian weather". Oh we can dream! As sadly it was not to be.

Sailing - Lisbon to Sines

We are now two days from Lisbon at Sines, a very friendly little town half way down the coast before we turn the corner onto the Algarve. In the marina we met Martin an OAP from Swansea, who told us he arrived here in his boat 8 years ago and likes the town so much he is still here. Sadly the weather, which had been perfect since we arrived in Lisbon is now on the turn, today we had our first taste of rain and the forcast is for a wet and windy few days starting at the weekend. The plan is to leave early tomorrow mornings for a longish leg 80 mile leg to Lagos and then park up until at least Monday.

Leaving Lisbon, no wind but lots of sun

Monument to the golden age of Portuguese marine exploration

Sines marina, sadly the sunshine has gone

Sines was home to Vasco Da Gama, the most famous of Portuguese explorers.

Lisbon, April 2016

Wendy and Dave finished getting Cara Mara ready for departure and moved across the river to Lisbon in time for Chris to arrive, midnight 30th April. The weather in Lisbon was glorious, clear skies and up to 30 degrees. A few days sightseeing gave Chris his first taste of Lisbon, a city we now all love. We also took the opportunity of taking the train to Sintra, a lovely town home of a Moorish castle and the Park da Pena, the 19 century romantic style estate built by the royal family as their summer palace.

Wendy and Chris in Lisbon

Wendy test riding her new boat bike.

T\he very romantic Palace de Pena at Sintra, perhaps unkindly described as "Shrek Castle"

10th Century castle built by the Moors