Thermodynamics

Cascais Marina

The flight path  to Lisbon followed the Rio Tejo from its source in beautiful wooded hillsides, down over the agricultural floodplain to the estuary. Tristan had single handed Meriva from Peniche to Cascais Marina whilst I was visiting Mum in Derby.

I took the bus from the airport to Cais do Sodre train station absorbing the sites of Lisbon ....a beautiful  characterful city, mentally taking note of places to visit.

The train journey to Cascais followed the estuary of the Rio Tejo. It was aerial view to street vies in less than an hour. 

A welcome meal was awaiting from our fellow sailors, Rod and Julie on RoJo washed down with our current tipple, Mundos verde.

We spent two days walking around Cascais....very pretty but 'neat' and tidy exuding affluence. 

Expensive hotels and spa's and mainly restaurants in the town....an almost complete lack of Chinese plastic junk shops, which dominated Peniche's shopping area.

Yesterday was spent in Lisbon and Tristan's Vertigo was challenged going up the elevator of Santa Justa built in 1902. Panoramic views of Lisbon from the very top. It is a chilled out city with lovely squares and places to enjoy drinking coffee.

We were approached on a few occasions by well dressed men selling sunglasses. 

When we refused the sunglasses they offered us what was in their pockets! William S. Burroughs eat your heart out!

Tristan has fitted new boom clutches for reefing the sails and general maintenance jobs.....so as soon as the wind blows from a better direction we are heading further south.

The alternative will be to connect the heater!

Philip, a tough Darlington Pro-Kitesurfer who sailed down from Stockholm with his girlfriend has got his heater on already!

Huge waves are breaking over the breakwater which protects the marina, and as our German freind Ralph said, 'He's glad he's on the right side of the wall'. We first met Ralph in the middle of Biscay when he had a 'towel around his screw'.

We have been at Cascais for a week now and its time to move on and find some heat.

Next stop, Lagos. When? Whenever we are ready!

Going downhill

Anchoring in Bayona (had to remove the washing!)

Bayona was an interesting place with its castle – with a statue where the Pinta return bringing news from Columbus that the new world existed. S V Rugg and the boys had just arrived before us.

We anchored for two nights but the holding wasn't brilliant as the bay was full of Ulva lactuca.....sea lettuce.

When we arrived the one thing that struck me was the smell of eucalyptus..... made a change from fish oils.

Heading south downhill

We had a brilliant sail with huge seas and very little wind. Tristan had the head sails poled out and we were downwind sailing for the first time, although it was downwind surfing most of the time! It was like being at the top of a mountain then down in the valley with the odd rogue knocking you off course.

Lesson learned …..when enjoying yourself, don't be greedy! We decided to carry on as the wind got up and the entrance the some of the Harbours were challenging in strong winds.

We blew into Portugal and kept going.

For me it was the night of hell.....winds were strong and 4 often 5 metre waves, mainly from behind but occasionally one would sneak up on the starboard side and give us a push just to be awkward.

I woke Tristan after being flung from one side of the boat to the other.....the final straw. 'Decster' our favourite wind steering gear was not keeping up! The wind got up one sail came down and we were still doing 10 knots occasionally 12 down the front of the waves. Whilst I was teaching I described whale watching as 'Kodachrome, hydrophone and a semi-submersible sea sick machine'. Meriva is a 'semi-submersible seasick machine'. I now know what they meant, when previous owners describe her as being 'lively'.  She is and frolics in the waves with no respect for the humans on board. Tristan has always pointed out that boats rarely break at sea but human often do..........he must have had a word with her before we set off! However I have noticed my stugeron going down quicker than I would expect and I wasn't the only one taking them! We put 180 miles in on  that trip and were safely down the Portugese coast. We surfed down into Peniche … appropriate as its the surf capital of Portugal.

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This is a real place, no frills, a fishing town with an old prison.

We also did the tourist bit with fellow sailors, Rod and Julie to Obidos.

Another beautiful walled town without health and safety regulations.

Look no rails !

We walked around the walls occasionally peeling Tristan off to move on to the next crenellation. He talked continuously, so obviously wasn't scared at all. This was a very pretty place with a wealth of colour from the painted houses and beautiful flowers.

Tristan is going to stay in Peniche for a while as I have to return to the UK as Mum is ill in hospital. I will return with a Navtex so we can get an up to date weather forecast and Tristan will keep the maintenance on Meriva going! He has the task of keeping his 'other' women under control and sailing her solo to the next destination, Cascais when  I return.