37:57.17N 8:52.09W From One Party Town to the Next
Niord's Big Adventure
Tony Gratton
Sat 29 Jul 2023 20:44
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Saturday 29/7/23 Cascais to Sines
Distance covered 69.33nm
We are up at 5am as we need an early start. What should
be a 50nm trip is now a 70nm trip as we have to hug the coast to avoid the Orcas
in our area. Apparently, this group contains the most notorious Orca of them
all, so we have to be careful. There is still a night club blaring out music. We
are off by 6:30 am heading first for Cabo Espichel. More or less from the time
we leave until after we round the cape there are lots and lots of dolphins in
many different groups. Too many to count. There is no wind so we motor yet
again. Once past the cape we have a breath of wind so try the Yankee, but it
doesn't last long. A further 20 miles East and we are able to turn South again,
but have to follow the 20m contour. At least the sun is shining as we pass
endless mostly empty beaches.
Shortly before arriving at Sines the fog comes in and
visibility drops to 100m. Not ideal as a tanker called Halcyon is leaving port,
and two boats sailing further out cut into the entrance. We have them on radar
as one has no AIS, and we slow down to let them go ahead (very British). Just
before the entrance the fog lifts thankfully, and we follow them in. There are
two boats behind us, and the anchorage is crowded already. We pick a spot near
to a Swedish boat we last saw in La Coruna, and the skipper appears waving his
arms at us. We shift position forwards and anchor, careful not to drop too much
chain as there is not much swinging room. We needn't have worried. Several other
boats arrive after us and squeeze in somehow. Thankfully, the wind drops so we
should be OK.
There is a massive festival on here with a huge beach
party, stages, and marquees everywhere. Worst of all very loud music. Having
suffered two days of this in Cascais this is the last thing we need. We have to
be up at 4:45 tomorrow as we have another long run to round Cabo Sao Vicente,
the south westernmost cape in mainland Europe according to the pilot. Strong
winds are coming in during the afternoon which will create a fairly big swell,
so we need to get round it as early as possible. And so to
bed!
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