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Past Manhattan we gybe by putting her bow through the wind and once
abreast of the seawall at Povoa, we turn broadside to the swell before
rounding up head to wind to drop the mainsail, getting a couple of
greenies in the cockpit on the way. There’s precious little room to get
the sail down before turning to enter the marina with 40 gusts of wind
behind us. It takes some adrenalin-fuelled manoeuvring from Leighton
and 3 strong men to dock us against the background of some quite
unnecessary shouting from me. Several cups of Earl Grey later, I can
unclench my fingers before taking refuge in the showers to block out the
sound of the wind.
Povoa
da Varzim
The forecast warns of a strong nortada today and tomorrow, so we’re
staying put until we recover from yesterday’s drama.
There’s no rush anyway as the water pump won’t be arriving in
Leixoes for a few days.
Only a masochist would want to stay in Leixoes any length of time
as the marina is in the corner of a container port and downwind of an oil
refinery. We like the relaxed atmosphere here anyway. The majority of
yachts are liveaboards, or like us planning long distance cruises.
Some even have young families onboard.
There’s a scruffiness, a down to earthness and lack of time
pressure that’s different from anywhere else we’ve been so far.
No-one’s out sailing for a fortnight’s holiday, or rushing on
down the coast to meet a deadline.
It
does us good to spend the day ashore in Porto. It’s an easy journey into
the city on the excellent new Metro line, and we wander round the town’s
steep streets until lunchtime. Then we cross the river and do a tour of
Croft’s port cave. It is wonderfully cool inside and we savour the
rich musty smell of oak casks and wine. Afterwards we’re offered a
selection of ports to taste. They’re all pretty heavy to drink on a hot
day, but we like the dry white one. We buy a few bottles as presents for
family back home and lug them back to the boat. |
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Povoa
to Leixoes
5th August
12
miles
It
takes us a while to get to Leixoes, as we’re still reefed just in case
the wind pipes up.
Actually the most we get is 15 knots. We’re just brave enough to risk unrolling the genoa, and enjoy an
easy beam reach. The marina turns out to be not quite as awful as we
expect, in spite of its distinctly industrial surroundings.
The good news is the water pump is waiting for us there.
Leighton goes into action to fit it, and it’s not long before the
engine is humming away perfectly.
The old water pump had a welded repair, so it’s a wonder it
worked at all.
It was a good decision to replace it.
Leixoes
to Figuera da Foz
7th August
62
miles
Unless
we negotiate the entrance to the Aveiro river, which is conveniently
halfway between Leixoes and Figuera, we’re going to have to do a 60 mile
trip to Figuera.
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Bayona we were offered a berth in Aveiro by some people who moor their
boat there.
They dismissed our concerns at what the pilot says about the
overfalls at the entrance, but I’ll only consider going in if the tide
is
right.
We decide to aim for Figuera, and only turn into Aveiro if we get
tired or the conditions were bad.
We make an early start, just ahead of a black cloud from a fire
threatening to dump soot over the harbour.
We
sail along a totally featureless coastline with the wind on the quarter
between F3 and 4, dodging the ever-present lobster pots and manage to keep
up reasonable speed under sail until late afternoon. With Cabo Mondego
ahead and 13 miles to go, we turn on the donk to ensure we get in before
sundown. The nortada pipes up to leeward of the cape, and we made good
speed for the last 3 miles, picking our way between a forest of pots lying
directly on our course to the harbour entrance. We pass between the
breakwaters as the sun set behind us and moor up on the reception pontoon.
We devour beer and sandwiches on the quay while we’re waiting for the
officials to fill in the usual triplicate entry formalities. We finally berth in
the dark in a tight spot at 22.20.
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In
Figuera
8th August
A day spent cleaning the boat and doing some minor running repairs.
We restock at the large covered market just opposite the marina. There’s
delicious bread and creamy pasteis de nata, and the figs are ripe and plentiful
now. We stagger back under the load. That evening, Douwe
Fukkema arrives from Leixoes in his 31’ Rassy Johanna. Since he looks
ready for a feed, we invite him onboard to share our chicken supper. Over
the meal we swap stuff about HF radio and solar panel regulators and hear
his plans for sailing singlehanded around the world. His wife
sensibly stays at home.
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Figuera
to Nazare
9th
August 34
miles
An
absolutely brilliant sail in calm sea and NE breeze along the 30
mile-long beach from here to Nazare. Several dragonflies alight
on deck and come along for the ride. By lunchtime we’re
goosewinging in NW4. We have to put the engine on for 8 miles
mid-afternoon but the nortada reliably pipes up around Punta de Nazare
and we fast reach as far as the sandy bay outside the harbour.
Because the wind is making things difficult we have an unproductive few
minutes shouting instructions at each other until the mainsail is down
and properly stowed. Nazare has a small marina tucked in one
corner of the fishing harbour. We come alongside into the
tightest berth imaginable under the direction of Captain Mike Hadley,
retired master mariner and Yachtmaster instructor, who is now the
harbourmaster. Leighton is shouting at me from the helm to tell the
f******ing Portuguese fisherman that we won’t fit while the
'f******ing fisherman' urges me to throw him the bow line – in
perfect English. We clash anchors with the boat ahead of us, but
once he drops astern to make room for us, the bow’s secure.
Leighton quickly puts down the Aries paddle to get the stern under the
bow of a 60’ motorcruiser, and we’re in!
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