‘Salara’ at anchor on a remote stretch of the Rio Guadiana.

The Rio Guadiana seems to capture yachtsmen and I feel that sometimes I too am falling under it’s spell. So I sternly tell myself that I have the excuse of waiting for spares.
It is so peaceful up here, the twin towns of Alcoutim and Sanlucar are clean and tidy and the white walls and red roofs contrast starkly with the greenery alongside the river. Also for the first time in history they are now physically connected, not by a bridge but by a high level zip wire. When it is in operation brave souls whiz across the river from Spain to Portugal.
Since ‘Salara’ has been at anchor several yachts that are known to me have arrived and after a few days departed back to the sea. At one time I would have been anxious to follow them but now I just relax and read a book in the sunshine. I have my binoculars close to hand as I like to watch the many wild birds that inhabit the area, my favourite being the golden oriole which is about the size of a thrush. The male sports a bright yellow body and jet black wings while by comparison the female is a dowdy brown. Another colourful bird I have seen is the azure winged magpie which only lives on the Iberian peninsular.
My enforced stay in the Rio Guadiana had not been unpleasant despite being unable to run the fridge. In fact the weather had not been blisteringly hot.
One Friday three weeks to the day after placing my order I received the news that the batteries I was awaiting had arrived at the chandlery in Ayamonte. The following Monday ‘Salara’ rode the ebb tide back down the river and arrived at the marina with just enough depth of water left to enable her to enter and berth. The marina is silting up badly and can only be accessed during the three hours either side of high water.
I collected and installed ‘Salara’s’ new batteries, then ran a 48 hour test to make sure all was satisfactory before leaving the marina. While I was close to the chandlers I also brought ‘Salara’s’ stock of safety flares up to date as the authorities check these things from time to time or so I am told. Expensive for something that you hope you will never have to use.
When I paid my fees and left the marina the wind and tides were not really to my liking. Where did I go? Yes, back up the river!
‘Salara’ anchored in almost the same spot as well.
This was all getting too permanent so a couple of days later I took ’Salara’ further up the river to the small hamlet of Pomeroa where the Rio Chanca joins the Guadiana. To my surprise there were no other yachts there, a great difference to my 2008 visit when I found it difficult to find anchoring space. Perhaps it is because the mobile phone signal is very weak there but maybe I’m being cynical.
I stayed for a day then dropped back down river to anchor near yet another tributary of the Guadiana the Rio Vascoa where I had been told it was possible to see wild terrapins.
Next day at low water I took the dinghy and rowed quietly into the Rio Vascoa and sure enough there they were basking in the sunshine on the muddy bank. They were fairly hard to spot at first as they look like oval stones until suddenly a head pops out. They then hurtle back into the water. Feeling the need to explore further I rowed just beyond the first set of shallows, where the river bends under the steep mountainside, before deciding to return downstream but suddenly there was a clatter of falling rocks and a loud splash. A grazing sheep had fallen from a rocky outcrop into the river. It struggled, badly injured, to the other side and lay partially in the water. Luckily the shepherd appeared quite quickly and put it out of its misery.
The next morning I was awake early and after spending some time watching a mountain hare which had come down to drink I steered ‘Salara’ slowly back down the river to anchor once again between Sanlucar and Alcoutim.