One of the pleasant little squares in Ayamonte. Just the place for beer and tapas.

Salara had been moored up in Ayamonte Marina, Spain for four days while I installed a new battery charger which as it turned out was not as straightforward as I thought it was going to be. I should know by now that any job on a boat is never simple. However all is now complete and I am pleased with the result. While I was in a practical frame of mind I also carried out a service on the diesel engine. So that was all the maintenance up to date, I could now relax a little and enjoy the town.
Ayamonte is a place that I have visited many times, in fact I spent six months here during the winter of 2007/8. When I checked in this time the girl on reception said ´welcome home`.
You would have thought that by this time I would have at least a basic command of the Spanish language but I am ashamed to say that I have never made the effort.
I left the marina after paying Salara`s mooring fees and in the knowledge that at last the marina is going to be dredged which will make life a lot simpler for us yachties. The day was bright and sunny with hardly any breeze and once out of the Rio Guadiana I motored Salara west along the coast back into Portugal heading for the Ria Formosa and the anchorage at Culatra where I anchored overnight. I then continued to the marina at Albufeira where I had arranged to meet friends the following day.
Salara entered the marina as the tide flooded. I needed to tie up on the reception pontoon in the canalised entrance unfortunately the current under Salara`s stern caught me out and I missed the mooring cleat with the stern line, Salara did a neat spin and ended up facing the opposite direction. Luckily it is a long pontoon and it was empty at the time giving me plenty of space to rectify the situation and also sparing me too much embarassment. By the time I had checked in it was almost dark. Salara had been allocated a berth deep in the marina complex and I was concerned that I would make a wrong turning but I arrived at the berth and moored with no problem. I heaved a big sigh of relief as this marina is rather tight for manouvreing especially with a long keel yacht like Salara with no bowthruster.
The following day I spent a very pleasantly by the pool with my nonsailing friends at their son`s villa on the hill above the marina. `I could get used to this` I thought but only very briefly.
The next day Salara was back at sea, destination Portimao and the anchorage off Praia Grande
where I intended to stay for a week or so just doing what old seadogs do. Time was not an issue and for the last three hours of the trip Salara was able to tack slowly along this very scenic stretch of coast, the final tack taking her very nicely between the breakwaters and into the Rio Arade where I steered her into the anchorage and dropped the hook just as the daylight faded.