May/June/July 2023

North by Nortada

Aqua Blue had spent 8yrs on the Algarve primarily based at El Rompido just over the Spanish border. With two Covid years hauled at the excellent RCS yard in Portimao. In fact I became quite fond of this working port, often staying at the very affordable Arabi guest house on the waterfront from where I cycled to work!

I used the prolonged break from sailing to tackle what became the "Covid refit". The Yanmar was lifted (twice) using the main halliard.The leaking exhaust elbow was replaced, the rusted starter motor was resuscitated (several times), and I resealed the shaft log to the hull, closing a leak that had trickled for years. I also constructed a new composite centreboard at home in Brighton and trucked it to Portimao in my transcontinental ten year old Saab. A quarter of an inch thinner than the original very heavy board, it now folded (quite strongly!) right up into the case under its own volition, since it is positively buoyant!!

I returned to El Rompido in mid May 2023 and set about completing the sanding and repainting of the coachroof which I'd started the previous October. By the end of the month Aqua Blue was a sailing boat again.Time to head north to more temperate climes, as I intended to deliver AB from the Algarve to Galicia. Frankly this should be done as early in the season as possible, since the prevailing Nortada only gets stronger as Spain heats up.

We left Rompido on the 31st May, its 4nms down the Rio Pedras to the entrance, b4 negotiating the vague channel over the sandbanks with the CB raised, not long after LW! Multilingual crew Jan was taking advice from an accompanying large motor boat. We anchored outside Ayamonte marina by early afternoon. I should mention Ayamar chandlery; Lorie Lightfoot has been most helpful, recently obtaining a spare starter motor at very short notice.

Gentle motor sailing over the next two days got AB back to Portimao via Culatra, anchoring off Praia Grande in the outer harbour. Jan and Maddie were soon on the great beach. We headed to the marina fuel pontoon in the calm at 8am on Sat, only to wait till 9.30 for the attendant to appear. But there are free showers behind the office. Later we sailed to Sagres bay with the wind suddenly changing from SW to NW as we approached the Vicentine promontory. Dinner was a tin of Fabada Asturiana, pig offal and beans basically!

The Rocna came up at 6,30am on Sun 4th June and we motored round a distinctly grey and lumpy Cape St Vincent an hour later. Fishermen and even divers were already active close by in small ribs, some no bigger than our newish Honwave dinghy! We were all wearing oilies over fleeces, hoods up! A tedious 13hrs later, but entertained for some time by a large pod of common dolphins, we anchored in Sines inner harbour. We did manage some reaching in a brief westerly but also used a lot of diesel. Sines marina seems to be closed at the moment, altho I've often used it in the past. Jan and Maddie landed on the beach in the morning to briefly explore the attractive town, home of Vasco da Gama whose statue looks out over the anchorage. I particularly like watching the screeching Swifts who nest in the drain holes alongside the long staircase up the cliffs.

By late morning we were motoring north and pm the Nortada arrived. Reefed main and full Genoa soon had us making good progress parallel to the coast. And the wind even freed slightly too, allowing AB to arrive off the cliffs just east of Sesimbra. We motored in almost to the beach and laid out the full 100ft of chain, plus a bridle, since Sesimbra is well known for both poor holding and katabatic winds. I always think Sesimbra is quite classy but I've never been ashore, and have dragged there twice, the sand just isn't thick enough for the Rocna to bury itself.

The night was flat calm of course, a depression at our latitude now killing the Nortada. I admired the fort and castle in the binos. We left the completely open anchorage with a SW gale forecast, wondering why the other four yachts at anchor seemed to be having a lie in! Motored to Fort Bugio and ran up the Tagus, passing under the huge suspension bridge to Lisbon, admiring the waterfront monuments. Then turned right across the sandbanks trying to identify the many channel buoys, following the catamaran ferries, and entered Seixal where we struggled to pick up a buoy in the rising westerly against a strong tidal current. 100% cloud and rain at dinner!

The tourist office in the morning charged only 9€/night for a council buoy, altho we managed to pick a private one. They also offer showers, most welcome. Seixal is a great base for exploring Lisbon using the ferries running swiftly to Lisbon's Cais do Sodre. From where you can walk in many directions, through the fascinating (and very hilly) city. Which Jan and Maddie explored over the next few days. While I pottered on AB, hanging off several ropes to the ancient buoy, with the westerly gale making dinghy trips rather wet! J&M then departed by train for their flights home from Porto. My wife Stella had also decided against joining AB this year, so I was briefly facing a singlehanded trip north. I mentioned this on the Offshore Clubhouse FB page and within a few days I was contacted by Darla a Strathclyde Uni sailing club member who'd already flown to Faro Algarve. She joined me by bus in Cascais on the 15th June.

With the returned Nortada now gusting through the anchorage in the arvos, Darla explored Lisbon herself till we set off north early on Sun 18th June, alongside two other yachts. I suspect it was a "Windy" exodus. Monsanto Navtex may not be transmitting now, altho the Portuguese fcst can be read online at IPMA.pt. But the Windy online fcst is detailed enough to pay for, and seems pretty accurate. We rounded Cabo Roca in a flat calm and passed Ericeira, picking up a buoy in Peniche by 4pm. There are plenty of them! As we were eating penne arrabbiata a returning Portuguese yacht reclaimed the buoy, but helpfully pointed out which free one we should take, in the gentle rain!

Still raining at 7am we rounded Cabo Carveiro and droned NNE up the coast. A light westerly prompted us to unroll the genoa in the afternoon, but we also gave thanks to Herr Diesel and Mr Yanmar. A pod of dolphins graced our bows for a while, b4 AB crossed the 40th parallel for the first time since 1989. After a damp dreary 11hrs we entered Figueira da Foz and took the last berth on the fuel pontoon, where we were tolerated for the night. Just in time to fill up w fuel and water and use the showers! A long wet day, my ancient (pre Med) oilie top was no longer waterproof! The World Cruising Club was providing drinks for the Portugal Rally on the dock!

A quiet night and no rush in the morning, we motored out of Foz at 9am and soon passed Cabo Mondego in a flat calm. Later we were able to roll out the Genoa for some motor sailing in a light WNW breeze. Entering Aveiro, the flood tide propelled AB up the river at 9kts! Till we turned into Sao Jacinto lagoon and anchored near a seemingly derelict Ultim Emotion maxi tri! Darla was keen to try some tinned Haggis (lobes of lung!), which spiced with chilli and garlic and paired with Idahoan Mash, we washed down with some Monte Velho, in this peaceful spot.

Wed 21st June, the longest day, the morning ebb conveniently flushed AB back out of Aveiro. The Nortada had now returned and we were soon motor-sailing north under a reefed main and a few rolls in the Genoa, as the sea built somewhat. Mid arvo the Yanmar stopped and would not restart. I suspected fuel starvation, so we pressed on under sail only. After beating into the headwind for a few more hours there was a helluva bang and the forestay went slack. Darla and I hurriedly rolled up the genoa and I quickly realised the backstay chainplate was the culprit, having torn itself off the transom. In fact the countersunk machine screw heads had corroded and detached, after only 47years! I know, I should have used hexagonal heads!! The staysail rigging and the float cap shrouds kept the mast up fortunately. So we were able to continue with the staysail and reefed main, altho with huge tacking angles in the now declining wind. By midnight we were only 5nms south of Leixoes, but we were very undercanvassed as the wind had died. So I hove to with the bows pointing offshore (under a very bright anchor light) and we had 6hrs fitful sleep.

Thurs first light we started very slowly tacking north again in the weak breeze, and with Darla on the helm I entered the engine compartment and transferred the fuel hoses into a can of fresh diesel. The Yanmar eventually fired up and we motored slowly to the river Douro entrance and anchored off the new marina by midday. Ashore by dinghy, Darla continued her trip by land, and I had a restorative lunch in the BioCafe. Marina reception advised me it was the busiest w/end of the year, the Feast of San Juan and there were no free berths! I returned to AB for a siesta, made a new job list, and had a very early night!

Incredibly loud fireworks at midnight Friday got me up, and on Sat morning the marineros relented and allowed AB onto the end of the long fuel pontoon. They had already booked a mechanic for Monday! Ondastar duly arrived for an inspection and returned on Tuesday to spend 5hrs removing and cleaning the diesel tank, replacing all the fuel hoses and primary filter as well. I was so impressed by the young mechanic's thoroughness I generously tipped him. And the bill was only 284euros, less than my elderly Saab costs to service in Brighton!! I had already replaced the backstay chainplate bolts over the weekend. So AB now moved to an outer pontoon. Of course then the wx deteriorated and the second half of the week we sat out another westerly gale, with crests clearing the north breakwater visible down at the river entrance. Once again, not exactly typical summer wx on this coast! In fact a southbound gin palace squeezed onto the pontoon in front of AB to replace his aft swim platform, smashed by the following seas!

In addition I had discovered that I'd stupidly burnt the back of my right thigh on the hot Yanmar and several burst blisters were reducing my mobility, and testing my ability to dress a wound I could not see directly!! My new crew Demeter from Slovakia (via Groningen uni in NL) had arrived and thoroughly explored Porto while we waited. By the second w/end which again was a Feast (of San Pedro this time) with more stupendous midnight fireworks, marina reception had persuaded me to visit the local Hospital Arrabida, up the nearby hill by taxi. I was impressed by staffing levels both clerical and clinical, and was in and out in an hour and a half, the wound cleaned and dressed and myself dosed with antibiotics. Again the price of 150euros seemed modest for the prompt and capable tx. I returned two days later for further tx and bought the lotions and dressings they were using from the huge hospital pharmacy. Douro marina was frankly too expensive to leave AB for a month or more, so on Tues 4th July Demeter and I headed out past the breakwater to resume AB's trip north.

An easy first day motoring over the very slight morning sea, really to test the Yanmar and backstay, brought us to Povoa de Varzim, only 20 nms up the coast. Povoa now has two marinas. The northern one half empty and used as an affordable base by several northern European skippers. Administered from the office at the original southern marina, whose marinero collected me by rib, for modest fee collection and fingerprint registration, to operate the tall security gates. It's a pleasant town with a fort and good restos.

Another early start for the 30nms to Viana do Castello had us motoring into an increasing Nortada, which is rarely at an angle to make either tack profitable. A solitary dolphin was the only sealife. Although I'd been aware from the Orcinus WhatsApp group and GT Orcas Atlantica that the Orcas had overtaken us on their way north while we were delayed in Porto. A swarm of tiny sails were reaching out from Viana under close supervision from many ribs, on our final wet bouncy approach. I could hardly believe such tiny dinghies with very young crew were being sent out of the harbour in a F6 Nortada!! We then threaded the long concrete channel into the converted fish dock to reach the L shaped pontoon now provided for visiting yachts. A convenient and welcome base in the heart of a smart town. Altho it's a bit of a walk to the facilities at the marina further upriver. But there are a couple of good restos very nearby. It's such a good spot we spent the following day there, exploring and resting. Demi promoted himself to nurse and redressed my leg too. Viana is often missed by yachts heading south, but I urge you to pause here too!

Friday 7th we had been promised a rare southerly wind, altho Windy and IPMA.pt disagreed as to it's likely strength. We were motoring north from the breakwater by 7am, over a now flat sea. And a light SE wind appeared , increasing to a fresh southerly by mid morning. The Yanmar was silenced and we ran up the coast under genoa at good speed, briefly peering up the river entrance at Guarda which marks the Spanish/Portuguese border. Rounding the impressive rocks at Cabo Silleiro, we then rapidly reached east to Baiona in the downdrafts off the hills. We finally settled on anchoring in the shallows off the east beach. And later collected Demi's Italian GF Elisa, another Groningen student, from the seafront road by dinghy. Then spending the evening onboard, hanging quietly off the bridle (to the floats) in the katabatic gusts. I was horizontal resting my leg, relieved and glad we had finally reached Galicia.

I will return to Baiona and Vigo in 2024. But on Sat am after briefly struggling to raise the well buried Rocna, we broad reached north over a lumpy sea b4 turning south into Ria de Aldan, anchoring off Arneles beach. A great calm spot, giving easy access ashore to a couple of small shops. Sunday I was impressed by the size of prawns and lobsters being served in hotel /restaurant Doade where we sipped our cold beers. I must return here too! R&R after the last month's exertions!

Our final sail was a fast reach north into Ria Arousa, with Elisa the novice revealing herself to be a natural helmswoman. AB carried the wind right up to the anchorage at Pobra do Caraminal. Where Sarah Powell was too, on her NZ reg Sigma 41, Vega. Her bilingual abilities had smoothed my contact with Xufre boatyard on Isla Arousa. We moved onto the outer pontoon at the marina in the morning and met Nico the sole marinero, unmissable with his long white hair and beard. No multihull surcharge here! And very convenient for restocking from the beachside Gadis supermarket. In the evening we picked up an ancient buoy in Xufre bay. Writing this a month later, I learn that Orcas are now in Ria Arousa!!

Nito the owner met us at the Varadoiro do Xufre pontoon on Wed 12th. He speaks perfect English, and his lads quickly hand hauled AB into their 8mtrs wide travel hoist dock. No room for fenders!! By midday AB was ashore being hosed off, with Demi and Elisa exploring ashore. I was back in Brighton on the Sat, already booked in by my wife Stella at our excellent local clinic. A stone lighter than 8wks b4!!

There's an OCC Rally at Portosin next July. See you there!!