Writing this whilst motoring along and listening to the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (check them out if you don’t know them – lots of bagpipes and guys in kilts). Observations on Sines: Vasco de Gama beach, Vasco de Gama monument, Vasco Castle, Vasco de Gama Hotel – you would think perhaps possibly maybe Vasco de Gama came from here. You might just be able to spot his statue in the picture, keeping watch over the fleet from the castle up the hill.

This is very much a port of passage for many yachts, but we are very glad we stopped here for an extra day. On approach from the sea it looks quite industrial, with an oil dock on one side and a container port on the other, but the town sandwiched in the middle is great – and from the town you don’t see any of the industry. The town is up a steep hill, and has a castle, wee back streets, great views, nice cafes and restaurants. It looks more prosperous than other places we have been recently and has a very colourful fishing fleet in the fishing harbour (well, colourful if you like blue) - and more seagulls that you can shake a big stick at – must be something to do with the fishing fleet. Great place for taking pictures – watch out Mid Argyll Camera Club for some competition entries thanks to Sines. We think it probably attracts a fair number of tourists in the summer, but they have all gone now.

The day was spent wandering the town and trying out one or two of the regional specialities in the cake shop, and in the evening we rowed ashore for a delicious shrimp and rice dinner before an early night, ready for the haul down to Cape St Vincent and then round the corner to the Algarve. There is nowhere to stop between here and the cape, so you just need to schlep down the coast. Nice sunrise as we left the harbour at 7am, hoping for the promised 15-20 knots of wind on the beam….