We left Lagos on Thursday on a journey so short we didn't even bother removing the warps and fenders - just two miles up the coast to the little inlet that is Alvor. The channel to the village is quite shallow and winding - so perfect for Barracuda - and very popular with local boats or passage-makers as a lunchtime anchorage. As the afternoon progressed and the tide fell, the main pool got empty and quiet. G had a swim, and as usual K dipped in a toe and declined. There was another OVNI 395 in the anchorage, owned by a Norwegian couple we'd met in Lagos. They paddled over in their dinghy with a bottle of wine which we shared sitting under the stars as the full moon rose sharing voyage plans and stories; it is so nice to be able to sit out of doors in shorts and t-shirts at night again. Sorry, Argyll!

We are heading now for Vilamoura for various reasons - family and technical. There wasn't enough water to leave Alvor until noon, but it's only 30 miles down the coast so no real hardship to have a lie-in and another swim in lovely warm water. BTW the water temperature has really increased since we came round the corner at Cape St Vincent. Not a breath of wind, so motored to Vilamoura along the coast. The coastline is either long lovely beaches big sandstone cliff with caves - interspersed with towns, villas and apartments. Generally, the Algarve wind doesn't get up until mid- to late afternoon - just in time to make boat parking interesting. Oh well. Maybe we'll catch a fish? (Ed - no we didn't)

We plan to stay in Vilamoura for about a week, so our blogs will be largely shore-based for the next week.