The Portuguese people we've met so far have been so friendly, smiley and helpful. At Peniche we checked in quickly as our details are now in a computer system, we assume we were entered in at Povoa. €27.32 a night for 12m-15m including electric and water. There is a shower and toilet, one for male, one for female. Mine was clean and the water hot and powerful, Colin says his wasn't so clean. The marine police came along to the boat later and took our details for their records, all carried out in a friendly manner.

There is a long alongside pontoon for visitors, maybe room for 6 boats before the need to raft. The problem is that there is no protection from the wash of the other boats using the port, we were there over the weekend so avoided the worst wash from the huge fishing boats as they don't go out on weekends but there were plenty of trip boats and small boats going in and out. The police told us they try to get them to slow down but no one listens! A few boats anchored outside, off the east breakwater and they said they had a little bit of swell.

Peniche forms a break in the otherwise mostly straight Portuguese Altantic coast, sticking out west like a little thumb. It used to be an island until silting joined it up to the mainland. There is an old fortified wall that runs along the former split and an old fort next to the marina which you can visit. Lots of cafes and restaurants in town, shops and banks and surf shops for all the surfer dudes. Even with barely any swell at sea there were some good breaks coming ashore on the north facing beaches. I'm now wondering where we can fit a couple of body-boards!


Rock formations and sea stack at Cabo Carvoeiro

Saturday 21st September
We took a walk out around the peninsula, less than 5 miles for the circuit, although most of it was on the road, but it wasn't very busy. There are good views out to Ilse Berlenga, but the haze prevented us seeing too much to the north or south. The rock formations were very odd, stacked up like a pile of pancakes whilst some had big holes weathered up through the middle of them. Seastacks tottered just offshore and everywhere were signs warning to keep a safe distance from the unstable rocks.


Warning sign - no rounding up of monetary amounts for the Portuguese!

Lots of fishermen were casting off from high up on the cliffs as well as myriad little boats dotting the water. A classic car rally passed us and plenty of people were out enjoying the sun, ladies outside their houses cooking sardines on their little barbies.