Rio Guadiana to Faro via Ayamonte: June 2021

The Rio Guadiana is affectionately nicknamed Glue River. It earned the name for its ability to ensnare sailors and travelers who were on their way to somewhere else but fell for the charms of river life and never left. We had spent the winter enjoying its delights, becoming comfortable in our anchor spot, but now we had an appointment to go to the boatyard. It was time to make our escape from Glue River.

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"Plans are written in sand at low tide" is a well-known expression amongst sailors. But what does it mean? Well, it's about remaining flexible as plans will change. And if there's one thing we've learned during this sailing life, it's that plans can change for many unexpected reasons. Sailing plans are fragile, easily broken by multiple factors. Maybe it'll be Mother Nature that forces a rethink, perhaps boat problems, or myriad other possibilities, some good, some bad. We might as well write our plans in the sand, only for the next tide to come along and wash them away.

I learned this lesson the hard way. Through my 20s and 30s, I loved having a diary full of plans. Visiting friends or family, scuba diving, cycling, hiking, or trying something new during my free time. Don't get me wrong, as I mostly enjoyed my job, but my philosophy was that I worked to live. As well as the activities themselves, I enjoyed the planning part too, pouring over maps or reading travel books.

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