Year: 2013

Leaving Cascais heading south with a N 15 knot forecast we set full sail in 9 knots wind and were making way nicely. Wind climbed to 15 then 23kn so we took a reef in the main but got a bit of an untidy roll in the boom. The main was then stuck as the wind climbed and we started hitting 8kn not knowing what was coming next. We took the easy option of tucking under a headland in smooth water and 5kn wind to sort things out before heading south again under gib only. It was slow going but

Down the 100 miles of coast sailed from Cascais to Cabo Vincente we had Monkey and Donkey, as they referred to themselves, doing a mad double act on VHF channel 16 almost non-stop. All in English these guys yabber away at each other, play music and American cartoons or similar. The transmissions started around 10pm almost non-stop until maybe 6am but soon resumed again. Of course freight traffic from the shipping lanes told them to ‘go to a clinic’ and the odd yacht suggested ‘a different channel as they were a hazard to navigation’. The latter was well put and

Unfortunately the excellent Cascais festival winds up today and although we have moved on it is broadcast every night on Portugal RFM radio. WEe have particularly enjoyed Craig David, Dengaz, The Black Mamba and Monica Ferraz. Missed last night’s performance due to a beach party.

The pilot states that the bay is foul. A hired speedboat dropped anchor alongside us today and as over 20 knots of wind hit they wanted to leave. Cascais had other ideas and no way could they reclaim their anchor. We had a go at dropping a tripping line down their rode but we are not carrying any large shackles that would sink down the 6mm line which was at about 30 degrees. So we called the rental boat company and the guy tried every trick he could to free the line but eventually gave up and cut the line.

So having grabbed a prime anchor spot just off Cascais town we were about 200 metres from the stage which is set for the 5 day music festival. We were just finishing dinner, the sun was on it’s way down and we planned to go ashore and watch Craig David perform. Then along comes an orange fishing vessel with a local policeman telling us we had to move now as they were setting up the fireworks platform where we were anchored. Of course as we got ready to move the wind picked up through 20 knots, within a couple of

Originally a fortified Roman town and today a fascinating walled town. The town also boasts being the home of Ginja, a morello cherry liquor.