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Moonstream - Baiona to Figueira



Starship Moonstream Baiona to Povoa  Sunday 17th June

Yesterday evening we were entertained for supper and prize giving at the Monte Real Yacht Club, on a lovely verandah and lawn overlooking the bay of Baiona with all its islands – very pretty.  We were all set for a 10.30 start today.  However, the Director of Rally Portugal, Andrew Bishop,  informed us that another Low  was predicted for the following afternoon and that, if we wanted to avoid it, he was kindly suggesting we leave by 05.00!!!!  Another LOW!  For heavens sake!  Is this Neptune smitting his trident  once more?  This one with 20 to 25 knots of wind and on the nose, ie, in the opposite direction to our destination.  A mixture of cheering, groaning and much jesting followed this news but  with good spirits prevailing

After dinner finished most of us cut the time short and headed back to the boat for as much sleep as possible.  But, of dear, oh dear, none of us woke before 07.00 due to a shortage of alarm   clock coordination  and then it was a rush to get going!  The wind was light so we cleared up breakfast in the first half hour and made sandwiches.  Slowly, slowly the sea and wind increased to those 20 knots predicted and again we donned  rain and waterproof gear  and once more moved into a grey environment .

It really is unbelievable that all this is happening.  Each time we have to dry out the boat, dry out ourselves and dry out some clothing and bedding.  Funnily enough we are alongside another Seastream, identical to ours and one of our first questions to them was “do you have any leaks” to which they replied that they used to - lots, and laughed!!!!!! So we will want to know how they dealt with them.

Again it is hopeless getting on line here and the other boats around us are all saying they cannot get on line either!!!!!!!  Tomorrow we have a tour to Porto and  the Port wine establishments and hopefully we will find an Internet Café to send this.  (it’s now tomorrow and we didn’t!)

So  being in Portugal our clocks have come back an hour to UK summer time and  6 hours with Mexico

We are now ready to leave tomorrow morning at 07.00 so we have to get up at 05.30!!  Again it is blowing hard outside and we are just hoping that the morning  will bring better things!

 20 June 2012Monday 18th June

We started with the organized tour trip of Porto to various sites of this very attractive town but the most popular part of the day was spent in Taylors Port Lodge  where we had the usual tour of  vats, usual questions, and usual looking at the port’s legs!.  Some people even bought  bottles!!!   How strange!!

We hauled the boat out in the afternoon to mend one of the bow thrusters.  At the same time we discovered that the rope cutter had become dislodged (ie, a line at the back ofk the keel that generally cuts through lobster pot ropes,etc) so that was also mended.

 

Tuesday 19th June
AMAZING.  We have had a wonderful day's sailing!  The sun finally blessed us.  The wind was from the north. We had no more than 16 knots.  We had no leaks!!!

We did have 75 nautical miles to sail and  our start was at 07.00 but sailors get up at any time around the clock, dont they!  We all sailed within site of many of the boats on this leg and arrived at 20.00.  Skipper Jim had us putting up four sails to take advantage of the gorgeous day and wind:  genoa and main, plus mizzen and mizzen staysail. 

On arrival in Figueira - that's where we are folks - we were entertained to barbecued sardines for supper in the local Marina restaurant.  Everyone was in a high and happy mood.

More in our next Starship Moonstream newletter.




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