After heavy overnight rain we were pleased to wake up with the sky relatively clear as we joined the other rally boats on the start line. Unfortunately, there was no wind for sailing, so we all motored off the line on
the go from rally control. We did try slipstreaming Infinity of Yar having watched the Canadian Grand Prix at the weekend but not sure this tactic worked like it does on the road! We did get some good photos though of other boats jockeying for position at
the start which will be good for the rally photo competition.
We saw John making a gesture from Sofa So Good at 11am to let us know that the fishing competition was on. Tony had his line out for 20 minutes but no luck. He decided to add a plane and spinner for extra depth on the
line but again no luck. Just as we started lunch, we saw a fish feeding frenzy so over the side the spinner went. After a short period, the line went taunt but moments later it went slack again. When the line was retrieved, the lure had been bitten off by
a huge tuna no doubt, that got clean away!
We turned the engine off at 1pm as we tried to sail with the main and jib sail, the only sail combination available to us now. We gave up an hour later but had to turn the engine on again as we would have arrived in
Nazarre in the dark under sail. We completed the remainder of the journey motoring with the main up for stability – we’d tried our best sailing but the wind was just not there.
We decided to eat out the first night and walked up and down the extensive seafront before we headed up one of the narrow side streets and found a small local restaurant, Mario Peixe, that displayed its selection of fresh
fish in a fridge out the front. Tony and I had a meal for two which was an enormous pot of what was a codfish risotto with a bunch of fresh king prawns thrown in. Enough to keep us going till next day! Linda and Richard had steaks, but this was by far the
best meal we’d eaten out aside from the rally meals.
We were at the end of the marina with the fishing boats. There was a little local bar at this end that had the best Wi-Fi signal we’d found so far – so another excuse for a beer and catching up with everything we needed
Wi-Fi for.
Great rally drinks and lunch reception and then a long walk afterwards – Nazarre is an interesting town, very holiday resort feel to the seafront but lots of narrow alleys to explore off the main drag. There is a clifftop
railway to link the shore and houses on top of the cliffs (like the Lynton-Lynmouth railway in North Devon) but not open until the season starts in August. Also enjoyed the museum of fishing boats on the seashore (with English notes helpfully) and the display
of dried fish that was another local tradition being kept alive.