Over two weeks ago ARC Portugal crews met each other in Plymouth, UK, many preparing for their biggest offshore sail they had ever undertaken. Since then, the fleet have sailed approximately 700 nautical miles crossing the English Channel and Bay of Biscay, enjoyed tapas in Spain and are now making the most of the Portuguese coast appreciating the port wine, local cuisine and the history of each place visited.
Following departure from Povoa De Varzim and the special welcome the fleet received there from the Clube Naval Povense, the Rally has returned to schedule after the delayed departure from Plymouth. A shorter sail of 12 nautical miles to Porto allowed time to rest and enjoy a few hours at sea together in a closer proximity.
During their time in Porto, ARC Portugal was hosted by the Douro Marina with their new facilities, ideal location and access to the city. A guided tour on electric Tuk Tuks took them to the key sights of Porto allowing them to explore the old and new town before finishing at Churchill’s Port Wine Lodge for a tasting session. A crew dinner held in the old fishing village of Afurada was a fitting way to end the time together in Porto, including a prize giving for the fun competitive nature of ARC Portugal.
Yesterday the fleet experienced unusual south westerly winds at this time of year, making the sail from Porto to Figuiera da Foz more challenging than the sunny down wind sailing usually experienced. Now in Figueira, the crews can enjoy a tour to the the 13th Century Montemor Castle and the medieval capital of Portugal, Coimbra before departing to Peniche on Tuesday.