[Captains Blog] Lanzarote

We arrived here on the morning of the 28th September, having a slow trip down from Cascais (Lisbon) with no wind at all. Honestly, we just can't seem to hit the weather right on this trip - it is either blowing a gale with the wind from the wrong direction or there is no wind at all. This was the case on our last leg and we had to motorsail nearly all the way. However, it helps us to know that the engine is sound, we have measured our fuel consumption at different engine speeds and we have a much better idea of our fuel payloads range under engine. All positive stuff.

One thing that I really enjoy on night passage is watching the dyno-flaggellants sparkling and fluorescing in the water as we go. It really fascinates me and I can sit and watch them for hours. All those pulses of energy around the boat as we make waves are amazing to say the least, and occasionally I would see a jellyfish in among the sparkles, glowing bright as a recognizable semi-solid form in among the haze of individual specks.

On our last day before arriving in Lanzarote I heard a whale spout behind me. Turning around, I saw it had surfaced literally 10 metres behind us, very large, very serene, and completely unphased by the fact that we were there. It continued with its grazing along the continental shelf for several minutes before our continuing journey took it out of sight. I had only commented to Debra that there had been a complete lack of sea life only hours before this appearance, and then it was like London buses, we had dolphins galore come to see us too. Obviously there are rich food pickings where the sea bed rises steeply and the big mammals take full advantage.

We are returning to the UK today as my mother died yesterday morning. We might not be returning to the Canaries before we leave on the Atlantic Odyssey in time to explore the islands which will be a shame. The two times we have been in the Canaries, sadly, one of our parents have died and we have therefore not been able to make the most of the boat's time here. Once again we will have to wait until another time to visit the different anchorages that are on offer and explore the land. That's a shame. but family has to come first.  

[Cruise News] Marina Lanzarote, Arrecife

We've made it!  After nearly 5 days at sea, we arrived this morning safe and sound.  It was a benign passage with little wind (and therefore the associated calm-ish seas) and so we motor-sailed much of the way which is exactly what we had to do two years ago but I'd much rather that then high winds and big seas.  What little wind and swell there was was at last coming from a favourable direction so it was a pretty comfortable trip.  That said, we're both tired.  Doing longer passages "two up" is tough: Three hours on watch, three hours off, 24/7, plays havoc with your sleep patterns and I'm someone who likes her sleep!  It's amazing what a difference just having one extra person on board makes.
Paul's foot and neck are improving and he found using a feather pillow to sleep on better supported his neck from the rock and roll motion of the boat.  I think he didn't always feel great on the trip but he gets on with things and doesn't complain.  
The marina is the one the Atlantic Odyssey departs from and so Tumi is in the right place.  It's a new marina that isn't quite finished .... the official opening is mid-October and it will be very impressive when it's finished.  At the moment the facilities aren't open .... showers, fuel dock, shops etc ... but it's is relatively cheap for a marina so I can live with that!

We're flying home on Wednesday to see Paul's Mum and don't know whether or not we will be able to return out here for a couple of weeks exploring the Canaries or will need to stay at home up until the rally departure, so we may be off-line for a few weeks.

Hoping to hire a car tomorrow and explore Lanzarote.  One thing I can say: It's hot!  The boat fans have been deployed for the first time!

[Cruise News] Cascais, near Lisbon

After days of relentless high winds from the south, we finally took the plunge and headed out from Fig Foz to motor-sail to Lisbon, into strong southerly winds of course but not as strong as they have been.  Whilst holed up in the marina over the last few days we've recorded wind speeds in excess of 45 knots ... heaven knows what it would have been like out at sea.
And now we're in Cascais and typically the wind has completely died and is forecast to stay like this for several days!  It does feel as though this trip has been an uphill struggle to date so things can (hopefully) only get better.
  
We were in Cascais two years ago and it's a lovely place.  It sits at the entrance of the Tagus, about 20 mins by train from Lisbon and is very popular with people from around the world and has a great feel to it.  We wandered through the old town last night soaking up the atmosphere. Whilst waiting for the wind to return we'll certainly visit Lisbon and it will also give Paul's neck a chance to recover - he tweaked it removing the rope from around the propeller when we left La Coruna and has been suffering from headaches on and off ever since.  As I say, things can only get better, including Paul's neck!
Sadly Paul's Mum is in hospital and the prognosis isn't good.  We need to continue to the Canaries but will probably head for Lanzarote, leave Tumi in the marina there and head back to the UK to say goodbye and support his Dad.  It's a shame we won't be able to explore the Canaries as had been the plan - maybe another time.

[Cruise News] Figueira Da Foz, west coast of Portugal

Well the trip so far has proved to be somewhat frustrating, what with delays waiting for spare parts and now delays because of poor weather for sailing.  So we're currently holed up in a small marina in "Fig Foz" waiting for the strong southerly winds and large swell to die down and hopefully veer around to the north-west which is what they should be doing at this time of year! We're not the only yacht facing the same predicament weather-wise: There are five others in the same marina with us all feeling just as frustrated as us.  Not that Fig Foz isn't a pleasant place but we've done it now and are ready to move on.

The sail from La Coruna to here wasn't particularly enjoyable as we were beating into the wind and swell all the way, needing the engine on to make sufficient headway.  I'll be glad to be in better conditions on many levels, not least to remember why I enjoy the sailing life!

Yesterday we caught the local train to Coimbra, the Portugese equivalent of Oxford or Cambridge, being an old university town dating from hundreds of years ago.  The university sits on top of the hill that the old walled town was built on and climbing up the narrow cobbled streets on a daily basis must make for some of the fittest students in Europe.  We were both amazed that a return train journey of one and a quarter hours each way cost only Euro 5.30 ... why can't the UK manage similar?

Not sure what the plan is for today ... Fatima and Aveiro have been suggested but Paul's currently got his nose in a book so could be a day relaxing!

[Captains Blog] Figuera da Foz

&*^%#@$ Fishermen!!! As we were leaving Coruna on Friday 12th (sailing superstition says you should never set out on a voyage on a Friday) we had just taken a photo of the Torre de Hercules (below). This lighthouse has been in operation since Roman times and we still use it today. Who said the Romans didn't do anything for us??? 

Anyway, we had just left Coruna when there was a thud from under the boat. We had been looking out for lobster pot buoys (not always easy to see at the best of times) and there weren't any ahead of us, but we had definitely picked something up. I stopped the propellor, put it into reverse, then back into forward, and there was definitely a judder. We had something around it. Then we saw the rope, trailing out behind us. We were less than a mile from the shore, it was going dark, and we couldn't use the engine. There was only one thing for it, I had to go under the boat to see what the issue was. I cut the line close to Tumi, put on my wetsuit, snorkel, facemask and flippers, and went off the stern. The propellor was completely fouled with a rope. It took me several dives under the boat armed with a Captain Curry knife to cut away and remove the tangle of (floating) rope. 

Once that was done, we were able to continue on our way. Thankfully it was still light enough for me to see what I was doing underwater, but I guess the adrenaline was flowing sufficiently not to notice the cold water too much. However, the episode did leave me feeling somewhat queasy afterwards, and it took me 24 hours to shake it off. The journey from there was a pig. We headed into strong southerly winds all the way, passed through a nasty thunderstorm during which a fork of lightening came down quite close to us into the sea, and just to make life even more uncomfortable, the swell was right on the nose as well. That is why we are now in Figuera da Foz, continuing on down to Lisbon was just going to be more of the same with stormy weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow. We are better holed up here for a few days to let the worst of the weather pass us by. It has been raining on and off all day, and the winds pick up significantly later. We are snugly tied up in a nice marina in a very pleasant town.