Cadiz to Morocco

There were numerous yachts moored on the river Guadiana for the winter, we could have stayed their  for several weeks, but decided to continue our journey. An overnight sail took us down the river and across the bay to Cadiz, arriving as the sun rose over the city.
We only stayed a couple of days as there was a good weather window for heading across to Morocco. However, we still had time to explore the old part of the city with its narrow streets, ancient city walls, and well kept squares and gardens. We re-stocked with food and wine in preparation for our crossing to North Africa.
Our friend Matt from Bristol, was flying out to join us for a few days over Christmas and New Year. We had planned to meet in Rabat, it had been recommended as a good harbour, despite the 36 hours crossing time from Cadiz. However as we approached Rabat we were informed that the harbour was closed due to the large waves at the entrance.
We decided to continue further south along the Moroccan coast to Mohammedia, near Casablanca. Arriving on Christmas Eve afternoon, just a few hours before strong winds and rough seas struck the coastline.
We received help berthing in the small port reserved for local yachts and visitors, as the space seemed narrower than our boat! Customs and Immigration officers visited our yacht to fill in numerous forms, they were friendly and welcomed us to their country.
The culture shock in comparison to Europe was dramatic, to say the least! The marina and port area was guarded by the police. The local market was filled with street traders selling fresh fruit, veg, chickens and fish from tables on the side of the road and carts pulled by donkeys. We bought a chicken and vegetables for our Christmas day lunch, found the train station where we met Matt and headed back to our boat.

Liasbon to the Algarve

We decided upon another overnight sail to continue our journey down the west coast of Portugal and round Cabo Sao Vicente. We left Lisbon in thick early morning fog, navigating down the river sounding our fog horn regularly and avoiding the high speed ferries! Fortunately the fog cleared as we approached open water, in calm seas and warm sunshine, we motor sailed south.
A pod of dolphins came alongside for a while, playing on the bow wave and occasionally jumping clear of the water. We are always delighted when we see dolphins, it's a privilege to sit on the bow and watch them playing in the water. Lilly has started getting very excited when she senses their presence, looking out of the saloon windows and begging to be allowed out on deck. After a magical sunset, we continued onwards into the darkness, with phosphorescence sparkling in our wake. Then the dolphins reappeared and we were treated to a memorable display, the phosphorescence sparkling behind them as they zoomed through the water - fantastic!
We rounded the southwest corner of Portugal as the wind increased and the seas became rougher, we were certainly glad to reach the safety of Lagos harbour and the marina.
Strong winds and breaking waves across the harbour entrance at Lagos delayed our departure for a couple of days, allowing us time to explore the town. We then headed east along the Algarve and anchored for a night at Portimao, arriving just in time to watch the sunset over the harbour entrance.
With shorter distances between suitable ports we we were able to enjoy more day sailing along the Algarve. Our next trip took us towards Faro, where we found a sheltered anchorage near the Ila Culatra. We spent an afternoon exploring the sandy island, where tractors are the only transport!
We continued east along the Algarve to the Rio Guadiana which forms the border between Portugal and Spain. We had heard the river was 'not to be missed', so planned to spent a few days exploring upstream. We found quiet pontoons and remote anchorages, with friendly locals and excellent bird watching along the river banks. The warm climate was evident by large cacti and numerous orange trees, with goats grazing on the surrounding arid hillsides.

Povoa de Varzim to Lisbon

We embarked on an overnight sail from Povoa de Varzim to Nazare to continue our journey south to warmer weather.
Upon arriving in Nazare, we decided to stay for a few days to explore the local area. We caught the funicular railway up to the old town on top of the hill and saw fish being dried in the sun on the beach.
Time to leave and another overnight sail took us to the mighty Rio Tejo and Lisbon, arriving early in the morning. We headed straight for the Tagus boat yard, as we needed a repair to a hatch handle. To our amazement, they repaired the handle and re-sprayed it in about an hour! We thought we might have to wait a few days, they wouldn't even take any payment, just a small job to them! We were extremely grateful.
Hannah's cousin, Derek, was working in Lisbon for a few days whilst we were there, so we arranged to meet. We enjoyed his company on two consecutive evenings, first on the boat and then out in a great local restaurant. We also spent a couple of days exploring the city and sampling the local cakes!
Lisbon marinas are expensive so we headed up the river to the small harbour of Seixal and found a wonderful anchorage.
We decided to stay for a few days, to undertake some work on the inside of our boat that we hadn't yet found time for. So with a new sink fitted, the fridge moved and a new cupboard finished it was time to continue our journey south to the Algarve!