Ilha Culatra
We anchored near the large sandy island of Ilha Culatra, which we previously visited in December 2013. Lilly enjoyed running the entire length of the sandy beach with us chasing after her! We survived a stormy night at anchor with strong winds and choppy seas. Unfortunately our outboard motor decided to stop working properly, fortunately we are good at rowing the dinghy!
Faro
Whilst anchored close to Faro, we visited the city centre, famous for storks nesting on ancient buildings. Lilly found two of her cousins during our wanderings around the historic buildings in the old town. On our second visit here we said goodbye to Paul and Ella as they headed back to Faro airport to return to the UK.
Tavira
A peaceful anchorage on the river estuary was our home for about a week as we explored the local area. The town of Tavira was very picturesque, likened to Venice by some people! friendlyrowed up the river estuary for a walk on Ilha Tavira and the long sandy beach. The local sailing club were very friendly, allowing us to use their pontoon for the dinghy. Their cafe overlooking the river was a great place to sit in the sun and watch the world go by!
Vila Real de Santo Antonio
We stayed at the Marina at entrance to Ria Guadiana for a couple of nights before meeting up with friends and heading inland to explore the river.
River Guadiana
With our friends Paul, Tracey and Ella, we explored the tidal river as far as the Portuguese village of Alcoutim and the Spanish village of Sanlucar. The castle at Alcoutim was well worth a visit with great views across the river. The sand bars along sections of the river can make navigating on a falling tide a little tricky!
