Season's Highlights

From: The Graphics Fairy

This brings to a close our 5th year of cruising life (Yes, five years!!) with Miss WJ3.  Who'd have thought... Or imaged the ground and sea miles we've covered in that time.  Hope you've enjoyed the ride along with us!

Windjammer & the cruisin’ Motleys would like to wish you all the best for the festive season and send our thanks for joining us this year - either in person or on the couch at home.  It's been a lot of fun with the odd hairy moment.  That's sailing, so the Cap'n tells me.  Meanwhile, we can't believe how the months have just disappeared so quickly again this year. 

We’ve finally put together a very lavish photo album from this season’s best.  (Click here or follow the 2012 album link over on the right.)  Note - this is season FIVE!  We had to include heaps of photos from Morocco of course, and then there’s the best of moments with BCK…  All a lot of fun and way too much shopping, and eating and walking and drinking and shopping and talking.  You know the drill!

Despite all the photo opportunities, we had only 12 days of sailing this year – although a couple were quite long and either in fog or at night (or both – we do our best to be bold sailors sometimes.  Hmmm?).  So it’s a bit of a record with only 584nm tucked under our belts.  Still we had fun, learned how to live the marina life and behave on bus tours. 

Cruising Grounds 2012
And yes, we did doddle about in the Med for a wee bit!

The Cap’n informs me, as he heads out to lavish attention on his mooring minder (a 25ft Top Hat - another of his growing fleet), that his wrist is really improving.  Our sights are therefore set on making Turkey next year.  The First Mate will settle up the nav plans closer to a departure date from Aus, although the general program will be 3 months to get from Portugal to Turkey, then take some time to explore the Eastern Med coastline.  Simple?  We hope so….just a bit of sailing to work through.  Soooo glad we rested this year!  Look forward to catching up in 2013.

Final Fling: Lisbon

Lagos, Portugal: hauled out 26 October 2012

Itinerary Lagos, Portugal: 26 October 2012 is Haul out time.  Lagos has an old town to explore, more than a few restaurants and a nice beach 2 minutes from the boatyard.  Other activities - as time permits!

Arade looks just fine through a camera lens...but it certainly was NOT!

“Be brave, my trusty (about to mutiny again) crew!” said Cap’n Fearless as we headed off into a 3 metre, very nasty swell coming in through the Arade River entrance.  Once out of the river, and recovered, we settled down for a short, easy sail into Lagos.  

Better still, we tied up at a quiet Sopromar Boatyard dock, said hello to our favourite duck friends and then ran off to have hot, hot showers.  Life was good!  WJ3 too, was primped (a quick check-over) in preparation for an early morning haul out.  In our absence, Sopromar had purchased a new toy – a remotely controlled travel lift.  Our friendly crane operator looked as if he was busy playing an X-Box. “Look mum, no hands” as WJ3 swung like a baby in straps.  

Time for the girls to play then!  So we did...

Monument to the Discoveries - Vasco da Gama sailed for India from here in 1497

Rather than stay a week in Lagos cleaning, BCK & GS made a run for the train station and headed off to Lisbon.  Here we sat on the big red bus, now an obligatory ride, before a bit of free-wheeling touristico-ing around the old city, taking in as many sights as we could in our 3 days of freedom. 

We ate well down Baixa's Rua Augusta

We ate pastel de nata for breakfast, lunch and dinner, sampled seafood, strong coffee and other Lisbon specialities, shopped in stylish boutiques - all easily reached from our centrally located hotel.  As a final fling, we invaded a hair salon for a little Portuguese pampering, only to emerge looking like Stepford Wives extras.

Tram to Bairro Alto & a quick walking (shopping) tour

Too soon, it was back to WJ3. Somehow we managed to get her ship-shape and still have time for a few hours of touring, shopping, visiting local markets (sadly no snail sellers - it was a public holiday) and making friends at LazyJacks marina-side before it was time to board our BA flight home.     

Cataplana straight from Lagos's best kept secret - Alkibir

Having made London, we managed a whirlwind tour of the underground.  Getting to Heathrow wasn’t easy and we made three train changes, with our luggage during peak hour.  Still we whisked past “Monopoly” stops that one day we hoped to get back to see – London Bridge, Westminster, Earl’s Court.  Enticing as it was, we just wanted to get home.

From: Portimao, Portugal   Lat/Long: 37:06.72N  08:31.34W   Date/Time: 25/10/12: 1400
To: Lagos, Portugal Lat/Long: 37:06.44N  08:40.26W   Date/Time: 26/10/12: 0930
Time Taken: 6nm (1.5hrs) Distance (this year): 584nm (92hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10821nm   Weather: 3m SW swell; cold, wet and windy
Fastest Speed: Too busy looking at the size of the waves to notice.  Thought they’d be perfect for surfing.

Marina or Mutiny!!

Portimao, Portugal

 

Itinerary Portimao, Portugal: 22-25 October 2012.  On anchor.  A chance to swim, eat freshly caught seafood and relax on a pleasant beach or two.

 

Let it be known that we had envisaged sun, and lots of it in this dry Med climate.  Instead we had cold, rain and a worsening SW swell which eventually made the anchorage untenable. 

Praia Rocha in the distance

After more than a few days of being couped up on board (is this really cabin fever?) we all opted, on arrival in Portimao, for a little dry land time.  Off then to find a nice restaurant along the beach that fronts Praia Rocha, a spectacular string of white high rise lining ochre coloured cliffs.  This is a Brit enclave and is usually well patronised.  Not today though!  We had brought the cold & rain with us, so wide white beaches sported empty deck chairs and only a few brave souls (with surf boards) welcomed waves. 

Enjoying an "off boat" moment

Back on board, feeling content with life, and knowing that our final destination was only a mere 1½ hours sail away, we tried not to notice an ever increasing swell in the anchorage.  By midnight, GS had moved onto the saloon bunk.  Up early the next morning, both crew hinted to our strong-stomached Captain that a marina berth would be nice.  He called us “girls” and ignored our pleas.  So we opted for a morning (on dry land again) shopping in Portimao’s old town before taking lunch at our favourite restaurant, the floating Rivole.  This time we sampled freshly grilled swordfish and a very tasty tuna in home-made tomato sauce. 

Cap'n Stealth reading (and hiding) while the girls shop in Portimao

Back on board, BCK & GS made plans to catch the train to Faro the next day.  It seemed a shame to miss this delightful seaside city, the Algarve’s capital.  There was certainly no problem getting up early as overnight, WJ3 turned from restless to a bucking bronco.  BCK, having spent the night rolling across her bunk, threated to swim to shore.  GS spent the night sitting up in the saloon praying for daylight.  Our Cap’n slept well, naturally!!!    

Despite the rain and dark skies, GS & BCK couldn’t wait to get to the train station.  Somehow daylight saving had eluded us and we arrived an hour early at the station.  We didn’t care – it wasn’t rocking! 

Perhaps we could give Bruce a colour make-over?

While the mutinous crew toured Faro, the Cap’n single-handedly moved WJ3 into the marina.  Others on the anchorage followed suit and by the time the shoppers returned to their surprise Portimao Marina accommodation, only two (unoccupied) sailboats floated in the Arade.  So much for our planned two days of swimming, lying on the beach and visiting beach bars by dinghy.  Ha!

From: Ilha da Culatra, Portugal  Lat/Long: 36:59.994N  07:50.248W Date/Time: 22/10/12: 1130

To: Portimao, Portugal  Lat/Long: 37:06.72N  08:31.34W   Date/Time: 22/10/12: 1710
Time Taken: 33.5nm (5.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 578nm (90.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10787.5nm   Weather: Cold, foggy, wet and windy; sun out occasionally   
Fastest Speed: Decent sail with only the two river entrances making for an “exciting” entrance and departure.

Finding Faro

Ihla da Culatra, Portugal

Itinerary Faro, Portugal: 20-21 October 2012.  Anchor in a small lagoon behind Culatra, a barrier island, to do a bit of stork-watching (in the Parque Natural de Ria Formosa) then a quick swim in cold Atlantic waters before exploring Faro’s old town (fun dinghy ride included in price). 

Warm clothes, wet weather gear & harness - Faro here we come!!

After two long days of sailing we made it to Culatra, an anchorage in the tidal lagoon off Faro.  Not of course without our regular wild ride over the upwellings and currents swirling through the harbour entrance. 

Upwellings through the Lagoon entrance

Our sailing days had been mostly fine with clear skies and good winds but somehow, Seville’s rain (and cold) followed us here.  Our arrival was perfectly timed for Sunday so most shops were closed and swimming in crisp Atlantic waters off the agenda too.  Then Monday arrived with a cold, dense fog which still had not lifted by noon.  Rather than sit on the boat watching even more movies, or dinghy in chilling mists, we decided to up anchor and head west (in some interesting conditions) for Portimao. 

Sailboats in a quiet tidal lagoon off Faro

The exit out was rather wild as we smashed into a huge swell (wind against tide) and later barely missed a giant yellow tunny net marker.  It was out there in the fog somewhere!  Yes, we did have our radar on and let it be known, it has earned its keep well and truly this season!  Don’t leave home without one…

BCK & GS decided to return another day to Faro - by train!  The weather had not improved but at least they managed to take in a few sights between showers.   

We toured the old city and museum while it rained...and rained

Then we talked with a few locals

Took in a Fado & Portuguese Guitar performance

And the sun finally came out for our visit to Ingreja do Carmo
and the Chapel of Bones

From: Puerto Gelves, Spain  Lat/Long: 37:20.505N  06:01.364W   Date/Time: 19/10/12: 0800

To: Ilha da Culatra, Portugal  Lat/Long: 36:59.994N  07:50.248W   Date/Time: 20/10/12: 1935
Time Taken: 130nm (19hrs)  Distance (this year): 544.5nm (85hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10781.5nm   Weather: Wind NW 8-10kts; clear skies.   
Fastest Speed: Set off in the dark (at 8am).  Rode the river doing 9kts at times to anchor off Bonanza in time for heavy rain; so watched movies instead of touring Bonanza!  Great sailing next day to Faro; saw a few dolphins and a rare sighting of a pod of small pilot whales - very privileged indeed!

Too Ambitious

Itinerary Rio Guadiana: This river borders Spain & Portugal.  We hope to have time to spend a few days exploring rural towns that dot either side of this navigable waterway.  As long as we can get under that bridge near Ayamonte though….

The Plan Changes: 19th October 2012

A little too much shopping, dining out, Aldi champagne and touristico-ing has left us a little behind schedule, so the Motley Crew decided not to take on the Rio Guadiana this time and instead, made straight for Faro, our first stop in Portugal.  Besides, there is a plan afoot, if time allows, to take a couple of days in Lisbon, leaving the Cap’n behind to attend to boat duties.  Strangely, he seems to be rather happy about that…..

Pump Stations for irrigation along the river

Here are a few photos taken along the Rio Guadalquivir from inland Seville to coastal Bonanza, a distance of 55nm (6-7hrs).  With a strong river current we were able to ride the tide all the way doing, at times, 9 knots.  Whoo Hoooooo! 

Darth Vader of the River - fishing boats air nets

We were challenged to a race upriver - they nearly won!!

ICW memories.  Shipping traffic along 55nm of river

Stork nests decorate an otherwise horizontal landscape

El Torro, Ole....

Seville, Spain

Day 3: Rain in Spain 

Say your prayers, we're on the way to the bullring...

We had plans of pedalling around the city for a few hours to visit attractive parks and attractions too far out to walk.  Bike hire proved to be difficult (and expensive) so we walked to the Plaza de Torros (via a little craft centre and a souvenir shop or two), the oldest bull ring in Spain (1749).  We enjoyed our wanderings, momentarily getting lost in narrow streets along the way.   We could not believe how camouflaged this huge bull ring was, set discretely amongst inner city apartments and shops.  Grand statements are after all, made inside the ring not outside!  Yes, we took a tour – how could you not?  Despite being impressed by all the pomp, performance and ceremony, we were very glad to have not seen a bull fight, the season having just finished. 

The stadium perfectly frames the action within

Interestingly, we discovered our hero Hercules again (now didn’t he just get around!).  As we passed through the Alameda de Hercules, there high on an ancient Roman pillar was our man.  Hercules is considered the mythical founder of Seville.

On Roman pillars - Seville's mythical founder

After refreshing ourselves at a chocolateria (coffee, chocolate, cake; you know the drill), we had to dash across the street to buy red & black spotted umbrellas.  Yes, by now it was raining and heavily.  It didn’t take long before we all voted WJ3 was the place to be, but not before stopping at one or two more shops.  Of course we had to stop off at the nearest ALDI for a bottle or two of French champagne (yes, real champagne) – a perfect accompaniment to a home cooked roast chicken.  We really needed the oven on to keep us warm - of course!

No bikes, so let's take a buggy ride later?   Only later it rained...   

Seville - the last word in Bull Fighting.  Is this a Banksy before us?

Sangria Safari

Seville, Spain

Day 2: Sangria Safari

(We don't usually write up day-by-day activities but Seville was such fun and we took sooooo many photos it seems a shame not to share them.)

Coffee with Velazquez (1599-1660) Court Painter extraordinaire

Better acquainted now with local bus #140, the Motley Crew struggled to make the big red bus again (Itinerary 2) getting off in the city heart, El Centro, to have sidewalk coffee and stroll through Calle Sierpo, the best shopping street in Seville.  GS & BCK were tempted by shoes, bags, beads and dresses but a watchful Cap’n kept us focused on sightseeing.

Internal Courtyard of Alcazar Palace

After sitting in a leafy square (Plaza Nueva) for a picnic lunch, we continued our tour via several more souvenir shops to find the Alcazar Palace.  We spent hours here enthralled by its magnificence; rooms, gardens, baths, fountains and tile decoration, eventually having fun getting lost in the garden’s maze.  Ever the artiste, Ms BCK found Poets Garden and in a splendid piece of performance art, recited bits from “My Country”.  We were lucky not to be escorted off the premises!

Exquisite Fans (on display at the Alcazar Palace)

Next on our list was a flamenco concert.  Somehow our luck changed!  In our “free-form touristing” we happened upon a small theatre in Barrio Santa Cruz and booked for a 7.30 performance. We had no choice except to sit in a nearby plaza taking tapas, sangria and wine.  This is an excellent way to pass time waiting for shows and comes highly recommended…  The flamenco guitar, singing and dancing performances were superb.  GS & BCK were reduced to tears during Mr Two Tone’s passionate performance.  GS took notes and even bought a Spanish guitar CD for the Cap’n (ever hopeful).  Ole!

Flamenco - whirlwind of dance, song & guitar music

BCK suggested a digestive before going home to WJ3, so we finished the night with a dry sherry before strolling along the Rio Guadalquivir with its well-lit Torre del Oro (a 13^th c Islamic watchtower – the Tower of Gold).  We had such a good day we decided to stay for another.  Day, not dry sherry!!  

Taking in sights (Cathedral's Giralda - bell tower - dates from 1184)

Seville - the last word in Dance

A Tapas Temperament

Puerto Gelves, Spain

Itinerary Seville, Spain: 15-18 October 2012.  Doing flamenco and munching tapas in famous tascas (whilst drinking fresh orange juice of course!). To get close to Seville, we cruise up the Guadalquivir River and anchor near Gelves.

Day 1: How Not to Tour Seville

First, Bruce had a wonky engine.  Would we make it across a ferocious current to the marina pontoon?  Wonky engine + brutal tide = crossed fingers, toes, legs, arms…..

Just a little further Bruce, keep going...

Then our bus, #140 to Seville, looped.  We didn’t know we’d arrived in the city centre until we were well on our way back to Puerto Gelves.  Doh!  Value for ticket bus ride though!  Still, we caught a taxi back into town and our driver deposited us outside a breath-taking Seville Cathedral. Queues into the Cathedral and Palace were huge, so we stopped at Starbucks (for the worst coffee we’d had in Gibraltar, Spain or Morocco) before finding a big red bus.

Words just cannot describe Seville's Cathedral...it's amazing!

We’ve taken quite a liking to big red buses.  They offer comprehensive tours and we noted highlights to visit later.  Theme park, Isla Magica, was as firmly closed as were the swimming pools in Ceuta (thankfully) and Silicon Valley Spanish style was a little technical for us.  So, hop on, hop off the bus to do lunch!  Ham & cheese, bull’s tail and Spanish omelette tapas were served on a tourist area sidewalk by a disinterested waiter.  He’d cooked his goose though - we left no tip!   

The only way to keep kids busy - get them busking!

We had to get back to Gelves to see the engine mechanic.  His lunch hour was from 2 till 4, as all good mechanics must.  We hoped Bruce’s engine was not too sick.  However we still had time to see the Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, whose architects must have thrown away all the rule books except reach for the stars…  Those stained glass windows are magnificent, religious statuary gilded and heavily ornate, Columbus’s Tomb a testimony to his achievements and from the 90m high Giralda (1184; once a mosque minaret), a perfect vista over this wonderful city.

Columbus's Tomb
(he's buried elswhere - Dominican Republic perhaps?)

Then it was back to our helpful Tourismo lady to find the bus stop we had missed in the morning.  No drama getting back home, except our outboard was not ready until after 6pm. What to do?  Well, a beer and wine or two (with platters of olives) at the local Marina bar helped pass the time of course!

Gliding up the Guadalquivir.  Looks nice enough for a swim?
Perhaps not if the Cap'n has his jumper on!

Finally, the Motley Crew had a chance to practice their man overboard drill when our Cap'n took an unexpected dip in the fast flowing Guadalquivir.  GS was blamed for pitching him out of the dinghy, but she managed to save the day by securing Bruce (with a very pale looking BCK) to WJ3 and putting down the swim ladder for his lordship. We all needed a stiff drink - but only after we'd finished sniggering... 

From: Cadiz, Spain  Lat/Long: 36:32.544N  06:17.042W   Date/Time: 14/10/12: 1045

To: Puerto Gelves, Spain  Lat/Long: 37:20.505N  06:01.364W   Date/Time: 14/10/12: 2145
Time Taken: 79.5nm (11hrs)  Distance (this year): 414.5nm (66hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10651.5nm   Weather: Sunny day; enough wind to turn off engine & sail.  

Fastest Speed: Short run from Cadiz to mouth of Rio Guadalquivir; managed an incoming tide with 2 kts extra for very fast ride upriver to Gelves (outside Seville)

Seville - the last word in Cathedrals, inside & out

Anniversaries Ole

Cadiz.  Super view from one of the city's many towers, Torre Tavira

Puerto America Marina, Cadiz

Itinerary Cadiz, Spain: 10-14th October 2012.  Taking history lessons in one of Spain’s oldest, most notable port cities.  Their ham (jamon) and sherry is also highly recommended. 

Cadiz is said to have existed for over 3000 years.  The Phoenician’s settled, Hannibal plotted, Columbus sailed, Sir Francis Drake raided, Anglo-Dutch burned (to the ground), Napoleon desired and early American colonies traded - all from here.

Not perhaps quite how I'd like to be remembered...

Old city streets, lined with tapas bars and cafes, remain narrow and quaint. Painted apartment blocks are decorated with elaborate tiled balconies and wrought iron work.  Leafy squares pulsed with activity.  We biked, we walked and we caught a big red bus just to be sure that we saw as much as we could. Highlights of the city are sculptured gardens of Parque del Genoves, a massive baroque yellow-domed cathedral, 4kms of beautiful white sandy beach, isolated Castillo de San Sebastian and a camera obscura (and view) at Torre Tavira. BCK & GS also shopped in high fashion streets.  Locals are so very stylish that we all felt a little “boat crumpled” (that’s our excuse).

Oh, I'm sooo happy to have found you XX years ago! 
Tell the truth or the fingers are off...

Our fixation however was with tapas and, as luck would have it, we fell into a wonderful tapas bar somewhere deep in cobbled streets surrounding the cathedral.  We ate special ham (acorn fed pigs), smoked salmon, veal, octopus salad, cheese and drank beer, white wine and rose.  Plus a few reds…  Oh, and a digestive of sherry (we think!)  Well, we’re in Spain after all and we did have reason to celebrate.  And we’re very good at it….. except remembering the name of the tapas bar!! 

Watching the world go by through a ham curtain in yet another Tapas Bar

From: Ceuta, Spain  Lat/Long: 35:53.412N  05:18.821W   Date/Time: 10/10/12: 0125

To: Cadiz, Spain  Lat/Long: 36:32.544N  06:17.042W   Date/Time: 10/10/12: 1530
Time Taken: 73.5nm (14hrs)  Distance (this year): 335nm (55hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10572nm   Weather: Little wind; very calm & flat  
Fastest Speed: Up early to make the best of tides through narrow Gib Straits; little shipping thankfully; heavy fog near Tarifa.  Good run until Cape Trafalgar when current turned and winds got up a little.

Yes, we did find time to catch a big red bus too,
our modus operandi to scope new cities!  

A Smidge of Spain in Morocco

Ceuta Marina, Spain

Itinerary Ceuta, Spain: 9th October 2012.  Ceuta, (said “suit  ah”) is a Spanish enclave on the north African coast where we plan to wait out the right tides, winds and shipping, to get through the Strait of Gibraltar.  An exit from the Med back into Atlantic waters. 

We had high hopes for Ceuta.  Described as a little gem on the edge of Africa, it has been in existence since Phoenician times.  It is compact, boasts green open plazas, grey sandy beaches - and is closed from 1.30 until 5pm daily.  This was our day:

 #1. Macca’s (for internet of course) – closed until 12 mid-day.  What???

We took our own tour outside the Royal Walls in Bruce

#2. Dinghy tour of the canal between the medieval Royal Walls (5^th c) – and a “no entry” sign in Spanish…but we did anyway.  Oooops!

#3. Plaza de Africa.  A tropical green space sheltered by an 18th c church with lots of baroque gold work; a more austere 17th c cathedral but having some of its huge artworks being painstakingly restored; a small cathedral museum (closing at 1pm) and a Phoenician settlement uncovered in recent times.

We did a little shopping,sweetie

And a little sightseeing

#4. We walked to the Museo del la Legion via the corniche overlooking two popular town beaches.  Clearly not everyone goes home for lunch!  Important to keep that Med suntan up somehow!  Having made the museum with 20 mins to spare, we were able, after a passport check, to dash about checking out military memorabilia (1920’s onwards).  The Spanish Legion continues its desert and border duties today.

Wedding Cake anyone?  Topped with Dragons too...

#5. After avoiding enlistment, we hurried on to Plaza de los Reyes, sidestepping more beggars than we’d seen in the whole of Morocco, then on to the Casa de los Dragones.   More Disney than baroque, this former home, now beautifully restored typifies Cueta (well, on the outside, anyway). 

#6. Well ahead of schedule by now, we stopped for a quick tapas lunch before heading off to the Parque Maritimo del Mediterraneo, a huge pool/bar/restaurant/casino complex for a quick dip.  Just our luck – the pools were as empty as the restaurants.  A few young ladies sunned themselves, cooling off under showers as necessary, beside gull strewn, empty lagoons and waterless waterfalls.  The Casino opened at 10pm for action.  Welcome to Spain. 

Time for your sea survival training BCK

#7. What’s next?  Well, Macca’s might be open by now….  Except, right on 4pm, a thick, cold fog settled in over the marina. 

You promised me sun on this trip...where is it?

 

From: Restinga Smir, Morocco  Lat/Long: 35:45.176N  05:20.542W  Date/Time: 8/10/12: 1100
To: Ceuta, Spain  Lat/Long: 35:53.412N  06:17.042W   Date/Time: 8/10/12: 1330
Time Taken: 15.5nm (2.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 261.5nm (41hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 10498.5nm   Weather: Very little wind; slightly foggy   
Fastest Speed: Motoring; BCK tried her hand at fishing – sadly, no fresh fish dinner!

Of course, our friend Hercules was in this part of the world too, sorting out those famous Pillars, all the while searching for apples. The Pillars warn and protect us as mariners and I think we need it given the heavy fog across the strait.  We are heading out to the dreaded Atlantic, of course, and need all the help we can get!  (Truthfully, we're off to Cadiz for their famous ham and sherry...)

Cueta.  Photos thanks to BCK

From our vantage point (exiting the harbour), Hercules looks a bit lost in this landscape.  It might interest you to know that Hercules is 7 metres high.  This sculpture is said to be the largest bronze sculpture of a Classical Greek subject in the world.  This work is by Ceuta artist, Ginés Serrán.