Hot in Lisbon

Today is Thursday 28 September, as I write this aboard Sal Darago, having a frustrating time with Vodephone which has taken over my computer!

We were ready to leave Nazare at 0650 on Monday, but first had to pull in to the local BP garage to fill up with diesel. About an hour later we left proper with approximately 270 litres on board, having been told it was cheaper “up north” in Nazare. It was a pleasant sail down the coast, but despite flying the main and genoa, we could not manage to average 5 knots which was essential for the 70 miles we had to cover in order to get in before dark. On went the engine – still we had plenty of diesel (at €1.38 per litre by the way). It was all plain engining until we passed Cabo Roca, the most westerly point on mainland Europe. Here the wind picked up and Sal Darago lifted her dress to her knees and shot off – well six or seven knots. We arrived at Cascais in good time to anchor in the light. We dragged. We re-anchored and started tea. We dragged. We re-anchored and had tea and went to bed. At 0310 the nice people on the German boat banged on our pushpit and pointed out that we were hitting their yacht. We re-anchored.

In the morning we were up later than intended and really only managed a small re-victualling at the local “Jumbo” supermarket, about €93 worth. It was hot work taking it all back to the boat. However the good news was that the anchor had held.

On Wednesday, we looked for a bakery and a post office with limited success. Sorry anyone who has a birthday within the next month – it’s just how things go. We slept quite a bit and swam and had showers on the back of our boat using our adapted weed killer garden spray. We just use warm water ;-)

Today we set off at 0900 to Lisbon and spent a long, hot day viewing the Maritime Museum of Portugal, the Torre of Belem ( a castle stuck a bit out in the river), but we were too tired/late to go to the Moorish Castelo de Sao Jorge. As soon as we returned to Sal Darago (still anchored – phew) we rested, then jumped in the sea, showered and had supper. Tomorrow I just fancy just resting, swimming and showering, but apparently, there’s quite a lot of Lisbon we have not seen.