Sunday 28th to Tuesday 30th July

We left the marina at 14:33 just after low tide in order to catch the flood up the river. I held my breath as we passed under the road bridge. Looking up it looked as though the top of the mast must touch the bridge. When we got to Alcoutim/Sanlucar there was no room on the pontoons on either side, so we anchored. We took the dinghy to the Portuguese side for a drink and ate on the boat. During the night we swung back and forth with the current but seemed very secure. On the Monday a space opened up on the pontoon on the Portuguese side and we hurriedly pulled up the anchor and went for it before anyone else noticed. We looked round the town and stocked up in the Chinese store. Kennan was keen to have sardines so we had lunch in a restaurant. Sadly sardines were off but he consoled himself with chicken and chips. We then walked to the fluvial beach. The evening was fairly typical; drinks ashore and then food in the cockpit. We got chatting to some in the local community who are a 'rum' bunch whatever that means. Our guests left early on the 30th with a transfer direct to Seville airport from the top of the pontoon. We're not giving up a valuable space on the pontoon so will stay until tomorrow. While it was still relatively cool we had a walk. Later on we tidied up and gave the boat a good clean.

Saturday 27th July

In the morning Kennan and I walked down to the each where I had a paddle and he had a swim. Once again tides dictated when we left which was early afternoon. The wind was strong and coming for the direction of our destination. Melanie and Kennan got a taste of what sailing can be about as we slowly bashed our way upwind. Fortunately we only had to do this for about 4 miles after which we could bear away and head for the river entrance. We etched once again in VRSA and headed for town. Our guests treated us to moist home cooked cakes from the market which we ate on the boat after supper in the town square.

Friday 26th July

We had to wait for the flood to be able to leave our mooring. We couldn't leave until 3pm. It took a long time against the current sail due east to get out of the river. Once out at sea our course was then pretty much to the west. Sadly this was the direction the wind was blowing from. We battered our way slowly to windward and it took about 3 hours to get to the point on the sea parallel to the marina in the river. The passage was tedious but fortunately not too long and it was 8pm when we moored in Isla Canela.

Thursday 25th July

We decided to do a fairly long leg straight to El Rompido. We couldn't leave until the office opened and I wanted to get there near high tide. We had to motor for the first 5 hours as the winds were light. However the wind picked up in the early afternoon and we had a pleasant close reach averaging over 7 knots to get us to the marina by 5pm with just over 56 miles covered. We were moored just behind a 62 foot catamaran which made Imagine look puny. Timing was perfect to pack up the boat, have a drink and then go to the beach for supper. Kennan and I stayed behind to watch the big brass band in the town square.

Thursday 25th July

We tried to get away early for a longish leg to El Rompido. The wind was light for the first few hours. It picked up in the early afternoon and we closed reached the rest of the way in 15 to 20 knots of wind. Last Monday they moved the channel into the rivers one 200 metres to the west. That caused a few anxious moments as I wasn't aware of it and the chart plotter had us sailing over dry land. We considered anchoring but with limited space, shallow water and Spring tides we decided to go back to the marina. We are now berthed next to a 62 foot Lagoon catamaran. Makes me feel humble. A shower, drink and then off along the shore to the restaurants.

Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th July

The anchor held overnight and we headed off mid morning to Rota on the west side of the bay. It was only 6.5 miles but the paperwork in the marina took almost as long to complete as the journey over. We just had time to go into town for some food shopping before Kennan and Melanie arrived from Seville. In the afternoon our guest wandered down to the local beach and in the evening we went into Rota to eat. We discovered the other more popular and extensive beach. We walked along it back to the boat. In the morning we took the ferry across the bay to Cadiz. This historic town has a new cathedral built in the 1800s, some cool alleyways and a shop selling cod pasties. We stocked up in the food market and ate lunch nearby. It was hot in the early afternoon when we took the ferry back to Rota. A walk, shower and supper on board.

Monday 22nd July

Chipiona was marginally better than Mazagon although there was nothing obviously of interest on shore. We refuelled and wafted gently downwind towards the Bay of Cadiz. I even got the parasail up once more. It's a lot of work although it does look magnificent when it's flying. We anchored just off the Puerta de Sante Maria in a bay with a small beach and industrial backdrop. I took the opportunity to take our cabin to bits in search of the electric winch controller. I finally tracked it down behind a small panel, but only after I had removed most of the ceiling. I now think the winch switch is OK and the controller has failed, but I'm not certain. One thing I'm sure of is that it's muscle power for the time being to turn the starboard winch.

Sunday 21st July

Lucinda's not happy. The sky is grey. It's almost cold enough to consider dumping t shirts for something with long sleeves. We motor away from land in winds too light to sail. Gradually the skies clear and a breeze fills in from the south west and we have a couple hours of relaxed sailing as we close the coast. With a few miles to go a small pod of dolphins cross some 300m in front of us. Several dolphins do some tricks for our benefit, leaping clear of the water face to face, and then clear off. There's no fuel Sunday afternoon so we park in the marina, wash down the boat and head into town. We're in Chipiona. We hope the restaurants are good. We're off to find out.

Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July

We had a pleasant sail along the coast to El Rompido. We crossed the shallow bar on the Rio Piedras and slowly made our way up the channel with beaches on both sides for about 4 miles. The marina was ok and our walk ashore took as past rows of holiday restaurants along the beach. We picked one which served excellent food and we sat on the edge of the beach watching the tide go out. Today (Saturday) we made further slow progress further east in light winds. We ended up in Mazagon at the mouth of the Ria de Huelva. All the Spanish marinas are deserted and I know why. They made a mistake with our bill and charged me monohull rates. When they realised they made me pay the balance. The marina manager was very apologetic. He has no discretion and he told me all the boats had left for cheaper marinas. It's more anchoring from now on. They don't even have WiFi here! We walked ashore but there was nothing to see. We're not coming back here again.

Monday 15th to Thursday 18th July

We weighed anchor mid morning and motored out of the lagoon. A sail of 33 miles brought us to the mouth of the river Guadiana which marks the border between Portugal and Spain. We stopped in the marina in Ayamonte on the Spanish side. It was almost deserted. We looked round the town that evening and also explored the following morning. Nothing to get too excited about. We left to go up river in the afternoon of the 16th July. We had to wait to get the flood up the river. One other factor was we had to pass under a bridge. The marina said it was 20m high, the pilot book said 20.5m and the chart said 18m. As we know our mast is more or less 20m high I thought it a good idea to go under at low tide. The mast looked as though it would hit the bridge, it always does. Safely through we sailed nearly 20 miles up the river to the twin towns of Alcoutin (Portuguese) and Sanlucar de Guadiana (Spanish). An extraordinary community of live aboard yachties resides here. Most are Brits who came up the river and stayed, some for weeks, others for months or years or decades. Alcoutin was the livelier of the villages with bars, a couple of restaurants, a Chinese shop, a beach with sand and swimming, and a ATM. I can't envisage wanting anything more. We managed to find a slot on the pontoon on the Spanish side.wewere the talk of the town as this space is occupied permanently by a local bigwig. Our chance only came because he had ran his boat aground and holed it down the river. On Thursday we headed back down the river with the tide and this time went to the marina on the Portuguese side in Vila Real de Santo Antonio (VRSA). Calling the marina on the VHF was more of mouthful but they found us space. In contrast to Ayamonte this marina was crowded, not surprisingly as it was much cheaper. VRSA was also livelier. We've been told that Portugal was all about fish whereas in Spain meat is the main dish on the menu. That seems to be the case and I'm happy to be on the pork after all that fish.

Friday 12th to Sunday 14th July

We were delighted to leave Vilamoura to anchor off the Isla da Culhatra. This island protects a large lagoon from the sea with Far at its eastern end and Olhao to the north. On our first night at anchor it was quite windy so we stayed aboard to look after the boat. The following day we took the dinghy a shore for a walk through town and out onto the board walk that led us over dunes to the beach. The beach was pretty deserted and windswept. No deck chairs, no umbrellas,no ice creams. That evening we ate on the beachfront, grilled fish or grilled fish. Who knew that anchovies could be so big? The next day sadly Colin and Alison had to leave. We all took the ferry to Olhao and after a drink we headed back while they took the bus to Faro and onto the airport.

July 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th

Colin and Alison came walking up the pontoon in mid-afternoon. After arriving at Faro airport a shuttle bus brought them to Lagos. In the evening we went into town for a meal. The following day, the 9th, we motored along the caves just west of Lagos before slowly sailing the few miles back to Alvor. This time we anchored by the entrance for a few hours before moving close to the town in the early evening. We then had supper by the water front. Grilled sardines are the local speciality but I opted for chops. In the morning we took the dinghy ashore and walked along the dunes and then back via the beach. We then motored out of the lagoon and sailed the few miles to Portimao. Here we anchored just inside the harbour entrance. In the evening we took the long journey ashore to a great seafood restaurant. Colin went once again for sardines while the rest of us had other fresh grilled fish. Today (11th) we had a delightful sail for 20 miles down the coast. Some of it was wonderful, pristine and undeveloped. Most of it had concrete blocks which periodically blossomed into a group of concrete towers. We're now in Vilamoura, a brash marina surrounded by shops and restaurants and flats, gaudy and ghastly and grotesque. We plan to leave tomorrow.

July 7th and 8th

After arriving in Lagos we cleaned the boat, attended the prize giving dinner and then bade fond farewell to all those who had been on the Rally. We all took a taxi to Faro and within a few hours we were back in London weather. It was wonderful to see the kids and Hester, and Grete and other family and friends. we made a flying visit to Melton to see the house that we had bought while we were away. In no time at all we were back on the plane, this time to Lisbon. After a straightforward bus rip we were back in Lagos. For the first few days the wind was strong and there was a swell outside the harbour, so we stayed put and explored the area. Yesterday Infinite Dream and ourselves went round the bay to Alvor for the night. We dried out as I had to change the anodes. We are now back waiting for Colin and Alison to arrive to join us.