We were in Albufeira since Wednesday 25th Feb, the weather was not very good and there had been quite few days of rain but now things look like they are improving. Original plan was to stay there a week and then move on to Portimao but the wind had moved round to the west by the Wednesday so we paid up to Sunday the 8th of March and ended up staying another week after that before we headed to Lagos. It’s OK in Albufeira – but a bit of a hike to the shops. But when we were there we did see Stacy & baby Alicia and Lee, and Amie; they were all fine but it had been a quiet winter for them – the last summer season had slowed down early and this year’s season is slow in starting.
Now that the days are a bit brighter and warmer we feel a bit more inclined to get a couple more jobs done – polishing the topsides and making a permanent bracket for the ‘Tiller-Pilot’ to operate the wind steering rudder.
The mosquitoes are not as much of a nuisance in Albufeira as they were in Vila Real – but that will be because there are not the same ‘wetlands’ or salt-marshes nearby. So we’re not getting much chance to use the electric tennis racket that we brought back from UK – we have tried it out and it does the job. Just really stuns them – then you have to finish them off and feed them to the fish…. Very eco friendly – no nasty sprays and all that ozone destruction. Here in Lagos there are virtually no mozzies – yet!
We moved to Lagos on Sunday 15th and life just now is generally quiet; just getting on with the day-to-day business of shopping, cooking, washing, etc, interspersed with some walking, socialising and a few more jobs. Quite a few Scottish boats here ‘Reeve’ (with Tony & Joyce) heading back to Ardfern and ‘Little Else’ (with Liz & Ju) from Ardfern and here for a few months, there are others but I can’t remember them all just now. There is the usual high percentage of ‘over-wintering’ boats in the remainder of the marina population who are preparing to start there travels again and head off in which ever direction of the compass takes their fancy… The tourist season hasn’t really started yet ( I don’t think) because some places still appear to be quiet and the touts for the tour boats and trips are not really active.
We are still planning to look for a weather window near or after the middle of next month and move up to either Sines or (more probably) Cascais.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
- Balchis
- Catch up on where we are and see some pictures. Balchis is a 32 1/2 foot Barbary Ketch designed by Walter Rayner and built in 1972 by Mitchells of Poole. Normally sailed on the west coast of Scotland (the Inner Hebrides) but also Ireland, Isle of Man and as far down as the Scillies. The outline plan is to leave Loch Feochan during the first week in July 2007 and end up in The Scillies by about the 24th July (via Canna). Then wait for favourable conditions to cross to North West Spain and head South at a leasurely pace to the Algarve for about October (- ish). For 2008 we are heading into the Med and the Balearics and then we will see which way the wind is blowing us... Been there - now heading back to Scotland during 2009.
Counter
Send an email to us on Balchis