An enjoyable few days have been spent here on Porto Santo. Fathom has been anchored inside the harbour which incurs a small charge, as does anchoring outside, but allows access to showers and is much cheaper than the marina. Nice to meet up again with friends from boats met previously in Portugal. In particular with Eric, Britt and crew from ‘Harry Z’ who invited me aboard for dinner on my first evening in port. In return I invited them and the crew of another Norwegian boat ‘Careka’ back for drinks on Fathom the following day. 11 Norwegians in the cockpit and 12 people on board is a new record! The waterline wasn’t looking too good though with an impressive stern list and even water coming up the cockpit drains.
Porto Santo is very small only 9 miles by 5 miles and lies 27 miles to the north east of the main island of Madeira. The north of the island is mountainous whereas the southern coast has an impressive 9km long sandy beach. I hired a quad bike to explore which was a good fun and allowed access to some interesting offroad parts.
Porto Santo
The Columbus festival has been held on the island over the last few days. It evokes the period of the Portuguese maritime discoveries in particular navigator Christopher Columbus, who passed through the island and spent several years of his life living here. Columbus came into contact with Madeira in 1478 and ended up marrying the daughter of the captain of Porto Santo. On Thursday we watched a reenactment of the Columbus disembarkation.
11 Norwegians in the cockpit!
11 Norwegians in the cockpit!
Waiting for Columbus
Waiting for Columbus
Porto Santo
Porto Santo
Porto Santo
can you spot Fathom?
Mural
The harbour wall is decorated with murals and insignia from visiting yachts, just as in Horta in the Azores. So I found a little space and painted one today. Unfortunately the paint shop only had black, yellow and orange paint. I messed up the lettering and the boat looks nothing like Fathom but at least there is a record of Fathom’s visit here.
Heading to Madeira tomorrow and looking forward to spending some days exploring. You never know I may even catch a fish on the way!
I departed Sines early on Friday morning bound for the small island of Porto Santo which lies 470 miles to the south east. The weather forecast suggested two days of fresh north east winds followed by a 24 hour period of light south west winds and then a northerly wind returning following the passing of a weather front. Not a perfect forecast but decided to push on anyway. In fact it was a mixed bag including two beautiful sunsets, some great downwind sailing, some tedious upwind sailing, some sun, some rain, a squall, several calms and a fish called Houdini. Below is a small summary from my log for each day of the trip. Scroll down for some video. More on Porto Santo later.
departing Sines
enjoying the sunset
another nice evening
checking the course
approach to Porto Santo
Day 1: Friday 9th September
Departed Sines just after 08.00. 15 knots of wind from the NE this morning allowing a broad reach and good progress. Must admit to feeling a little queasy for the first hour as there was quite a swell running but soon settled in to the motion and now feeling good. Just after lunch the wind rose slightly and the speed over the ground hovered around 7 knots for a few minutes. There is about 1 knot of favourable current so Fathom was pretty much at hull speed. Really great sailing.
Keen to clear the shipping lanes by sunset and early this afternoon the AIS collision alarm went off and I could see that a 300 ft cargo ship had a closest point of approach of 90 feet. A little close for comfort! Called them up on the VHF and the officer told me he would change course by 20 degrees and insisted on calling me ‘Sir’ which I thought was very polite. Trouble was with only a few minutes until the two boats would be at their closest point he still hadn’t altered course so I called the ship up again his reply being ‘i’m very sorry sir changing course now’!
It is now 21.00 and just put a 2nd reef in the main as wind is over 20 knots and I like to be conservative at night. Hasn’t really made any difference to the boat speed which is hovering around 5.5 knots.. Cooked spaghetti bolognese for dinner and appetite was at 100%. No fish today.
Day 2: Saturday 10th September
At night I sleep in 30 minute blocks and put my faith in the AIS alarm and the radar (which does a sweep every 15 minutes and beeps if it detects any other vessels within 6 miles of the boat). It does take some getting used to when the boat is sailing on by itself into the dark and I am trying to switch off and sleep below. Fathom has travelled 138 nautical miles in 24 hours since leaving Sines at an average of 5.75 knots so very happy with progress so far. Downloaded a weather forecast (GRIB file) and checked emails via the Iridium sat phone while drinking my morning coffee. Forecast still showing 24 hours of headwinds from later tomorrow so progress will slow.
This afternoon I really felt in rhythm with the sea and in good spirits. So good in fact I decided to cook for dinner a chicken leg I had in the fridge with some sage and onion stuffing, potatoes and veg. This evening the wind hovered around 10 knots and I sat on deck and watched the sunset which was very pleasant. Tried to take some video (see below). Still no fish despite using the lure Jean gave me which he promised always works. I have noticed that about 30 minutes after sunset each day the wind tends to increase by 5 to 10 knots.
Day 3: Sunday 11th September
Fathom really does like a decent breeze from aft of the beam and 123 miles sailed in the last 24 hours so no complaints. Despite saying I would refuse to use the engine I did so for two hours this morning when the wind dropped to 4 knots and the sails were banging about in the swell. I hate that sound! It did though allow some juice to be pumped into the batteries which were under 60% as the solar panel cant keep up with the fridge and radar running through the night. The towed generator will come into its own in the trade winds but not used it yet.
This afternoon I went on deck after a short nap and noticed our boat speed had dropped by half a knot. Looked astern and could see a big fish thrashing about on the end of the line. At last! Began to haul in the line but the damn fish did a Houdini and managed to free itself. Not a happy skipper for a few minutes after that.
One moment of concern this afternoon was after another short 20 minute nap I went up on deck and noticed a fairly large ship passing me less than a mile away despite the AIS alarm not having gone off. Turned out the ship wasn’t broadcasting an AIS signal which is illegal. I called them up to tell them but they didn’t answer.. Hope not to meet many like that again.
Wind has dropped to 7 knots this evening and speed over ground is down to 4 knots. Headwinds on the way tomorrow. Pasta and Pesto for dinner. 150 miles to go.
Day 4: Monday 12th September
Tired this morning as didn’t get any decent sleep last night. Was up on deck constantly adjusting the course and resorted to using the engine twice during the night for an hour at a time during two periods when the wind was down to 3 knots and the boat was rolling about in the swell. At least the batteries are charged. Skipper is a bit grumpy.
By 08.00 the wind had backed to the west as forecast and by 15.30 this afternoon our heading was due south. Don’t want to slip any further south so just put a tack in. It is now 21.00 and Fathom is sailing on a course of 300 degrees away from our destination. Waiting for the weather front to pass so the winds return to the north. At sunset Fathom has only progressed 25 miles towards Porto Santo since 08.00 this morning.
Day 5: Tuesday 13th September
Woken up at 03.00 by torrential rain. Wind suddenly rises from 10 knots to 25 knots then to 30 knots as the front goes through. Throw on my oilies and lifejacket and harness and on deck to put another reef in. 20 minutes later all is calm again, the rain has stopped and the wind has veered 90 degrees. Fathom can now head directly for Porto Santo again.
Swell is from the north but the 24 hour period of SW winds has made the sea very confused and Fathom is rolling about all over the place. Eat up the rest of the miles to Porto Santo during the morning sailing downwind in 10 to 15 knots of wind. The island appears at first to be a series of several steep and isolated hills but soon merges into one. Arrive Porto Santo 15.00 and call the marina who say they are full but anchor in the harbour which is preferable anyway. 470 miles covered in 4 nights and just over 4 and a half days. Now for a cold beer!
I decided to leave the anchorage at Cascais on Tuesday and head 50 nautical miles south to Sines to finish the preparations for the trip to Madeira. Jean on ‘Chartist Lady’ also made the trip with the same intention. Unfortunately the wind was lighter than forecast and the motor was required for most of the trip. On the plus side I witnessed the best display from a pod of dolphins I have ever seen. On the approach to Sines four or five of them put on a great show and somehow I managed to capture one of those moments on camera just as four of them were jumping side by side. It was almost as if they were showing me the way to the anchorage.
Today I am working though a list of jobs and boat admin – fill up with diesel, replace empty gas bottle, top up the water tanks, stock up on fresh food etc. Also some attention is being given to the stowage of food and spares onboard as many are loose and need to be secured and put away properly before heading out to sea. The marina here at Sines is fairly quiet but with a friendly mix of German, Dutch and Norwegian boats. It has been really great hanging out with Jean for the last few days. Over the years, and in preparation for my trip, I have read many many sailing books including accounts of circumnavigations and epic solo voyages. But to be able to spend time and chat with someone like Jean, who circumnavigated in ‘Chartist Lady’ using just a sextant and with no money has been even more interesting and inspiring. Unfortunately Jean has a problem with the gearbox on his engine so is staying here an extra week to try and get it sorted.
I am aiming to depart at first light tomorrow for Porto Santo which is 470 miles away and anticipate arriving within 5 days all being well. There is a weather front coming south in a few days time which I may encounter close to Madeira but next week the weather doesn’t look great up this way so I am keen to get going.
My little boat has now taken me over 1000 nautical miles since leaving Yarmouth at the beginning of May. The ground track is showing 1,436 nautical miles travelled and the log (through the water and I know it under reads) 1,156 nautical miles. Time to add a few more!
It has been an eventful start to September. I arrived back at the anchorage in Cascais on Monday in tandem with Claude on his boat ‘Oui Oui’. We got talking to Pete & Sharon on s/y Meridian who were anchored nearby and they invited us for some drinks on Wednesday evening. After picking Claude up from his boat in the dinghy we went aboard Meridian and tie up. It was cool and the wind was blowing hard with gusts around 25 -30 knots so we were sat down in the cabin. Several hours later I went back on deck to pull the dinghy in but there was no dinghy… The wind was howling and I realised that the dinghy with outboard (and my favourite hat) must have drifted well out to sea and be long gone. The end of the breakwater and the marina were off dead downwind from the boat so I had little hope it had drifted there. Pete lent me his dinghy and I motored down to the marina to see if the dinghy had miraculously clipped the end of the breakwater and been pinned to the rocks. No sign. Claude offered to help look for it so we went back to Fathom, hoisted the anchor and motored out into the darkness and still howling wind. At this point it is about 1am. The next two hours are spent motoring downwind for a mile or two and then sweeping back while I am on the bow with a search light. No sign of the dinghy. At 03.30 I drop Claude back on his boat and put the anchor down again resigned to the dinghy being lost and the cost and inconvenience of finding replacements.
The next morning I take Fathom into the marina at Cascais in order I can get ashore and and speak to the local chandlers about replacements etc (insurance won’t replace). In the marina office I ask the girl behind the desk if a dinghy has been spotted in the harbour. She replies ‘actually yes follow me’. And there right at the back of the marina is the dinghy!! No idea how, with that wind direction, it had found its way into the marina but what a bit of luck that was. Yesterday I was the happiest person in Portugal! From now on I will always tie up my own dinghy :).
Seixal
Seixal
Seixal
Seixal
Seixal
Seixal – Fathom back of shot
mast check
passing under 25 de Abril Bridge
Claude on Oui Oui
Last week was spent anchored in Seixal and it was nice working on jobs on the boat and enjoying the very peaceful atmosphere there. Amazing how often I bump into familiar boats and in Seixal it was Pete on s/y Frantic who gave me some spreader boots that didn’t fit his boat but fitted Fathom perfectly. Seixal itself appears at first to be a very poor and run down town. The main street is currently being relaid so there is dust everywhere, many of the buildings are tired and some empty and boarded up. But looking past all that it has a very nice atmosphere and the local people are very friendly. It is more like the real Portugal as opposed to the artificial and touristy Cascais. While I was in Seixal there were only 5 other visiting yachts there and I didn’t run in to any other tourists ashore. Very refreshing.
Claude is now on his way back north to the UK. Yesterday I met a very interesting solo Belgian sailor called Jean Heylbroeck on his yacht ‘Chartist Lady’. Jean is famous in Belgium and Holland for his sailing exploits over the last 40 years and books about his adventures including solo circumnavigation in the 1980’s pre GPS era. After chatting over a cup of coffee Jean and I may sail in tandem to Porto Santo, Madeira in a few days time. Jean is now in his 70’s and we both thought it a nice idea to have another boat in close proximity for the passage. The weather forecast is not favourable for departing before Thursday as there is an area of very light winds on the approach to Madeira and the northerly winds here in Portugal are faltering for a short time. So a few more days to prepare but not long now. Expecting to leave Thursday or Friday next week and I will be posting many more updates when I am on the move again.
Sorry for being slack at posting updates recently but the last month has absolutely flown by and Fathom and I have not ventured too far. The last few weeks have felt like a holiday within my voyage as a whole and it has been quite refreshing not to spend every moment thinking about boat jobs and the next destination. I have been lucky to meet some really amazing people and spend many happy days with new friends.
After temporarily leaving Cascais at the beginning of the month a couple of days were spent at Oeiras marina nearby where the water tanks were filled and the boat given a well needed wash. Then back to the anchorage at Cascais where I ended up spending time with people both in and out of the sailing world. Natasha, Barbara and Nadja had hired a car for their three weeks of holiday in Portugal and it was great to hang out with them and visit some beaches up the coast by road which I wouldn’t have had the chance to see otherwise. We also made several trips into Lisbon both in the day and for nights out. Anyone wanting a good night out in Lisbon go to Pensão Amor!
Mid month I took the girls sailing south for a few days. We anchored off the beach at Sesimbra which is a nice town and then onto a brilliant anchorage off the beach at Arrabida where the water was so warm we swarm ashore. The wind then piped up for a couple of days and as I didn’t want to make the crew uncomfortable beating back north into 25 knot headwinds we pulled into Troia marina for a couple of nights. This marina is situated at the end of a peninsular which contains an amazing white sandy beach but is unfortunately also a tourist resort and not a place I would normally choose to spend time. At least having an Italian on board we had some great food. Once the wind had moderated we made our way back to the anchorage at Cascais.
tourist shot, Lisbon
girl crew for a few days
early morning fisherman
sunset at Adraga beach
What a mess
This month I have visited several companies as a Shipbroking consultant on behalf of my previous employers which has worked well. I purposely brought one smart shirt with me which spends most of its life in a vacuum packed bag and only makes an appearance when I need to be extra smart. I had to reassure my ex colleagues back in the office that I had trimmed my beard and wasn’t looking too much like a salty old seadog.
Yesterday I arrived in Seixal across the river from Lisbon where I intend to spend about a week. It is a very quaint and interesting place and I will write about it and upload some photos in the next update. It was fun and games pulling up the anchor in Cascais when I left. The pilot book mentions much of the anchorage is foul and sure enough the windlass pulled up a lobster pot, huge bunch of fishing net and a large fishermans anchor all wrapped around my chain. Thanks to the Dutch guys from the boat next door for their assistance in getting it all free. Sadly there was no lobster in the pot.
It feels quiet now that my new friends have flown home and other boats I had been anchored next to for many days have moved on. I must adjust and revert back into the solo sailing mindset. The cruising community is small though and I will see familiar faces again further south. This week I intend to work through a list of boat jobs and get everything in order before departing on the 4 or 5 day sail to Porto Santo, Madeira. Claude is flying back here at the weekend to sail his boat back to the UK so I’ll have a beer with him before departing. Really looking forward to setting sail again and getting back out in the big ocean.
The day after I arrived in Cascais, Sunday before last, Claude turned up on his boat ‘Oui Oui’ having departed Madeira a few days earlier. After completing the Jester Challenge to the Azores he had then sailed to the Canaries and was on his way back north. Apparently the Jesters that reached the Azores, including several who had done the trip and solo transatlantic’s before, all agreed “Never Again!” A few (quite a few) beers were drunk and a couple of days later I left Fathom at anchor and sailed with Claude on his boat to Seixal. This is a very nice local place a few miles down river opposite Lisbon, where he will leave the boat for a month. I will likely take Fathom there for a few days soon. Must be careful with the pronunciation and spelling of this town for obvious reasons.
While Claude was still about Chris and Cath on ‘Harlekin,’ arrived in the anchorage. I was surprised to find out they all knew each other as it turned out Claude had purchased his boat from Island Harbour and spent some time there. So there we were, three boats from Island Harbour on the Isle of Wight all at anchor together in Portugal. Chris and Cath had some problems installing a replacement compass for their autohelm but four heads are better than two and we managed to get it working for them just in time to see the Tall Ships departing Lisbon.
One day I received a message from a friend of mine Charlie from uni who was on holiday just up the road. Charlie is a top Figaro sailor and aiming for the Vendee in 2020. Great to have an unexpected catch up with him a couple of days short of the 10th anniversary since graduation. Where has the decade gone.
Claude on ‘Oui Oui’
Catch up with Charlie
Tall ships leaving Lisbon
beach near Cabo da Roca
Cascais in background
The anchorage at Cascais has had a real cruising community feel about it. In addition to bumping into several boats I had met previously further north, last week I had a very nice evening and dinner with Norwegian couple Erik and Britt onboard their boat ‘Harry Z’. It has been particularly satisfying anchoring for free off the marina which is ridiculously expensive and has unhelpful staff and a general bad attitude. I know of other cruisers who were quoted 10 euros a day for permission to tie their dinghy in the marina while going ashore from the anchorage. I thankfully discovered the Naval Club on the edge of the marina which is very friendly and allowed me to tie up the dinghy for free and have free showers. Not only that they have a TV in the club which showed the Formula 1 and the Americas Cup series racing which was a bonus. The wind has really been blowing at times particularly in the early evenings though the anchorage is well protected from swell. Several days the wind has been in excess of 25 knots with gusts up to 35. I have a lot of faith in my Rocna anchor and touch wood have never dragged. Last night the wind was so strong the dinghy, which was tied astern, tried to do a back flip several times.
This area really has been a great place to spend time and nice to meet people from outside the sailing world too. New friends from places including Sweden, Norway, Germany and Italy. Days spent up the coast on the beach and nights out in Lisbon. Fun times.
This morning I eventually pulled up the hook and left the anchorage. Fathom has not travelled far, just five miles or so down the coast towards Lisbon, in a nice and friendly marina called Oeiras. I need to fill up the water tanks, do the laundry, exchange gas bottles etc. Some friends are still in Cascais so I will stay around this area a week or so longer. I want to explore Lisbon properly too. I am in no rush and current plan is to arrive in Porto Santo, Madeira, in early September. On entering the marina here at Oeiras earlier I was hailed by John and Jenny who I had met a few weeks back in Baiona. Within five minutes of tying up I had been invited aboard their boat for home made burgers and some red wine. How will I ever be able to return to the real world?!
