One foot in the Algarve

We left the Troia anchorage at Setubal with another beautiful sunrise, 3m waves and a great wind but that didn't last long. The wind died and we had to motor. Still we had loads of dolphins for a few hours. (You can see one in the background while Mandy is doing the lines)

It was another uncomfortable overnighter. We arrived at 3am and had another first. Anchoring in the dark. It was pretty easy, full moon, big bay, good charts and no other boats or lobster pots. It was a bit rolly but we still managed to sleep. I'd forgotten that the days are shorter at this time of the year so the dark part of an overnighter is at least 12 hours and much longer than in the summer. Good job there was a full moon.

Had a few walks in Sagres where we stayed for a week in a grand anchorage. 

Great sunsets in Sagres - suprise suprise.

Caught my first fish, a comber, not very edible so let him go.

Left Sagres and had an ace sail to Lagos marina which had THE greatest boat chandlers I have ever been in, Sopromar centro náutico de Lagos. They sold everything and the staff were super helpful. I spent €600 in 30 seconds. :-( One of the things I needed was an new engine battery, the old one was 9 years old and not holding it's charge for very long - but it did well. 

Had a great night out in Lagos, a very British resort, but still beautiful and empty 'coz it was out of season. 

We had a lovely meal in a natural wine and tapas bar. Natties wine - tastes gorgeous, smells unnatural and costs a fortune.

The cook's mate, Fraser, arrived and we left the marina and dropped the anchor by the sea grottos of Lagos. Wouldn't like to stay here in the summer, it was very busy even at this time of year with tourist boats speeding past. But a lovely place.

The guys went off exploring in the dinghy.

Then we did, firstly on the paddleboard, but it was a bit rolly, then in the dinghy.

The next morning, yet another beautiful sunrise. They never get boring, just like seeing dolphins never gets boring either.

After a few days we headed for Vilamoura and stopped for the night at an anchorage outside Albufeira because we were a little early for the Marina. We were treated to another grand sunset.

Got my watermaker working. At the moment its making 70 litres an hour. This will increase to around 100 when the sea temperature increases. Total dissolved solids (TDS) 175, they say 400 is the max for good drinking water. So now we don't have to go into expensive marinas as we can now get showers whilst on anchor.

Vilamoura marina is the biggest marina in Portugal and in the summer ridiculously expensive. But out of season it is quite affordable. 

So we booked in for 1 week whilst Mandy goes home to work and I service the engine, generator, fit new hoses to the toilets and fix the water heater. It's a bit of a British resort, full english €5, pint of Sagres €3.50, lots of golfers but still very pleasant. A world of difference to Lastres in Asturias.

Also, after over 3 months the cook is leaving us to earn a fortune and buy us an electric engine. Goodbye Richie, see you for our Atlantic crossing next year.