Return to Culatra Anchorage, Faro

We're back at Culatra anchorage again - on our way back to Portimao.

Really starting to get into this living aboard way of life now. We have been joined by Emma and her friend Ruth for the return journey and it is turning out to be a really pleasant trip.

We spent 4 nights at Ayamunte, doing essential jobs and starting to make lists of what we would like to modify or add to Petronella before we take off next summer for a few months. First on our list is a depth finder a) that works all the time and b) that the helm can see on deck. Apart from that the rest of the things are optional – like holding tanks for when we are in the Meditterranean.

We had heard from Les and Gloria – the boat’s previous owners, that the river Guardiana, which forms the border between Spain and Portugal, was not to be missed so we decided to take Petronella up the river for a couple of days and explore. They were right – it is a magnificent river – very quiet – we saw no more than a couple of ferries and a handful of yachts in the 2 days we were there and most of the houses along the banks were in ruins so very few people too. We managed to sail most of the way up to our first overnight anchorage – just a straight stretch of river bank on the Spanish side. We saw a honey buzzard, kingfishers, egrets, storks and lots of huge fish swirling on the river – though John didn’t manage to catch any of them then spent a very peaceful night watching the almost full moon rise and set over the river. I stayed on deck until 2am it was so magical. Next morning we took the dingy to the bank and went for a walk. That night we anchored in Portugal – weird to sail up a boundary between 2 countries – and went for a beer at one of the local resturants.

We returned to Ayamunte marina on Friday afternoon and made the boat ready for Emma and Ruth’s arrival. The marina was very full but they found us a space when we radioed ahead. Gill slotted her into the berth neatly ready. Then on Saturday we took the ferry cross to Portugal to meet them in from the train station – in a thunderstorm – they were NOT impressed! It says on the weather pages it doesn’t rain in August – it lied! We had Sunday in Ayamunte and then, after a well rehearsed exit from our berth we returned here with thegirls after a flat calm motor on Monday.

This anchorage is still magical. I was calm all yesterday and John and Emma caught last night’s tea for us – more mullet which are really good fried in egg and flour. We all swam and the girls explored the island, learned how to use the dingy (gulp!!) and went to the beach. We watched from the cockpit with horror last night a boat which had gone aground on a sandbank to the east of us and was listing further and further over. As it got dark there were 2 very forlorn looking people standing next to it. But this morning it was no longer there so we assume that it re-floated at high tide early this morning. The winds look set for a good sail back to Portimao on Friday so we will take the opportunity not to motor. Then 4 more days and we come out of the water.