We left Nazare and didn’t quite have enough wind to sail if we wanted to get to Cascais before dark. The now familiar headland wind boost provided us with one short opportunity to sail before we dropped anchor at Cascais.

The sun tried to burn through the fog which is so common along this coast where the warm moist air meets the almost frozen ocean
By the time we left the harbour wall at Nazare, it was looking like a good day to practice our radar skills
Fi took up the iceberg watch position.

The radar alerted us to other vessels stupid enough to be at sea in the fog and any larger icebergs, but the real danger were the pot buoys that can be difficult to spot even on clear days. These are designed to disable passing yachts and even fishing vessels. They result in a significant number of lifeboat call outs. They usually have a flag, but we have seen everything from soccer balls (Cornwall) to toilet floats or plastic milk bottles (Norway). The French set them in middle of shipping channels, in Norway they can be in 100-200m depth, in strong tidal areas they can be dragged under the surface by the current and some can have many meters of loose rope drifting from them. Others just appear to be a small stick upright in the water. Some in Portugal have lovely smaller floats between them, suspending a big fishing net 50m across, right where yachts want to traverse.

We would typically like to be miles out at sea to avoid fishing gear, but the spicy Orcas in this part of the world tend to eat boats out there, so we balance our risk, and follow the advice to stick close to the coast, and just keep a really good watch for the fishing gear, and fishing boats, and paddleboarders and kayakers, and surfers etc etc etc.

Standard pot buoy marker in this part of the world
The all white version version designed for foggy conditions
A little harder to spot with the sun behind it
The minimalist version
Many have a rope attached to another float to ensure a passing propellor will be fouled
Why bother with a flag when a decaying bit of polystyrene will do?
Is it a pot or is it a bird? My second favourite is when you spot a pot ahead, change course and then notice that it has spread its wings and taken off. But the best is when you don’t change course after identify a flock of birds, and they all take off leaving an non-bird pot just off the bow.

The main risk with these pot buoys is getting the rope tangled around the prop when motoring. Some have nylon rope which can melt when tangled on a turning prop making removal even more challenging. Under sail we could get them caught on a rudder but are unlikely to snag them on the centreboard or feathered prop. Removal from a fouled prop in any sort of swell would be a hazardous task and our favoured option would be to sail to calmer waters before clearing the prop.

The fog clears enough to reveal the rocky coastline. Hmm yes, calmer waters.

Cascais was a quick stop in the anchorage and a re-stock at the supermarket. We have already visited Lisbon by road so we keep heading south to a beautiful shallow bay near a national park.

Sun rays light up the headland next morning
There is a convent on the hill, a cave with an ancient alter in the rocks and oh so inviting turquoise water…
which fails the temperature test!
Not much wind, but the water is beautiful when we leave across the the shallow sandy bay

The next day nice sunny sailing weather quickly turns to damp foggy motoring weather before we emerge at Sines (pronounced “Sinesh”), home of the great Vasco da Gamo. Vasco is credited with finding the sea route from Portugal to India, opening up trade and bringing prosperity.

Vasco still stands in the town gazing out to sea
We too gaze out to sea, whilst reading the menu and sipping a glass of fine Portuguese wine

After some enjoyment in Sines, it was time to brave the last of the Atlantic swell, and head south, and then east around the corner towards the Algarve area of Portugal. We had heard that once you turn the corner, the air temperature jumps by 10 degrees.

Leaving Sines at too early o’clock
A more reasonable amount of fog today adding highlights to the coastal landscapes
We approach Cabo de Sao Vicente, the most south westerly point of Europe, although its neither the most southerly nor the most westerly. Go figure. It was probably also the end of the known universe at some stage and is also described in the review as ‘always windy’… just not today. Its just giving us the finger as we approach.
The south coast was happy to see us as we were to see it! The prevailing northerly wind is now coming over the land and temperatures instantly increase 10 degrees…but is it warm enough to swim?
The intrepid dangle a wetsuitless leg in to test if water temperatures have risen above ‘numb in 3 seconds’. Some of us complete the first circumnavigation of the boat!

We found a nice, but slightly rolly anchorage to stay in at Sagres, right on the westerly corner of Portugal. We didn’t go ashore, as by the morning the swell coming in was almost violent. Instead we traversed along the south coast, marvelling at the Algarve cliffs and beaches to another anchorage.

With the warmer temperatures come the crowds…we have reached the party in the Algarve.

Next time we discover the Algarve and the final approach to the Med…