Lisbon/Portugal to Gibraltar

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26th June Thursday - 18.30pm
Arrival in Lisbon - Portugal - Doca de Alcântera Harbour
Trip: 269 nmiles
Log: 19797

After checking in with the Harbour Master and filling in all the forms required there wasn’t much of the day left. It’s hot and sticky with no wind at all in the harbour. Everyone is tired after sailing in shifts most of the night so all that’s left of today is a good shower and an even better meal.

It seems that over the past 10 years alot of the larger harbours have expanded, not just in Europe but also in England. Also, mostly all of what was either Docks or Fishing Fleet harbours have now been converted into extreamly lovely apartment buildings with restaurants and shops. The Harbours themselves have expanded to take even more pleasure boats, some motor boats are as high as houses and very expensive to run. With all that money that’s made each year you would think that harbour fees would be reduced for visitors, instead they are even higher than normal, some to even prices that seem to be out of this world, but that’s another story for another time. The facilities are sometimes very nice but we have been in some harbours where the facilities are awful and not worth the fees or to even use them.
After showering in some very nice facilities in Lisbon, we all go out to get something to drink and eat. We don’t get very far as we are all hungrey and thirsty. We take a walk and cross over the main road to find a few restaurants that suit our purpose. An early night for everyone so that we can caught up on our sleep.


27th June Friday

In the morning Lars remembers part of Lisbon when he was here last time so we make our way to the central square that seems to have all sorts of different transport modes, buses, trams, open air buses, taxi’s. We decided to take a tram that will take us on a sightseeing tour around parts of the city. It was very interesting. We were given headphones and we listened to someone tell us the history of a part of the city. We then take a taxi upto the Castle high above the town. We have lunch up there and afterwards Uno and Peter decide that they want to walk back to the boat. It takes them 2 hours and poor Peter was exhausted when he got back, even Uno’s feet were feeling the heat. Lars and I were lazy or sane, we took a taxi back, it was alot easier.
Later after a rest for all and then showers we ask a taxi driver to take us to the best eating places in the old town. When we arrive there doesn’t seem to be very many but then as we turn a corner there are restaurants after restaurants, it’s just to take our pick at one that we think looks good. The food was lovely and we enjoy every minute of the experience of sitting with hundreds of other tourists. The whole area around the old city has been made into restaurants. There are a few shops but not many in that area. The atmosphere is wonderful. Street singers and instrument players everywhere. In another square we found an Acrobat who seem to have his guests mesmorized. We had a young man who sung ballards in Portugese and I could see that the ones that understood him loved his singing and whatever he sung about, most probably about love, sadness and tears.




28th June Saturday
Departure Lisbon - Portugal: 9.40am
Log: 19797
Engine: 2006

A very mild beginning. Not alot of wind but it was nice to get out of the harbour. We found it very stuffy and airless, there wasn’t alot of wind there either, very hot and humid, at least out on the sea it’s open and more fresher as the day goes on.
Sails up at 13.10pm. Uno lost his cap overboard. We did a “Man over board” rutin to get it back. Well it was a favorite cap of Uno’s so it had to be saved.
We didn’t really bother with night watches as we were going to arrive in Largos early. Not much going on. A very quiet sail. It was either read a book or take a nap.
















30th June Sunday
Arrival Largos: 3.45am
Trip: 126,53
Log: 19924

What was left of the morning was awful. The waves coming into the bay were all over the place. There wasn’t much wind which meant that we got the waves in the side of us and it made us rock back and forth, slowly at first then more violently the longer we stayed. In the end we just took up the anchor even before breakfast and motored away. No one had slept very much so it was better that we left.

30th June - Sunday
Departure Lagos: 9.00am

Costa del Sol does not have many coves or bays to moor in. The Coast is high and there are alot of what looks like greenhouses everywhere. The coves are not large enough for us to hide in from the winds or old waves as Lars calls them. Old waves are from along way away and build up under the sea. They can also come from a storm which is the other side of the world. They are lazy, very large waves and they can make it very uncomfortable at night. It’s better to go into harbours at least there you have some protection. We just hope that the Coast line isn’t like this all the way, it would be nice to anchor in a cove, swim and just have a lovely breeze blowing through the boat.
It’s getting hotter and hotter the further we sail and it seems like the winds die out after dark.


30th June - Sunday
Arrival Vilamoura: 15.05pm
Trip: 24,65 nmiles
Log: 19950 nmiles
Engine: 2020,6 hrs


We had a celebration/thank you dinner. Uno and Peter will be leaving us tomorrow morning. They both need to get back. It’s a shame they both can’t stay until we reach Gibraltar but it has been lovely having them with us especially crossing The Bay of Biscay. I’m glad they came and helped out. Maybe they could come another time and sail with us some more.






1st July Tuesday
Departure Vilamoura: 8.50am
Log: 19950
Engine: 2020


Uno and Peter have left us. They took a taxi very early to the Airport.
Karl and Gabriel will be arriving in a couple of days so Lars and I don’t have much time before the next crew arrive.

We left Vilamoura directly after Uno and Peter’s taxi drove away. No winds at all and the sea is very calm for a change.

Entered Spain again 15.20pm
Tonight we would like a bay or cove, no harbours. Hopefully one that doesn’t rock with old waves again.


Arrival: El Puerto de Santa Maria: 21:50pm
Trip: 95,66 nmiles

Very sheltered area, good breeze and it’s nice and quiet.


2nd July Wednesday
Departure El Puerto de Santa Maria: 14.35pm
Log: 2004,6 nmiles
Engine: 2033

We had a very lazy morning, we knew that Cadiz is not far away so we took it slowly, it’s only across the other side of the bay that we are in.
When we arrived at Puerto Americano they would not accept us, too big. 15 meters is the longest they would accept and they sent us over to Puerto Sherry which is near enough where we were.







Arrival Puerto Sherry: 15.45pm
Trip: 5,45nmiles

Very strange place. Alot of the buildings are only half done and it’s everywhere. Even the Hotel is only half finished. Kalle and Gagge are arriving later and are flying into Alicante. There was a direct flight to Alicante from Göteborg.
Kalle called, they have hired a car and will be with us in about 7 hours.
They finally arrived at 22.20pm, left their luggage aboard and then had something to eat. Both were very tired and after food they just wanted to sleep.


3rd July Thursday
Departure Puerto Sherry
Log: 2005
Engine: 2034

Kalle and Gagge have gone to take the car back in Cadiz. We plan on meeting them at Marina Puerto Americano, the yacht club that only takes 15m boats.
Picked up the boys at 11.15am, no bother at all. They did think that the Taxi driver said 78 Euro´s instead he meant 7 or 8 Euros to the Marina.

Phoned Queensway Marina in Gibraltar and asked if it would be ok if we arrived one day earlier. We had phoned yesterday and arranged a berth from tomorrow. They said it was OK but we must be there before 21.30 which is when they close for the day.
Sails up 11.40am.

17.58, waves are really strange, going all over the place. We are in The Straits of Gibralter and it’s only (from the narrowest point) seven nautical miles from Spain over to Africa. It looks like the sea is boiling and we are doing 10 knots with the motor on as all the winds has disappeared. Africa is on our starboard side and the southern most point of Spain is on our Port side. Soon we will pass through the smallest passage through into the Med. Lots of traffic passing through the 7,87nmile passage. It’s amazing how many boat pass through each day and it’s also very nice that we are actually doing this now. I have only been through this passage once when my family were on our way to Cyprus many years ago. I don’t remember that trip but I will remember this one for ever.

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