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Published: December 13th 2012
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Tuesday, Sept 4 We woke to a calm sea and a sunny day. The Spanish coast was a distant cloud on the horizon. Around us there was nothing but sea but we knew that later today we would be passing through the Straits of Gibraltar and the shipping lanes would be crowded.
The morning was spent catching up on chores – washing clothes, tidying our rooms, cleaning the windows (yes, they do open), downloading photos. Sylvia sewed and sewed and sewed - she has two baby quilts to finish before we get back to Oz!
Lunch: Beef soup / Fish, Potato salad / Fruit.
We kept a watch on the bridge during the afternoon as Gibraltar got closer. There was a constant radio dialogue between all of the ships in the area and the Gibraltar coast guard. This particular shipping area is so narrow and crowded that the seaway is divided into shipping lanes, similar to a road highway, and every ship has to conform to the “rules of the road” for the area.
During our watch, one small ferry strayed from its assigned lane and was severely reprimanded by the coastguard after all other shipping
was advised that it was a navigation hazard. No doubt a severe fine would follow.
To the left (port) side of the ship we could see the hills of Morocco. John had no preconceptions regarding Morocco but Sylvia was surprised that it was so mountainous. There were lots of towns and villages visible from the ship and it was clear that this part of Morocco, at least, was well populated.
On the right (starboard) side of the ship, Gibraltar and the Spanish city of Algeciras were lively and active, with ferries to Morocco and other destinations coming and going. Gibraltar itself appeared as an unobtrusive town set back behind a dramatic rocky outcrop
The sun slowly sets as we make our way out into the Atlantic. We are due in Sines, Portugal, tomorrow around 0600. Clocks go back 1 hour tonight, as they will every night from now until we arrived at the USA.
Dinner: Beef patty with carrot salad / Assorted meats and cheeses / Fruit.
Wednesday, Sept 5 The journey North from Gibraltar was a little rocky but, being old hands now, we hardly stirred except to notice the change in the
ship’s pitch and roll.
We arrived off Sines on time at 0630 but, due to other ships unloading, we won’t be docking until 0600 tomorrow. Forecast departure is 2100 on 6 Sept, so we should get a whole day in town.
It was a quiet day anchored off-shore. We used a very long line to fish and managed to catch some mackerel that would later be used to make soup for the crew.
Lunch: Chicken soup / Chile con carne and rice / Fruit
Dinner: Chicken in filo pastry / Cucumber salad /Assorted cheeses
Thursday, Sept 6 The sea is flat when we wake and shoals of small fish surround the ship. We think they are sardines. Fishing boats are strung out around our anchorage and the bay making the most of the potential catch.
We finally dock in Sines at 10:00 on a hot, dry day with little wind. The ship is due to sail at 0100 tomorrow, so we have the whole day in port and most of the evening, if we want it. After negotiating the usual port authority requirements we take a taxi into the town.
Sines is
a small town about 170 kilometres South of Lisbon. Until the 1970s it was a quiet fishing village with a sideline in the export of cork. Recently it has expanded to become one of Portugal’s major container ports.
It has a long history. King Pedro 1
st granted a charter to Sines in 1362 on the condition that it would build a castle and keep the area free of pirates. Vasco da Gama, who forged the European route to India, was born here in 1469 and was eventually buried here in 1524 after he was killed in Cochin in India.
Today, Sines Museum is the centre for the history of the area and the focal point for the
World Music Festival, which is held every year at the end of July.
After visiting the museum and the castle, we wandered the streets, mostly window-shopping as there was little we wanted to buy, until the shops began to close for siesta. We had noticed this in Valencia, too. Almost everything closes between 1200 and 1500 except for cafes and restaurants to which everyone migrates for lunch, as did we.
John was persuaded to try the
bachalau – dried, salted cod
with a white sauce accompanied by a Portuguese white wine . The fish was “interesting’ but he won’t be seeking it out as a main meal again soon. “Tasted a bit like half-cooked tripe” was his observation. Sylvia stuck to cream of vegie soup and a jug of sangria.
The restaurant was the only place in Sines that had an internet connection so we were able to leave a quick blog message to reassure our family we were still alive. Even though we were not due to depart until 0100 the next day, we decided that we had done enough tourist duty and headed back to the ship - after buying two dozen Portuguese custard tarts for the crew.
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