Sad Passage South.

Date: 16th September 2019.
Current Location: Lagos Marina, The Portuguese Algarve.

We spent the next few days catching up on pre passage jobs and continuing the general improvements aboard. In particular Gilly worked on a wind scoop to move the air through the boat when we are at anchor.

A rare sight - Gilly at the sewing machine.

Trial run.

The finished article. Well cool!

We also spent time trying out downwind sailing techniques with friends John and Rolf and installing a new USB charging station. All slow progress in the right direction.

Sorting out downwind sailing Part 1. Poling out.

And there she flies.

Installing a new USB charging point (top left).

It was time time to move south. We contacted best sailing mate Jack to ask if he would provide weather information for the next three days. What we heard was devastating. He was seriously ill in hospital. So we left Muaña with heavy hearts. We raised the anchor in Muaña only to find first a lobster pot wrapped around the chain, then some fishing line and then two 3" thick ropes. After half an hour of disentanglement - thanks Rolf - we were off.

The three day passage was generally uneventful. Our Garmin InReach sent our position to friends and family, we caught no fish (though we almost lost the line around the skeg), the weather was generally benign and we progressed as planned. Easterlies on Day 1 meant great sailing but then the wind came from behind and we didn't use the pole for some reason. Past Porto, past Cabo de Roca and then Lisbon where we had very little wind and a nasty 2-3m swell. Engine on as we continued southwards. Plenty of dolphins though including a big pod of several dozen that we felt came to wish Jack well. Three whales too - big ones pretty close.

Dolphin on passage.

After a night sail.

Cabo  de Roca lighthouse flashing comfortingly.

Finally we rounded the lighthouse of Cabo de Saõ Vicente (the bottom left corner of the Iberian Peninsula). And there we were at midnight in rolly Sagres anchorage having dodged fishing pots and buoys. As we entered the bay in darkness I could see a faint line quite close crossing our path with a light on it. Half a mile later it was still in front of us and I realised it was the simply the surf running up the beach! The light was a beachcomber working away late at night!

First Algarve daybreak.

Chilling out on the way to Lagos.

Next morning in strengthening winds we sailed east to the marina at Lagos. By an amazing coincidence the Clipper race was just finishing their first leg in neighbouring Portimao and we chased Seattle, the boat on which friend Linda had crewed two years earlier, towards Lagos. As they hit a wind hole we almost caught them up before we too slowed to nothing. So we motored into Lagos where we drank a toast to Jack in the aptly named LazyJacks. The next day bought better news. One  major operation later Jack still manages to be his up-beat self. Get well soon Jack.

Lazyjacks seemed appropriate.

The next big event was the arrival of Andy who we first met in Kas, Turkey. He was one of the brave men that answered our call for regatta crew. He arrived to 25 knot winds so we set him straight to work whipping ropes, labelling and generally 'learning the ropes'. As he is an experienced sailor we agreed he would helm the races and that Gilly and I would do the rest.

Trying to work the Label Printer!

A trial sail and discussions whilst walking along the beach confirmed this as a good approach. Then it was back to work as we tried to fix (again) the water lock in the aft lazarette. Luckily Andy was smaller than me and drew the short straw.

Back in that lazarette. This time Andy.

Finally fixed for good?

There's a long canal and a lifting bridge to negotiate in the entrance to the Marina de Lagos as we all streamed out for Day 1 of the racing. The wind was very light, the swell around 1.5m and Mehalah just bobbed along. The course was 17 miles long. We, along with almost half the fleet, wimped out after four hours with only 1/3 of the course completed and returned to the marina. Free drinks that night. Day 2 was even worse so we just didn't race. But Day 3 was great. 8-10 knots, increasing to 18 in the second race and suddenly Mehalah became, moderately, competitive. We had a great time even if we were still last but one in each race.

Start of the first race.

End of the first race.

That evening was 'the party'. Prize giving etc and some tasty food along with plenty of drink. Chilly in the night air though. Andy managed to get a good photo of a trophy we hadn't won!

The trophy we did not win!

And then it was today. We'd been trying to work out how to run all the lines for our massive parasailor sail. With all three of us in agreement we ventured again down the canal and out into a flat sea with 6 knots of wind. Lines in position, sail bag emptied...and up she goes. Magnificent or what? Absolutely beautiful. We tried various points of sail. When we got in a bit of a muddle trying to gybe we decided to use discretion to call it a day.

Downwind sailing Part 2. The parasailor.

Up she goes.

Wow, just wow!

Andy goes back to England tomorrow. We will miss him. He has been great fun and a great member of Team Mehalah. Thanks Andy.