Blog 31: Enjoying the Algarve

Well, the last 18 months have been very strange times with the whole world affected by the Covid-19 pandemic! We were unable to return to Astraia in Portugal until the end of June due to travel restrictions, but we're here at last and enjoying some blue skies and sunshine.

When we arrived Astraia looked good - BUT unfortunately had developed a leak in one of her fuel tanks and the bilges were full of very expensive diesel! This all had to be pumped out and disposed of properly – a long hot job.

We then spent quite a time trying to find the leak, which involved adding more diesel to the tank and watching for drips!!

Here I’m gradually pouring the diesel in ….

… while Charles is down in the engine room looking for leaks!!

Eventually we found a small but steady drip, but by that time had another 30 litres of diesel to pump out with a tiny hand pump!

So we have spent a bit of time here in Lagos arranging to repair or replace the fuel tank and we have decided to manage with a temporary fuel tank and sort the problem out over the winter at the boatyard in Portimão, just along the coast from here. As well as the tank problem, we still had all the other normal boat maintenance jobs to do because we were prevented by Covid from travelling here over the winter.

But being stuck in Lagos is not such a bad thing! And in between boat jobs we have explored a bit of the local area.

Although it’s quite a big tourist destination and there are many British and other foreign voices to be heard, Lagos is not just a holiday resort once you get beyond the marina. It also has an old town with cobbled streets and nice restaurants and bars.

This view shows the river, Ribeira de Bensafrim, with Lagos Marina on the left and the town of Lagos on the right.

Here’s the quaint little ferry that runs across the river.

This is Lagos seen from the fishing harbour

An attractive square in Lagos

A typical street in Lagos with mosaic paving and wrought iron balconies.

Igreja Paroquial de Santa Maria de Lagos

Fortaleza de Lagos

There are also wonderful beaches, some vast sandy expanses but also some more sheltered little coves.

This is the local beach – Meia Praia – only a 10 minute walk from the marina – it stretches for miles (4km actually) as far as the eye can see! Beautiful soft golden sand and a nice warm sea temperature.

The first time I went, the surf was so big it wasn’t really possible to swim – people were just paddling and it was splashing up over our heads. Nice and refreshing on a hot day though.

And this is one of the rather nice, sheltered little coves which I found later – about a 20 min walk away

We also have access to the Marina Club Pool which is super and sheltered even on a windy day.

And there are plenty of bars and restaurants around the marina keen for our custom in these difficult Covid times. We liked the motto on this wine cork!

One afternoon we visited Ponta da Piedade, fantastic limestone rock formations right on our doorstep here in Lagos. Ponta da Piedade translates as Point of Mercy or Point of Pity and fishermen’s wives used to come here to pray for their husbands’ safe return.

The lighthouse at Ponta da Piedade

Dramatic cliffs

Beautiful seascape

Stunning views along the coast

Limestone pillars

Later I went on a kayak trip to explore the caves at the foot of the cliffs.

I went on a ‘Days of Adventure’ trip – we were taken round to the caves in a larger boat …

… then we were launched in ‘unsinkable’ kayaks to paddle in and around the caves for an hour – really great to get so close. These are some of my fellow kayakers – it’s hard to take a picture of yourself when you’re being launched backwards in a kayak!! Some of the caves had descriptive names, like the Titanic, the Elephant, the Cathedral, the Kitchen and the Art Gallery.

We went through some arches and inside some caves in our kayaks – awesome!

Afterwards we swam from the bigger boat and jumped off the cabin roof – the water was surprisingly chilly!

Charles and I took a short trip along the coast one evening to Praia da Luz which is quite a nice little spot.

This is the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz at Praia da Luz painted in the distinctive Portuguese yellow and white colour scheme.

Inside it was surprisingly light and simple in style for a Portuguese Catholic Church …

… contrasting with the highly decorated gold altar

We enjoyed an evening drink overlooking the beach at Praia da Luz

Another day we went to Lagos Zoo

We enjoyed watching these monkeys and the pelicans in the background

Flamingos always make a pretty picture

I did a day trip in a hire car to Sagres and Cape St Vincent, which is the most South Westerly tip of Portugal and which we sailed round last year in thick fog. I fancied seeing it on a clear day!

This is Sagres Fortress, an unusual sea fort, which has a single fortified wall and three natural cliffs providing protection for defenders. Beyond this ‘curtain wall’ the fortress buildings extend over the rest of the Sagres peninsula – a huge area which takes about an hour to walk round! The curtain wall dates from the late 18^th century and replaced more primitive 15^th century fortifications.

The Central Tower is also the main entrance to the fort

A Sentry Box – these were located at all the forward angles of the fortress to give a clear view of the surrounding area. It felt tiny and claustrophobic inside.

This is the Sagres Rosa dos Ventos or ‘Rose of the Winds’ which was only excavated in 1919. It is thought to be a kind of compass which may have been used in the navigation school set up at Sagres by Henry the Navigator in the 15^th century. It measures 43 metres in diameter.

The Sagres peninsula is composed of a huge area of limestone pavement, formed by erosion due to the chemical and mechanical action of rainwater, which fractures the rock and allows the water to infiltrate.

It’s pretty barren ground, but some brave little wildflowers do manage to thrive.

This is the Fortress church, the Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Graça, built in the 1570s.

The church interior is pleasingly simple …

… with a rather lovely 17^th century painted wooden altar.

I walked all round the perimeter of the fortress, enjoying spectacular views of Cape St Vincent to the West …

… it was hidden in thick fog when we sailed past it!

An attempt at a ‘selfie’ with a view of the coast beyond!

The view to the East

This is an art installation called the Camara Sonora or Chamber of Sound – if you stand in the centre of the spiral you can hear the sea! The Sagres Lighthouse is beyond.

Finally I reached Cape St Vincent itself – it is the most South Westerly point in Portugal and of mainland Europe.

The view North towards Spain – we sailed along here in the fog without being able to see how treacherous it looked!

The view East towards the Algarve.

The Fortaleza de Santo Antonio do Beliche was constructed mainly to protect tuna fishermen from attacks by pirates due to the economic importance of tuna fishing. It was built in 1632 on the site of an older fortress.

A beautiful view from the Fortaleza do Beliche

A view of the nearby beach

The Terra Restaurant where I had a delicious and healthy salad …

… and their very clear directions to the loo!!

A ceramics shop advertising its wares all over the walls!

Back at Lagos Marina, Astraia is sufficiently ready for a short trip down the coast even if we haven’t sorted out all the boat problems yet.

To get in or out of the marina you have to ask for the lifting pedestrian bridge to be opened – here’s Astraia about to go through …

… and we’re out, and heading to Alvor for the weekend …

… keeping clear of the serious GC32 racing …

… and finally getting our own sails up for the first time this year!

Alvor is situated at the head of a large lagoon, protected from the Atlantic by the dunes which line the coast.

The entrance to the lagoon is through two man-made breakwaters, constructed in the early 1990s, which protrude maybe 200 metres into the Atlantic Ocean.

The lagoon was dredged to form a wonderful sheltered area for leisure boating. Apart from yachts and motor-boats anchored there, you can canoe, paddle-board and swim in sheltered water protected from the Atlantic surf. You still need to be careful of the tide though – it is so strong at times that you would be unable to swim against it.

Astraia anchored at Alvor on a calm day

It’s not always so still though! When the Nortada wind blows it’s a fantastic place for kite-surfing and wind-surfing.

There are Atlantic beaches just beyond the dunes with impressive surf …

… and beautiful sheltered beaches inside the lagoon.

There’s a boardwalk across the dunes through the nature reserve to the village – about 2 km, a lovely walk

Here Becca and I are walking to the village when she visited last year

Alvor was originally a fishing port and there is still an active fishing industry there.

It’s an attractive village with steep cobbled streets and traditional buildings.

I rather liked the plants on each step of this path

This is the Church of the Divine Saviour of Alvor …

… though the rather elaborate altar was not really to my taste

Alvor is now also a tourist resort with smart cafés under shady palm trees and English widely spoken, although there are plenty of local visitors too.