Waiting for the Spring..

[saxon]

'Morning all, from this side of the Ocean..wintering in Southern portugal, bound East into the Mediterranean in the Spring. The water in the marina is a light chocolate colour from the soil washed down by the torrential rain we have had here recently. Still, at least the rain is warm unlike the North of Europe which is entering a new ice age I think.. :D.
Only recently started looking at the forum again having acquired a new laptop after spilling grub on the old one. These electronic gizmos don't like a good bath in gravy do they?  ;D

[skylark]

Welcome back

We likes pics

[saxon]

Ha! I have the computer operating skills of a small water melon but I shall try for the pictures.. :D

June 2009 lying in Dartmouth Town anchorage (that's our Dartmouth in Devonshire not the one in Nova Scotia.. ;D ) Outward bound to the Mediterranean and beyond.



The Port of Falmouth in Cornwall, it's where I always make my departure from on voyages. Waiting for the Atlantic to behave itself and allow me to at least get clear of the rocky coast of Cornwall before I meet anything nasty. The Gaff Cutter lying astern of me had just returned from a 5 year circumnavigation by the young couple that owned and built her. The cruise liners call here and the Royal Navy use the fitting out and dry dock facilities.



Five days out and Dolphins leading me South



Becalmed. Not a good sign in this part of the world, closing the coast of Galicia in North-West Spain which the locals refer to as "Costa Del Morte" (coast of death.. :o). :D

Along this coast the weather goes in extremes, an onshore screaming gale, becalmed or this...



It's times like this when I think of raiding the piggy bank and buying a radar!!..

Safely at anchor a Thousand miles from home, the sun is hot, the sea is blue and this is one of those voyagers "cross roads." Some bound East like me, others down to the Canary Islands and on across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and others home to Scandinavia and Northern Europe.



The old building was once part of the harbour defences against the pirates who who raided Portugal from Spain and the Barbary Coast not so far away.

Some of the local residents seemingly untroubled by the march of modern progress around them.. :D





And now it's a safe berth for the winter. At least the rain is warm as the gales sweep in from the Atlantic around Cape St Vincent just a few miles away. The river and marina water here is no longer the clear blue as it was when I arrived to cruise this coast. Ah! well, Spring is on the way and the voyage will begin again. Regards to all.  saxon.

[Tim]

Outstanding! Thank you so much for the great photo log.

Have a grog on me.

[Frank]

Very nice update. Thanks        have another grog   ;)

[ThistleCap]

Are you in Villamora?

[saxon]

Villamora? No ThistleCap, that place is a bit too lively for this old boy.. :D