Vilamoura – Ilha Culatra 18 nm
After more than six months in Vilamoura, the time has finally come. We’re setting sail and leaving the marina. First, we quickly return the rental Ferrari, buy some marinated chicken breast fillets from the Spar supermarket and freeze them, take out the trash, and tidy up anything that might be lying around. Oh, and of course, we’ll take care of the dishes too. We’ve stowed the gangway, disconnected the power cable and water hose, and we’re off. OK, “off” means just before noon. Our friends Wolfgang, Sylvia, Ralf, and Martina wave us off cheerfully with a Mexican wave. We hope to see them again in just a few days! After a smooth cast-off and departure, we head straight to the gas station. We fill the tanks with just under 400 liters of diesel and are happy that diesel prices in Portugal—even at the otherwise significantly more expensive boat gas stations—are still cheaper than in Germany. We say goodbye to our helpful marina staff and promise that we’ll be back someday. Whenever that may be! Then we’re finally off for real. We cast off from the gas station and head out onto the wild Atlantic. Well, “wild” is really a matter of definition. Especially on April 1st! We have beautiful weather with a light breeze. We unfurl our genoa and motor-sail eastward in 2-force winds. East?! Didn’t we want to go west? Yes, we do. But we’re in no hurry, so we treat ourselves to another lovely anchorage in the Ria Formosa. We make ourselves comfortable in the front cockpit and cruise leisurely along the coast. Once again, we’re captivated by the blue sky and the endless beaches on our port side. Unfortunately, the wind is dying down and coming in more and more from the front, so we have to roll up our genoa again after just an hour. Eventually, we reach the entrance to the Ria Formosa between the islands of Deserta and Farrol. With a bit of momentum and the rising tide, we pass through the entrance and turn right toward Ilha Culatra. The anchorage isn’t very large yet, and we quickly find a nice spot behind the newly established restricted area. We spend the rest of the day enjoying the sun in the forward cockpit and looking forward to the new season. And finally, we have an unobstructed view of the sunset again. So beautiful!!! After we eventually move from the forward cockpit into the salon, we unfortunately notice that our fresh water pump keeps kicking in. Not good! So we set out to troubleshoot and finally find the problem in our bathroom. There’s a leak at a hose clamp on the toilet’s fresh water supply. A puddle has already formed in the bilge, so we quickly tighten the hose clamp. We’ll put off drying everything out and cleaning it up until tomorrow. That settles our plans for tomorrow as well.
The next day begins just as the last one ended—with glorious sunshine. Lucky and I settle in at the front cockpit, and I enjoy my first cup of coffee. The fishermen are already hard at work, and one boat after another whizzes past us, gently rocking the La Ola. Finally, Axel manages to make his way out of the cabin, and we have breakfast together in the front cockpit. A healthy meal with homemade muesli and freshly squeezed juice. Afterward, we get to work on the tasks we put off yesterday. We drain and clean the bilge. Work is followed by play. We inflate the new kayak, and I set off on my first outing. Elke from Langwedel lets me know that her sailing friends from the BigFoot are in the anchorage. So I paddle over quickly and pass on her regards. The trip back is a bit more of a struggle, and somehow the distance just keeps getting longer. Eventually, though, I’m back at La Ola and can already feel tomorrow’s muscle soreness in my arms. Axel also tries his hand at kayaking, but unfortunately gets back pain more or less immediately. Too bad, because we actually wanted to go on kayak tours together. While we’re sitting down for our afternoon coffee, the Maverick Eyola, belonging to our friends Johannes and Cathy, motors by. Friends of theirs are currently on board and are anchoring just around the corner. We’ll probably have to go say hello again tomorrow. Otherwise, we’re enjoying the sunny weather and relaxing on board. In the late afternoon, Ralf and Martina from Atlas Shrugged arrive in the anchorage. Wolfgang and Sylvia plan to follow tomorrow. Let’s see if we can organize a get-together on the beach with all the German yachts here for Easter! Meanwhile, Axel is trying to get our planned shipyard visit off the ground. Since we couldn’t get a crane appointment in Portimão, we inquired at the shipyard in Lagos and at least received a quote. A little later, we have an appointment for the third week of April and book the whole thing. So we still have a few days and weeks left to anchor in the Algarve. In the evening, we have a delicious salad with grilled chicken breast and the obligatory beautiful sunset. And the moon is also putting in a special effort with its appearance today. Round and red, it stands in the sky and reflects in the water.
A new morning, a new spectacle. While the moon fades away in the west, pale and gray, the sun greets us in the east with a burst of vibrant colors. That alone makes getting up early worth it! And it’s a holiday, too—Good Friday. Although, if I’ve understood it correctly as a 100% atheist, calling it a “holiday” doesn’t quite capture the meaning of the day. Well then, we’ll just make the best of it and enjoy this day like any other. That’s what you should do anyway, in my view. Enjoy every day as it comes. In any case, we start by enjoying a delicious breakfast in the cockpit. Then it’s time to wash up, vacuum, and shower. We also test the generator (it’s still running perfectly). Even though we generate most of our electricity via solar panels, the diesel generator has to run every now and then so it doesn’t get rusty. Freshly showered, we then get the dinghy ready. We head over to Ilha Culatra and anchor our inflatable boat—it’s called “Brillie,” by the way—at the beach. Then we stroll through the little village and on to the Atlantic beach on the south side of the island. The beach bar is open, and we’re tempted by a cold beer under a palm-fringed umbrella. The water in front of us looks truly Caribbean. Turquoise with dark blue patches. A few daredevils can even be seen swimming. We make our way back through the dune landscape to downtown Culatra. We stop at Aqua Chill and enjoy a light lunch of oysters, ceviche, and grilled octopus. Afterward, we buy a bag of charcoal at the little shop next door, because a beach barbecue is on the agenda for tomorrow. Steffi and Jörg from the BigFoot have organized a sailors’ get-together. Everyone brings something to eat and drink and can enjoy the convivial gathering. We’ve passed along the invitation to all the sailing yachts we know and hope everyone shows up. Back on board, Lucky is already eagerly waiting for us, wanting to enjoy the afternoon sun in the front cockpit with us. All right. If we have to… So we sit together for a while and enjoy the sun. The only thing missing for a perfect day is, unfortunately, last year’s dolphin show. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Saturday starts as usual. Sunrise, blue skies, exercise, and breakfast. Then we prepare a batch of Mediterranean pasta salad for the barbecue. Today, we finally get to use our picnic basket. We fill it with grilled meat, pasta salad, and drinks. Finally, we launch the dinghy and head over to Independence 2 with the picnic basket and two folding chairs. Wolfgang and Sylvia hop on, and we’re off around the corner to the beach. Steffi and Jörg from the BigFoot, as well as Ines and Thomas from Frodo, are already waiting for us there. A little later, Martina and Ralf from Atlas Shrugged join us, and the group is complete. Jörg has brought a small grill and is firing it up. Soon steaks, sausages, and grilled potatoes are sizzling. We settle into the sand and feast together on the delicacies we’ve brought. We chat about sailing and our respective plans for the season. Meanwhile, the sun is beating down from the sky, and at some point we feel thoroughly cooked ourselves. So we pack everything back into the dinghy and leave the beautiful beach. Barely underway, we run into Georg and Irene with their three kids, who are currently vacationing on Maverick Eyola. They’re on their way to the beach, where they’ve started a little construction project using driftwood. We chat briefly and wonder how long it’s been since we met in Hamburg. It must have been fifteen years! After dropping Wolfgang and Sylvia back off at their boat, we spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the shaded cockpit. Add an ice cream for a sundowner, and another wonderful day is already over.
Ilha Culatra – Portimão 37,5 nm
It’s Easter Sunday, and we actually found two eggs!!! Well, okay, in the egg cup at breakfast, but still. After this highlight, we tidy up and weigh anchor. Our friends from Atlas Shrugged and Independence 2 had already set off while we were still having breakfast. Unfortunately, this is where our paths part, as both crews are heading for the Mediterranean. We, on the other hand, turn west and motor out of the Ria Formosa for now. Once past the exit, we hoist the genoa in 4–5-knot winds and make good progress at first. After less than an hour, the wind dies down and we hoist the mainsail. The genoa is rolled up again, as it no longer fills in the stern wind in front of the mainsail. We continue like this for just under 30 nautical miles along the coast, past Vilamoura and Albufeira. We enjoy the view of the beautiful coastline and are happy that we can finally cover a stretch under sail again. Only our autopilot is annoying. It beeps constantly and reports errors. We set out to find the cause and finally discover it in the chartplotter software. There, the data source for the rudder position sensor has mysteriously shifted. As soon as we correct it, we can continue sailing without the annoying background noise. In the late afternoon, we reach the entrance to the Rio Arade and drop anchor off Praia Grande in Ferragudo. Live music drifts over from Club Nau on the beach, and we enjoy fish and chips for dinner. Yes, and here, too, the sunsets are as beautiful as ever. In the evening, we watch the (penultimate) episode of Tatort featuring Batic and Leitmeyer from Munich. Very exciting!
Easter Monday starts out windy and cloudy. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the next few days doesn’t offer much hope for improvement. But then again, we’ve been spoiled with sunshine over the past few weeks. So a few gray days are probably no big deal. Unlike in Germany, Easter Monday isn’t a holiday in Portugal, so the anchorage is as quiet as usual at the start of the week. We laze around in the morning, using the warm water from the previous day’s engines (we generate hot water via a boiler that runs on shore power or when the engine is idling) for washing dishes and taking a shower. As predicted, the weather takes a turn for the worse and it starts to rain. On top of that, a brisk wind whistles and makes the rigging howl. What would be normal in the Baltic Sea for early April feels incredibly miserable to us here in Portugal. The only thing to do is make ourselves comfortable in the saloon. I’m writing the blog, Axel is organizing our stay at the shipyard and the work that needs to be done, and on the side I’m chatting with our neighbors from the sailing yacht Marlin, with whom we’d actually planned to meet up for a casual coffee. But with the rain, none of us feel like getting into the dinghies, so we postpone the plan. In the afternoon, we have a little video chat with Axel’s parents and sister and wish each other a happy Easter. And the weather in Bremen is actually better than here! After pasta arrabbiata for dinner, we watch part 2 of yesterday’s Tatort. Relaxed and cozy at 24°C in the heated salon. Hopefully it will be sunnier again tomorrow!
No sooner have we settled into our bunks than the wind really picks up. Gusts howl through the rigging, making everything rattle and flap. It takes us a while to fall asleep, and I wake up several times during the night to check the anchor. Fortunately, the anchor holds as it should, and I’m able to go back to sleep. Sometime in the morning, the wind shifts and lets the yachts rock gently in the swell that’s working its way through the entrance to Portimão. It feels relatively cozy on our boat, but the monohulls around us are rocking violently and probably can’t leave their coffee cups unattended on the breakfast table. Eventually, the swell dies down a bit and the sun comes out briefly. But really only briefly; then another rain shower rolls through. Typical April weather. Meanwhile, Axel is once again designing cool things for his 3D printer—mounts for various items below deck that you just can’t buy off the shelf. He’s using his new wood-look filament so that the mounts will actually look like they’re made of wood when they’re done. Well, the result isn’t exactly convincing. At least it’s brown, so it’s actually barely visible on the wood. In the evening, our neighbors from the Marlin stop by for a chat. Jörg and Angela want to spend a year sailing across the Atlantic with their kids, Leonie and Maximilian. So they’re on the same route as us, which hopefully means there will be more opportunities for get-togethers. We head off to our bunks pretty quickly afterward. It’s gotten quite chilly, and I’m glad my little “heat cat” has come right over to me and is really warming things up.
It pours with rain during the night, but thankfully the morning brings sunshine again. It quickly warms up the cockpit, and we’re able to enjoy a delicious breakfast with a view of the beach. Afterward, we get the dinghy ready and head toward the boatyard. Unfortunately, we discover that the dock from last year is no longer there. What a bummer! So we sail a bit further and finally moor at a small dock behind the bridge in Portimão. Instead of going to Lidl as planned, we head to Pingo Doce, where we restock our fresh supplies a bit. We also buy a pool noodle at the Chinese store. Not to teach Lucky how to swim, mind you! We’ve heard that other Lagoon sailors have been able to use pool noodles to stop the cables inside the mast from rattling in rough seas. Since the investment is modest at 2.95 euros, we want to see if it works for us too. Back on board, we try it out right away. We unscrew a small flap at the base of the mast, and with a little soap, the pool noodle slides right up the mast. And lo and behold, the rattling is significantly reduced. Maybe we’ll need to invest in a second pool noodle to eliminate the rattling for good? Let’s check the balance in our pink piggy bank to see if we can afford it. OK, it works! As the long Atlantic swell rocks us back and forth in the anchorage, we enjoy the sun for the rest of the day. We’re also extremely happy about the sunshine for our batteries. The solar panels charged the batteries from 65% in the morning back up to 100% by four in the afternoon. Without any noise and without using any fuel. It’s great to be so energy self-sufficient when the sun is shining. In the evening, we grill ourselves another delicious burger. After sunset, however, it gets a bit too chilly outside again, so we settle in comfortably in the heated salon to watch the Wednesday movie on ARD.
After that brief sunny interlude, the next morning is unfortunately gray and cloudy again. But better weather is on the horizon! According to the forecast, sunshine and summery temperatures will return to the Algarve next week after a few stormy days. We’re already looking forward to it today. There isn’t really much else to do for the rest of the day. Our neighbors from the Marlin are heading off to Lagos. In their place, we’re getting new neighbors: the Sola Gracia. We’ve known this boat since 2008, when we sailed alongside its then-owners, Eva and Rüdiger, all the way to Panama. The Sola Gracia now has new owners, whom we’ve only “met” so far through Messenger messages. Given the weather, we postpone meeting them in person and tinker a bit with various small boat projects. For example, some of the magnets glued into our spice jars have come loose and are now being reattached. Axel also tries to install a fuel gauge for our black water tanks. Unfortunately, without success, as the sensors show all sorts of things, just not the actual fill level. In the midst of lovely rainy weather, our wish for a delicious meal at the Nau Beach Club remains unfulfilled, so I cook a tasty carrot stew for us. It warms us up nicely from the inside and keeps us from shivering quite as much. In the evening, the TV lures us back into the salon with documentaries about Madeira and Herbert Grönemeyer.
Portimão – Lagos 7,7 nm
The night brings more rain and plenty of rocking from the swell and passing fishing boats. The morning view from the hatch is also obscured by a thick red haze. The Sahara has made its way to Portugal once again. Darn, La Ola looks like a pig in red. Time to scrub her down! Since strong winds are forecast for the weekend, we’ve spontaneously decided to stay at a small marina. We booked a spot in Lagos for the weekend via the Navily app. This way, we can also sort out everything for our stay at the shipyard a week later. Since the route is manageable, we can still take it easy in the morning and don’t set off on the arduous journey until late morning. There’s no wind at all, so we’ll be using the diesel genoa. We’re there in no time and moor at the reception dock first. Although we should actually have all our papers in order, we still have to show all our documents again and fill out a registration form. Oh well… While we’re still at the reception dock, Thomas from the Imami, who’s moored behind us, comes over to greet us. He’s also a TO member, and we’d actually been in touch via WhatsApp a while back, though that doesn’t occur to us at the moment. Unfortunately, he’s planning to move on tomorrow, so for now it’s just a brief exchange. Finally, the small pedestrian bridge is opened for us, and a little later we’re moored at Pier P. We quickly clear the boat and then head back to the reception building via the aforementioned pedestrian bridge. Next door is the food truck “Pearl,” which we’ve heard great things about many times before. A little later, we enjoy sardine bruschetta and oysters with a cold beer and a view of the marina. Delicious! Then it’s back on board, where we first tackle the Sahara dust. The fine red dust clings stubbornly to every crevice of the deck, so it takes several hours of intense scrubbing and rinsing before La Ola looks somewhat presentable again. Afterward, we drag ourselves, tired, to the nearby Lidl to buy a few items for tomorrow’s breakfast. The galley stays cold in the evening, so we treat ourselves to the luxury of a second meal off the boat. Fish & chips for Axel and a shrimp stir-fry for me at Restaurant Quai in the marina. After that, it’s time to relax on the saloon sofa before we crawl into our bunks early.
Saturday gets off to a leisurely start. We sleep in, have breakfast—with eggs!—and take long, hot showers. Then we head to the nearby farmers’ market. Just across the street and we’re there. There’s a wide selection of local fruits and vegetables, cakes and baked goods, honey, and piri-piri products. We fill our backpack and return on board with ingredients for juice for the week. While Axel stays on board and cleans our drinking water tanks again, I grab my bike and explore the area. First, I head toward Meia Praia Beach, but unfortunately, I’m not allowed to ride my bike on the beautiful boardwalks through the dunes here. So I turn around and ride toward Ponta de Piedade. I climb a long, drawn-out hill and am glad I brought my battery for the e-assist. At the top, I end up at the Intermarché supermarket and buy some fresh groceries. Then it’s back down the hill. However, as predicted, the wind has picked up considerably in the meantime, nearly blowing me off my bike. Back on board, we secure La Ola a bit more against the wind, but it’s already rattling and howling fiercely. Lucky isn’t comfortable with this at all and, just to be safe, hides in my bed. In the evening, we meet up with Saskia from the Robulla and Sabine and Dirk from the Spätzle and go out for sushi together. It turns out to be a nice, entertaining evening. It’s always exciting to chat with other sailors about itineraries, sailing experiences, and life paths. The trip back turns out to be windy, and we brace ourselves for a restless night. Although La Ola is secure and firmly moored, we unfortunately can’t stop the howling, rattling, and waves slapping against the hull.
After a restless night, as expected, we need to sleep in. It is Sunday, after all. Fortunately, we’re able to stay in the marina until Tuesday and don’t have to leave first thing the next morning. That’s a relief, since the strong winds are supposed to last until Monday evening. This also gives us a little more time to stock up on provisions and explore Lagos. Meanwhile, the wind continues to blow unabated, and we spend most of the day in the heated salon. Eventually, we muster the energy to head to the supermarket to pick up a few ingredients for the evening. We’ve invited our sushi friends from yesterday over for pizza, and we’re still missing salami and mushrooms. Blown about by the wind, we’re back on board a little later and get everything ready for a cozy evening. At 6 p.m., the guests arrive and we fire up the pizza oven. Once again, everyone loves it, and I get plenty of praise for my crispy and fluffy dough. If your mouth is watering at home right now—just come on over! The evening is rounded off with fresh strawberries and cream, and Saskia, Sabine, and Dirk leave us around 11 p.m., well-fed and satisfied.
Monday. Our extra day at the marina. Fortunately, the wind has died down considerably by now, but it’s cloudy and unpleasant. We tidy up the boat and set off around noon. First to the shipyard, where we schedule our crane appointment. Then to Lidl to stock up on provisions. After that, we flush and refill the water tanks. Our water should now be clean and fresh. Surprisingly, the day is already over, and we prepare a delicious vegetable pasta bowl with smoked salmon. An absolute highlight, because we haven’t been able to buy or enjoy smoked salmon since we left Cuxhaven. Now it was just sitting there in the supermarket.
Lagos – Alvor 3,6 nm
The next day, the weather has finally settled down and the sun is shining with a light breeze. We enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then head out of the marina around 10 a.m. We’ve planned a very short leg for today. We’d already wanted to drop anchor in the Alvor Lagoon back in the fall of 2024. Unfortunately, it was too crowded then, and the wind direction wasn’t right either. Both are different today. Our friends on the Troll let us know where there’s still space, and the wind should be favorable for the next few days as well. After less than an hour’s sail, we drop anchor and are moored safely and securely near the entrance. We get the dinghy ready and head toward the little village of Alvor. On the way, we stop for a quick chat at the Troll and then continue on to the pier. Since it’s lunchtime, we’re tempted to have lunch at the Yacht Club Restaurant. Not a culinary highlight, but the view of the lagoon makes up for it. Finally, we head back on board, where we first take some time to recover from the rough seas this morning. Unfortunately, the wind picks up again in the afternoon, and we feel like we’re a bit too close to the rocks of the breakwater. Just to be safe, we measure the distance with a golf rangefinder and get 50 meters. Not much, but not very worrying either. Since sandbars are appearing all around us at low tide and surfers are wading through knee-deep water in other spots, there aren’t really many alternatives. Actually, we’d prefer a bit more distance, so we’re considering whether to cut our stay in Alvor short and drop anchor in Portimão again instead. We’ll see how the night goes.
Alvor – Praia do Alemão 3,3 nm
The wind dies down during the night, so we’re able to sleep peacefully. Or rather, we could have—because Lucky wakes me up at 3 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5:30 a.m. Always with the same complaint: he’s on the verge of starving to death and I need to finally take care of him. Cuddling helps for a little while, though. But then he’d rather stay in bed a bit longer than I do when I get up in the morning. The sun is shining, and it promises to be a beautiful day. Despite the quiet night, we decide after breakfast to weigh anchor and move a little further on. We aren’t really comfortable with our spot right at the entrance, and we’d rather not head further into the channel toward Alvor either. So we head out of the lagoon and east, just around the corner. Another rough stretch of rough seas, which we successfully navigate within half an hour. On the Noforeignland.con platform, I discovered a nice anchorage that we now want to try out. So we drop anchor off Praia do Alemão and are delighted by the much more interesting view. Well, to the east, you look out at the high-rises of Praia da Rocha. But to the west, you gaze upon the beautiful cliffs and rocks that have made the Algarve so famous. We get the dinghy ready and explore the rocky landscape a bit. Caves, small grottos, and rock arches. Clear turquoise water. Birds chirping and seagulls squawking. Plus a few daring tourists on the beach who venture into the cool water, screeching just as loudly as the seagulls. And the unobstructed view of the Atlantic, which today isn’t sending even the slightest swell our way. We like it much better this way! In the late afternoon, the beautiful anchorage even turns into an open-air stage. A traditional Portuguese sailboat is anchored in front of us, and the most wonderful saxophone music is being played. Live, mind you! We’re thrilled, because the saxophonist is an admirable virtuoso with incredible stamina. We wouldn’t have expected this level of quality on a tour boat. All the better for us, because now we can enjoy the little concert as a sundowner in the front cockpit. The delicious Greek bowl we have afterward rounds off the beautiful day. And the sunset is giving it its all again today.
Praia do Alemão – Portimão 2,2 nm
The night at anchor passes quietly, and even Lucky keeps his nerves in check. In the morning, however, we’re surprised to find that a high, if rather long, swell is working its way into the bay. On board La Ola, you hardly notice it. The boat slowly rises two meters and then gently sinks back down. On the beach, however, high surf waves are forming, making it impossible to go ashore today. Too bad, because we would actually have liked to stay a little longer and explore the beach. So we decide to continue on and set off for Portimão shortly before noon. The distances are getting shorter and shorter, and so today, once again, we’re securely at our new anchorage in less than half an hour. We don’t quite hit the exact spot from last time, but there isn’t much of a visible difference. The neighbors are more or less the same, except our friends from the Frodo have joined us. In the afternoon, I want to go out for a paddle in my kayak, but unfortunately I notice that the floor has lost air. Re-inflating it doesn’t help. It hisses, and a little later the floor is flat again. Axel and I start searching for the leak with soapy water and finally find a small hole in the floor. What a bummer! Broken after just one use. Although the hole definitely couldn’t have been caused by use, but is more likely due to a manufacturing defect. Somehow we just don’t have any luck with Decathlon products! So we deflate the kayak and pack it up. We set the broken bottom aside and plan to file a complaint at the store at the next opportunity. After less than three months, it’s obviously a warranty case, but it’s still annoying. While we’re still fiddling with the kayak in frustration, Ralf and Heidi from the Sola Gracia come by. We’d been planning to meet them since our last stop in Portimão, and now we’re glad we can finally get to know them in person. So now we already know two owner couples from the Sola Gracia. I wonder if a third will join us?! The Sola Gracia is actually up for sale right now, and maybe she’ll set sail on another big trip. We have a little entertainment in the evening as well. After delicious ribbon pasta with salmon cream sauce, we enjoy a glass of wine at sunset and realize we have stowaways on board! A small swarm of bees has made itself comfortable on our mast and is busily scurrying up and down the lines. Hmm! What do we do about this now? We’ve often had to deal with swarming bees at the Daverden Mill, but there we could always just call the beekeeper. That’s not really an option here. So, we’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe the problem will resolve itself by tomorrow morning? In any case, we’ll close all the hatches first so the little swarm doesn’t wander inside. Just in time for sunset, the Sea Cloud 2 pulls in and makes a photogenic entrance. So, if we ever go on a cruise, it’ll definitely be on a sailing cruise ship like that. But for now, we’re still our own captains and are enjoying the luxury aboard La Ola.
After receiving word yesterday from the shipyard in Lagos that all the necessary replacement parts for our stay at the yard had arrived and that we could be lifted out of the water the very next day, we’re throwing our plans overboard once again. Instead of anchoring in Portimão for the weekend, it’s back to Lagos. No rush, though, since the hoisting appointment isn’t scheduled until 3:30 p.m. It’s so late because they need high tide to get La Ola out of the water. And the term “hoisting” isn’t entirely accurate, either, because in Lagos we won’t be hoisted, but rather slipped. That means we’ll be pulled ashore on a slipway. We’ve never done anything like this before, so we’re pretty excited.