After we have been put back in the water by the shipyard, we head to the anchorage in Portimao, where we sort ourselves out again. The SUP is put back on the railing, the fenders and lines are packed away and the washing up is done. Then Hildebrand from the Troll motor yacht comes by and talks shop with Axel about 3D printing while our 3D printer prints parts for the new stabiliser for the Troll. Unfortunately, Hildebrand’s printer isn’t working at the moment, but we have friends who can help us out. Unfortunately, the weather is not very anchor-friendly. The sky is grey and every now and then a drop of rain sneaks on deck. There’s also a good swell from the Atlantic into the estuary, so it’s quite rocky even for us on board. Still, it’s nice to be back in the water!
On Sunday, we head back to Vilamoura with virtually no wind. The weather is almost summer-like. Wonderful temperatures, bright blue skies and, as always, beautiful scenery. What more could you want from a sailing day in February? It’s also election day in Germany and whale day in Portugal. At Cabo Carvoeiro, there is suddenly a penetrating smell of fish and then the first dorsal fins emerge from the water. We are a little startled, because we are actually in shallow water as recommended. Nevertheless, we act as practised, disengaging the autopilot, heading towards land and away from the whales. The animals have no interest in us at all, but are busy hunting for fish. We don’t like the fact that within a few minutes, several tourist boats are travelling at high speed towards the animals and getting very close to them. After chatting to the whale expert Rui from Orcas.pt, we realise that it was probably not whales but „only“ bottlenose dolphins that we saw. Back in Vilamoura, we skilfully dock and moor La Ola at her old berth. Then we take the bikes to the marina office to check in. They also have a handful of parcels ready for us. On the way back, we stop at the ice cream parlour and enjoy a big sundae in the afternoon sun. Wonderful! In the evening, we have prawns from the barbecue and are delighted to be back. We stay in Vilamoura for a while until the end of March before we finally move on.
In the following days, we take care of getting La Ola in good shape. We clean and scrub the cockpit – our winter garden. Everything inside is also spruced up. Spring cleaning! In the end, everything really does look spick and span and La Ola shines in the sun. We are also delighted to see our friend Mansoor again, who has returned to Vilamoura from his winter residence in Dubai.
Yes, and then we have another visitor on board! We are delighted that Guido from the sailing yacht Playmobil is flying in from Bonn. I did my BR and BK licence with Guido decades ago, sailed many regattas with him and also worked for him for a few years alongside my studies. Guido wants to sail the Playmobil from Germany to Portugal in the summer and is considering leaving it in the Algarve for the winter. To do this, he wants to get an overview of the area in advance. A first excursion takes us to Portimao, where Guido takes a look at the marina and the shipyard. A delicious lunch at Club Nau with a view of the anchorage is of course a must. After a short deliberation, Guido books a mooring in Vilamoura the next day and now „only“ has to sail his Playmobil here. Meanwhile, Lucky the cat mutates into a party cat and sits next to Guido for lunch as a matter of course. As we were able to pick up our dinghy wheels in Portimao, we spend the rest of the day tinkering with the dinghy. As the wheels don’t fit perfectly, a plate has to be fitted between the dinghy stern and the bracket. Axel designs one without further ado and prints it on his 3D printer. In the evening, we feast on delicious chicken with crunchy peanut sauce on board and chat about our sailing experiences. The next day takes us to Ohlão market, where we buy delicious ingredients for the evening barbecue. We continue to Fuseta, where we enjoy a small tapas platter with a marvellous view of the Ria Formosa lagoon. As the rain starts to fall, we head back on board where, after a short lunch break, we return to the dinghy project. The next day starts with pouring rain, but by the time we all get in the car and head towards Lagos, the sun is already shining again. It stayed with us all day, so we were able to enjoy a lovely trip to the Ponte de Piedada and Alvor. It only starts to rain again when we get back on board. Unfortunately, our time together with Guido is already over on Monday. He is flying back to Bonn for the winter and is already looking forward to next winter – but then in the warmth of Vilamoura on his Playmobil.
We use the time between visitors for other boat projects. The wheels for the dinghy are bolted on and the air conditioning system is finally installed. Now it can be summer and hot! Last but not least, the new underwater lighting is connected and approved. A beautifully lit aquarium at the mooring is now also ensured.
We continue on Ash Wednesday with our golfing friend Stephan from Bremen. Unfortunately, as we are newly separated, without Anja, who we would of course also have liked to see again. But sometimes life plays its own game. As the weather forecast doesn’t promise anything good for the coming days, a round of gold is booked for the next day. Axel and Stephan play without me, however, as I’m working a bit again. The two of them go golfing in Palmares, a beautiful course right by the sea and the Alvor lagoon. We spend the rainy Friday with a car tour through Vale do Lobo and Quinta da Lago, bulk shopping and a delicious pizza evening with Jens at Marieke. After a stormy night, Saturday is reasonably sunny again, although still quite windy. While Stephan goes for a walk on the beach with Ludger from the sailing yacht Anna and gets a good sandblasting, we drive Jens to the bus station in Albufeira, where he takes the bus to Lisbon to meet up with his brother. Axel and I take the opportunity to make a detour to the Supermercado Apolonia, where the cashier gives me a flower for International Women’s Day as well as some tasty treats. Back on board, we while away the rest of the day and enjoy delicious pasta with salmon from the galley in the evening. The unsettled April weather continues the next day. As soon as we put our sunglasses on, it rains again. Together with Stephan and Ludger from the sailing yacht Anna, we take a trip to Tavira and enjoy a delicious lunch at Restaurante Mira. In the pouring rain, the subsequent stroll through the town is unfortunately rather short, but we finally get to see a large number of flamingos in the salt pans. So the excursion was worthwhile after all. Back on board, the sun is shining again, but we prefer not to trust the peace in view of the dark clouds on the horizon and stay on board. The next day also remains changeable. While Stephan goes for an extended walk on the beach, Axel and I devote ourselves to boat projects. The bilge pump no longer works, a small plastic part has blocked the motor and apparently broken it. So we remove it, try to repair it and then order a new one. Ludger comes to visit in the evening and we enjoy a warming chilli con carne together. As predicted, Tuesday brings much better weather and so we can play another nice round of golf with Stephan. We head to the Pine Cliffs golf course around the corner and endeavour to get the balls through the fairways despite the stormy wind. Unfortunately, Stephan leaves us again on Wednesday and heads home. It’s a shame that the weather was so changeable and we couldn’t play more golf!
In the meantime, we are continuing with our final boat projects. As our bilge pumps don’t have an alarm, i.e. they don’t make a loud noise if water gets into the boat, Axel is installing new alarms. The bracket for this will of course be 3D printed. In addition, our fishing rod finally has a place on board and is hung up neatly. And the convection oven/microwave combination is given a stylish frame by Brian’s team of carpenters to match the new drawer. The kitchen remodelling is now almost complete. The only thing missing is the new fridge with drawers, which we hope to have delivered soon.
Of course, a short excursion is also a must. We head west in glorious sunshine, only to be hit by the first rain after a few kilometres. April weather in March! Anyway, we carry on and are rewarded. The sun comes back and we take the A22 motorway to the end. Then we head north overland. We drive through beautiful villages that still look very unspoilt, cork oak forests and, unfortunately, many an area plagued by forest fires. Let’s hope that all the rain this winter means fewer forest fires this summer! In any case, the Algarve’s water reservoirs have been well replenished. After 1 1/2 hours we reach Cabo Sardão. We had already admired the spectacular rocky landscape from the seaside a few months ago. However, the view from land is no less marvellous. There is also a very special attraction to visit at Cabo Sardão. Storks breed right on the cape. Not on the picturesque lighthouse, but right on the cliffs! We are lucky and the storks are there so we can marvel at them at length. We return along the coast via Zambujeira do Mar and Azenha do Mar, where we have a delicious late lunch. Axel has rice with monkfish and seafood and I have tagliatelle with pulpo and prawns. Both delicious and far too much. Well-fed, we finally return to Vilamoura, where we round off the beautiful day with a glass of champagne in the cockpit. The next few days bring bad weather again. It rains cats and dogs and the sun only appears from time to time. The weather hasn’t been this bad all winter. We also caught a nasty cold. It’s time for spring!
A few days later, my sister Nadja and my brother-in-law Jens from Bonn come to visit. As they were actually planning to visit A Coruña and had booked their flight there early, they unfortunately have to drive a long way through Galicia and Portugal. Unfortunately, they get stuck in Madrid for the time being. The two of them make the best of it and are in A Coruña a day later. On the way to us, they not only visit A Coruña and Cabo Finisterre, but also stop off in Porto. Then they finally reach us and are greeted with a glass of champagne. The next day, we go on a nice excursion to Praia Quinta do Lago, where we can watch spoonbills foraging for food. However, we don’t get to see the chameleons that also live in the lagoon. We continue to Faro, where we walk through the city centre and visit a small art exhibition. For refreshment, we have a small tapas platter in the O Castello restaurant with a view of the Ria Formosa. We continue on to Ohlão, where we also take another stroll through the narrow streets. Finally, we go shopping at the supermarket, where we buy ingredients for a delicious dinner on board. As strong winds and heavy rain are forecast for the night, Axel has secured La Ola even better so that the forecast 45-50 kn winds will hopefully blow over us without causing any damage.
The night is correspondingly restless, but fortunately we survive the storm unscathed. According to reports, it was probably blowing at over 50 knots. We didn’t measure it. But it’s good to know that La Ola coped well with the wind. In Vilamoura, however, you are also super sheltered, so there must have been much less wind for us. The sun shines again in the morning and there is a gentle breeze. However, the weather forecast promises wind and rain again for the afternoon. So we set off straight away in the morning for our next excursion. We head west to Cabo Sao Vicente. A brisk wind is blowing there and the lighthouse is unfortunately closed. We continue to Fortaleza de Sagres with a short stopover at the tourist café on the way there. In addition to coffee and pasteis de nata, there are also, bizarrely, various stuffed wild animals on display. A very strange atmosphere… The wind and the threat of rain drive us on to Lagos, where we unfortunately have to abandon the obligatory tour of Ponta de Piedade quite quickly due to the onset of rain. On the way to Portimão, it pours like a bucket, but luckily we find a short break in the rain for photos and a walk to Club Nau on Praia Grande in Ferragudo. We „have“ to stay there a little longer than planned due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. Not too bad, because the food and drinks are once again very tasty and, due to the lack of other guests, we have the full attention of the service staff, who look after us lovingly and politely. After more than two hours, a patch of blue sky appears and the rain briefly stops. So we quickly get to the car and set off. A quick stop to take a photo of a famous visitor in Portimão. The training ship Gorch Fock has moored there. We don’t reach Vilamoura and La Ola again until after 6 pm. Axel has stayed on board again today and is pleased that we are finally having dinner. The rest of the evening passes quietly in the saloon while the wind howls and the rain pours outside. As it remains grey in grey and rainy the next morning, we spend the morning in the comfortably heated saloon. At lunchtime we have delicious chicken piri piri from our favourite barbecue in Quarteira. In the afternoon, Nadja and Jens go for a long walk on the beach at Praia de Falesia, while we continue to relax on board. Saturday brings changeable weather again. It has rained more in the past few days than it has for ten years! We are not spared again today on our trip to Tavira and have to endure the odd shower. Unfortunately, I’ve also upset my stomach and have to lie down in my bunk after returning on board. That’s a nasty bummer that didn’t have to happen on top of the cold. Meanwhile, Nadja and Jens enjoy a farewell dinner ashore, as they are heading back to A Coruña on Sunday. From there, with a few days‘ stopover in Madrid, they will return to Bonn. It’s a shame that the weather was so bad during her visit too! But the next visit is already planned.The night is correspondingly restless, but fortunately we survive the storm unscathed. According to reports, it was probably blowing at over 50 knots. We didn’t measure it. But it’s good to know that La Ola coped well with the wind. In Vilamoura, however, you are also super sheltered, so there must have been much less wind for us. The sun shines again in the morning and there is a gentle breeze. However, the weather forecast promises wind and rain again for the afternoon. So we set off straight away in the morning for our next excursion. We head west to Cabo Sao Vicente. A brisk wind is blowing there and the lighthouse is unfortunately closed. We continue to Fortaleza de Sagres with a short stopover at the tourist café on the way there. In addition to coffee and pasteis de nata, there are also, bizarrely, various stuffed wild animals on display. A very strange atmosphere… The wind and the threat of rain drive us on to Lagos, where we unfortunately have to abandon the obligatory tour of Ponta de Piedade quite quickly due to the onset of rain. On the way to Portimão, it pours like a bucket, but luckily we find a short break in the rain for photos and a walk to Club Nau on Praia Grande in Ferragudo. We „have“ to stay there a little longer than planned due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. Not too bad, because the food and drinks are once again very tasty and, due to the lack of other guests, we have the full attention of the service staff, who look after us lovingly and politely. After more than two hours, a patch of blue sky appears and the rain briefly stops. So we quickly get to the car and set off. A quick stop to take a photo of a famous visitor in Portimão. The training ship Gorch Fock has moored there. We don’t reach Vilamoura and La Ola again until after 6 pm. Axel has stayed on board again today and is pleased that we are finally having dinner. The rest of the evening passes quietly in the saloon while the wind howls and the rain pours outside. As it remains grey in grey and rainy the next morning, we spend the morning in the comfortably heated saloon. At lunchtime we have delicious chicken piri piri from our favourite barbecue in Quarteira. In the afternoon, Nadja and Jens go for a long walk on the beach at Praia de Falesia, while we continue to relax on board. Saturday brings changeable weather again. It has rained more in the past few days than it has for ten years! We are not spared again today on our trip to Tavira and have to endure the odd shower. Unfortunately, I’ve also upset my stomach and have to lie down in my bunk after returning on board. That’s a nasty bummer that didn’t have to happen on top of the cold. Meanwhile, Nadja and Jens enjoy a farewell dinner ashore, as they are heading back to A Coruña on Sunday. From there, with a few days‘ stopover in Madrid, they will return to Bonn. It’s a shame that the weather was so bad during her visit too! But the next visit is already planned.
Now that the visitors have disembarked, it’s time for us to recover. From the cold and the stomach bug, but also from the stream of visitors. Please don’t misunderstand! We were very happy about every visitor and had a great time with all of them! But three weeks in a row seems to be too much for us. Maybe we’ll have to limit our visits on board to once a month in future. That way it would be more relaxed for us with the „bed change“ and we wouldn’t feel like we were showing the same sights every week.
A few days of doing nothing and lazing around are also quite nice. Especially as we’ve finally had some windless days with sunshine and no rain for weeks. The weather over the last few weeks has made us think a little about our decision to spend the next winter in Huelva. There has been even more rain and heavy flooding. In such conditions, the marina in the Odiel river is probably not safe. So do we have to plan again? Or can we rely on the fact that this was a one-off special weather situation and that next winter will be drier again? We’ll see…A few days of doing nothing and lazing around are also quite nice. Especially as we’ve finally had some windless days with sunshine and no rain for weeks. The weather over the last few weeks has made us think a little about our decision to spend the next winter in Huelva. There has been even more rain and heavy flooding. In such conditions, the marina in the Odiel river is probably not safe. So do we have to plan again? Or can we rely on the fact that this was a one-off special weather situation and that next winter will be drier again? We’ll see…
Otherwise, we are busy with smaller jobs and projects. For example, some of the press studs that hold our front cockpit cushions in place are being replaced. It would be a shame if the beautiful cushions were to fly. The bilge pump and alarm project is completed. The saloon cushions are aired and cleaned. Packed bags are also cleaned and dried thoroughly in the sun. It’s frightening how quickly moisture takes its toll. My camera equipment gets a new case so that I have quick and easy access to everything in the cockpit in future. So the next time I encounter animals at sea, I’ll be able to take photos with a super-telephoto lens. Even though we „only“ need gas for the barbecue, we have our gas bottles topped up for the season. So nothing should stand in the way of excessive barbecuing over the next few months. Much to his chagrin, Lucky the cat also has to go to the vet. Not because he’s ill, but because his annual vaccinations are due. Last but not least, we stock up on provisions once again. We buy large, bulky and heavy items in particular. So cat litter and cat food, toilet paper, tins and drinks.
At the weekend, we make the most of the beautiful weather and take a trip into the hinterland of Vilamoura. We head to Alte via Torre, where we take a short walk to the springs. Beautiful, cosy and fortunately not yet very crowded with tourists. Unfortunately, the inns are still closed. We continue via Pena and Salir to Querença. In addition to white houses and a beautiful view of the surrounding area, there is a church from the 16th century and – somehow more appealing to us – a small restaurant. As it’s open and it’s lunchtime, we take the opportunity to indulge in some delicious tapas. We return via Loulé to Vilamoura, where we enjoy the afternoon in the cosy front cockpit. For the first time, Lucky the cat ventures outside through the saloon window and explores his „new“ territory with his mouth open in amazement. And once the little cat has gathered all his courage, he also explores the roof of La Ola. What a lot there is to see! Completely relaxed, he joins us for a sundowner in the rooftop lounge. Who would have thought it!
On Sunday, in view of the beautiful weather, we go on another excursion into the mountains. This time we’re going to Monchique and Foia. Axel has already been there with Laura and Lars, unfortunately I wasn’t able to join the trip in January. But now! We take the motorway until just before Portimão and then turn inland. Along a stream that actually carries water, we drive via Rasmahlo and past numerous stork nests higher and higher up into the mountains. We use every miradouro – viewpoint – and look down into the valley and into the distance. After countless hairpin bends, we finally reach Foia and the highest point in the Algarve. Perfect views across the Algarve on one side. A view – you might think – almost as far as Lisbon on the other side. Beautiful! It gets even more beautiful on the way back. We make a stop in Caldas de Monchique. Next to the spa hotel there are the Monchique springs, which can be explored through a small park. Wonderfully beautiful! Shady spots that make us regret forgetting our picnic basket, tall trees, beautiful flowers and rippling water everywhere. This must be a great place for a holiday! We head back on board and to Vilamoura, where we round off the Sunday in style with a Sunday Aperol.
Shortly before the end of our time in Vilamoura, our new fridge is delivered. Beautiful, with two drawers and a stainless steel front. We like it much better this way. Especially because we no longer have to search on our knees for the cold cuts!
Now we’re just waiting for good weather so that we can finally set sail again after five months in Vilamoura. When will we set off and where will we go? Let’s see how the wind blows!