The Algarve To Andalusia

We spent most of the first two weeks of November making our way along the coast from Lagos, Portugal to Cádiz, Spain. The end of our first season of sailing was nigh, and we were keen to continue making headway south as the weather closed in.

But we were not so rushed that we couldn’t stop in and see a few friends along the way! From the stunning grottos and hidden beaches of Lagos, we journeyed on to the resort of Vilamoura to meet up with our new mates from s/v Tango. Since catching our dock lines one afternoon in La Rochelle, John and Jeanette have been very generous with their knowledge and advice - truly appreciated by novices like us. There’s nothing better than exchanging a few stories over dinner with mates. Not only that, they also took us on a coveted car trip to the supermarket to fill up on two trolley loads of supplies… A coup for any liveaboard!

Then it was onwards to a calm anchorage just outside of Faro. The island of Culatra is little more than a sandbar, and has just 1,000 residents with no roads or vehicles. But we spent a pleasant afternoon ashore wandering around the village, having an ice-cream at the playground, and playing football with a couple of the local kids.

At first light we pulled up anchor for our next stop along the Guadiana River (which forms the international border between Portugal and Spain), and the border towns of Vila Real de Santo António (Portugal) and Ayamonte (Spain). As we bounced up the river entrance with an unforecast 35 knots of wind on the nose, we were keen to seek refuge in the marina of Ayamonte. But not before we had to berth in gale-force crosswinds… Fortunately for us, six helpful yachties appeared out of nowhere to help pull us in. It was definitely our most difficult arrival yet, and we were very fortunate not to sustain any damage.

But by lunchtime we were sat in a sunny courtyard enjoying tapas with our friends from Vila Real de Santo António, Peter and Irene. Their yacht, s/v Catspaw, sits in the Krabi Boat Lagoon marina in Thailand, and it is here that we met them whilst attaining our skipper licences earlier this year. As they showed us the sights of their winter bolthole, and regaled us with stories from far-flung places, the kids relished in taking a ferry from one country to another!

And as we motored out of the Guadiana the next morning, Irene and Peter waved us off madly from their rooftop apartment on the riverbank. Meeting up with all of our new friends in the Algarve has made for such a warm and refreshing few days. How lucky we are to have such experienced sailors supporting us and championing our new lifestyle. The liveaboard community is nothing short of extraordinary.

With a short overnight stop in Mazagón, we crossed the gulf to Cádiz for our final European stop before crossing to Tangier. Hard to believe that our first season of sailing was almost at an end. The fact that we’ve managed to get ourselves this far on very little experience is certainly something to be proud of!