South to the Algrave

The Portuguese coast is littered with Danbouys.
These fishing markers are made from tall, thin sticks on a float with a tiny flag on top and ropes below the surface.
Should we go over one, it could foul the propeller and disable the boat so that we would need to be towed into port for repairs.
In order to avoid this happening we have to avoid the Danbouy and they are very hard to spot. Often it is easier for whoever is on watch to stand up at the bow on look out. On seeing a Danbouy, they call back to the cockpit for the helmsman to alter course to port or starboard. Ruby and Colm are getting very good at this.
We often use the autopilot when motor sailing so there is no helmsman. The person on watch just runs back from the bow, adjusts the autopilot to avoid the Danbouy and then returns to the bow- all done without interrupting anyone’s reading.

We have only travelled by day so that we can see the Danbouys. If we want to travel by night we have to go about 15 miles off the coast where the water is too deep for Danbouys. We are heading to the Algarve and want to get there soon but only travelling by day makes progress southwards slow.
We do some calculations and find that Nazare is the perfect place from which to start a 30 hour trip to Lagos. The weather is settled and there is practically no swell so you can’t better conditions than this if your priority making Lego on passage.

We leave at sunrise and motor-sail about a mile or two off the coast, passing landmarks such as Peniche, Ericeria Cascais and the entrance to Lisbon. We watch out for and go around lots of Danbouys. As Portugal’s coastline bends Eastwards south of Cascais we can keep the same course South but naturally end up being 15 miles off the coast before nightfall.
We are in nice deep water and no longer need to be up the bow on watch. We can focus the more enjoyable activity of star gazing -its an amazingly clear night with layer upon layer of stars.
Ronan doesn’t feel tired and I am a little knocked out from antihistamines for mosquito bites. He does an 8 hour watch from after dinner until nearly 4am. I do from 4am until 9am. We both find the longer watch easier than 2 on 2 off, which is surprising.
As the sun is rising we are coming into shallower water. I see the first Danbouy when we are still in depths of about 150 meters - we are back on look out again.
We round Cape St Vincent and the bottom of Portugal and travel the beautiful Algarve coastline from Sagres. We anchor off the big beach in Lagos, jump in for a swim and then have french toast to celebrate our safe arrival.
We see huge mushroom of smoke behind the town and it spreads over the land and is there all day - it is a Forrest fire that thankfully is put out within the day.Read more