It was really quite pleasant, but I couldnt stop waiting for it to go wrong somehow. Thats part of the problem with this coast. Its just so prescriptive. You are leaving here so you must be going there because there really isnt anywhere else to go. The weather will either cooperate or give you a hard time.
The above is a case in point, between Nazaré and Peniche, this is the only anchorage, the extremely narrow entrance is only feasable with very little swell. We looked at it and saw breakers from side to side. We passed on by.
This is it from seaward, we were forced to leave it for another day. A pity because it looks perfect, however we have heard of folk who have been trapped inside for days, the swell comes from hundreds of miles away and doesnt necessarilly reflect conditions locally.
Soon we were trying to make out Cabo Carvoeiro, it looks surprisingly like an island until you are up close.
This was something we were not acustomed to, normally we are beyond the 50 metre contour, both to avoid breaking waves due to swell and lobster pots. 50 metres puts us 1-2 miles offshore. Now we could wave at people ashore, and there were loads! The cliffs seemed to be infested with platforms restaurants, ladders and hidden stairways.
Soon our concentration was distracted by high speed RIBs coming out of the harbour, I must admit to giving one the finger to the amusement of a local fishing boat who also gave him the rigid digit and waved and laughed with us.......he is just ahead in the photo below.
The marina only allows berthing on the wavebreaker pontoon in Peniche, you are expected to raft up if full. Luckily there was one gap which looked like we could just fit in. A Swedish guy helped to secure our lines, although he could have been worried about us hitting his boat! It was all done in a seamanlike manner and we were safe and sound in Peniche.
As it turned out it was a National holiday in Portugal so there was no one in the marina office, after the theoretical closing time of said office three French boats came inand were forced to raft up with other boats. After some multi lingual exchanges it turned out that at least two were leaving early in the morning which led me to wonder if they were just trying to avoid paying the quite modest overnight fees. However they could not avoid the young Portugese policeman in the GNR-Brigada Fiscal boat at the end of the pontoon. Portugal has a sophisticated monitoring system, computerized no less to keep track of a boat and its occupants movements whilst in the country. We prefer to adhere to the rules, to which end we also now have this document.
For the sum of 2 euros it covers the cost of lights and buoyage in Portugal for six months, of course if you havent got one we have heard that the fine can be 5000 euros. No brainer, Another anomally is that if you elect to pay for 12 months its 12 euros. Suffice to say we will renew in six months!
I believe this priciple is dont tell anyone and make money on the fines. Our friends Bruce and Pam didnt have one and didnt get fined, however their boat was gone over from stem to stern, looking at expiry dates on flares, liferaft and EPIRB service and expiry, etc.
Got to be worth two euros eh?
So tomorrow we can explore Peniche.
In the meantime........the sea is calm, theres a full moon, and its warm......
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