The wind became fitful for a while but soon increased to a healthy force 5. We were on the point of reefing as we approched the entrance to Isla de Culetra/Faro. I decided it would be prudent to drop the mainsail and after a mildly frantic 10 mins we were happily doing 6 knots under just the genoa.
Its a real pity because our fully battened main is a real powerhouse its just a wee bit hard to actually de-power it. My friend John at Saturn Sails in Largs did a great job ( last Trumpism ever , promise)
The afternoon wind increased as we negotiated the "washing machine" overfalls and boils in the entrance channel. We anchored opposte the small village of Ponte Cais in 25 knots of wind gusting 30.
Needless to say we didnt venture ashore, until the following day. The wind had moderated to something sensible but not actually pleasant in sn inflatable dinghy. We landed at the small beach adjacent to the fishermans marina not wishing to offend the locals by abusing their hospitality. We tend to keep a low profile!
The flags near the ferry terminal tended to suggest that windy wasnt unusual on Culatra.
A bit of background, Culatra is a sandy barrier island sheltering a lagoon, the famous anchorage which can apparently have 200 boats in it during the summer. There are no roads and no cars on Culatra.
It really is unique, to walk around feels like you are in a spagetti Western set just recently taken over by real people.
Lynne was keen to check out the beach. There is a boardwalk to get to it. This may suggest an ecological precedent but the numerous tractor tracks ( tractors are allowed) would deny this
.
And what a beach it is, although the day was a bit overcast apart from some local fellas building a raised platform for sunbeds and shade it was deserted. It was also amazingly clean, having none of the usual detritus and plastic one would expect. I can offer no explanation for this phenomenon, but welcome it certainly is.
The hinterland is really a botanists and twitchers dream, apart from the tractor tracks. Although the authorities have lately had a big clean up and removed some unsightly shacks ( and long term residential boaters) there is still a lot of scrap and scruffiness to be found amidst the natural beauty. Just like the west coast of Scotland, if you are familiar with the islands there.
The colourful flowers that were everywhere were a joy.
As was the fact that the young people of the island could now learn to sail on the small salt water lagoon that had recently been cleared of multihull and bilge keel squatters. We sat and watched the little Optomist dinghys while little terns dived in the water 20 feet from where we sat. Only on an island.......
The main income stream I am guessing is providing for tourism, fishing being the main one as suppliers to local restaurants.
The western end of the island is home to the entrance breakwaters and the local lighthouse.Also a thriving local community, seemingly having a slightly less fishing oriented outlook on making money. Of course having no roads makes getting there slightly problamatic, top tip ( take the beach )
Farol or Cabo de Santa Maria is the settlement at the western end of Culatra, it has the same sandy streets and paved walkways but is more like a retirement village or collection of holiday homes. Also the beach is a lot handier! Its a defining characteristic of big sand dunes that like dinosaurs they are fat in the middle and get thinner at either end. You can walk straight onto the beach from the town , no walkway required.
This one had a rather nice beach cafe/bar
A pleasant break after a sandy walk, walking in sand is very tiring. There is an intriguing lighthouse thar seemed to call to me even as I eat my packed lunch on the breakwater.
The skies were still full of threat, but the sea was a lovely colour.
We walked towards the lighthouse through the sandy streets. It is really a most pleasant place to be. Some of the residents are obviously keen gardeners. Its amazing what you can get to grow in sand!
The lighthouse was not obviously open to visitors, however I had spotted some French people coming out so we presented ourselves at the door. In halting Portuguese we asked to be allowed up to the top and after handing over our rucksack were allowed to proceed up the many steps of the spiral staircase.
Not Lynnes favourite thing by a long chalk and she had balked well before the spindly ladder to access the balcony.
My, but what a view, you could see our house from here...…
Looking back along the beach towards the eastern end of the island.
Isla Culatra. Windy, sandy, possibly best avoided in July August.
The anchorage is quite choppy and uncomfortable in the "afternoon winds"
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