Marina de Leixoes

Ahoy,

so I decided on a slightly longer passage and ended up in Leixoes. A commercial Port with a small well priced Marina. Whether it was the fact that the Marina in this large Port is smaller than I expected, the wind picking up, the fact that the Weather helms rudder was still on today or my lack of experience, mooring up took three attempts, how embarrassing.
Due to some very fresh winds I have decided to stay for a couple of days before cracking on to Figueira da Foz. Due to heavy fog in the mornings often lasting nearly till noon, I have decided to sleep as much as possible on Monday day and head off around 5pm, sailing through the night to arrive in "Foz" a little after the fog has cleared(finger crossing stuff). I feel I should mention I really would appreciate Radar on this stretch of coast, at least I have AIS and an Air horn.

Back to Leixoes, the supermarket, together with the rest of anything I may wish to visit are a major hike, well at least for me. Add to this the fact that the Bus's don't go to them and for me it was a little bit of a chore climbing up the hill to a Minimart. This said there was a silver lining, opposite the Minimart, a traditional bakers, not only bread but very tasty cakes, biscuits and patisseries.(I need to gain weight for the Atlantic crossing, oh yes I do)


As I am here a couple of days and everything not boat related I may wish to see is out of harms way, I will get on with a few little bits of work that I know the Ol' Girl would like. One of these little tasks I completed only moments ago, cleaning the paddle wheel( a small wheel that spins around in the water giving me the boats speed and records distance travelled) thankfully I did not sink the boat removing it, neither did the Ol' Girl take on too much water. Only, washing, cleaning and the like to keep me busy, at least I have the Ol'Girl and Radio 4.


I have said before it's a big ocean but a small world, whilst in Davis's boatyard in Poole, what seems like an age ago now, astern of the Ol' Girl was a yacht making ready to head this way, I met the chap's Rob, Neil, Graham and Keith from her here and was reminded of the day's of Joy and Ben's Bacon sandwiches washed down with a proper cuppa.

After Foz, if I make it, will be Nazare Marina............a milestone in my mind.