After a short visit in the rain to the city of Porto and its beautiful tiled facades, we take advantage of a small weather window to head south on Monday, October 17. The window is not very good, but the arrival of a deepening depression off Portugal by the end of the week encourages us to leave, or else risk being stuck here for at least another 10 days...
Stroll on the beach of Leixoes Libertarian at the port of Leixoes City of Porto seen from the Garden of the Four Seasons The first days of sailing are calm, even too calm, with few miles covered and a few hours of engine use. The advantage is an easy life on board with time to play in the cockpit with the girls.
Friday, October 21, the winds generated by the depression are forecast to be relatively strong, so we prefer to motor for 24 hours to head south and move away from its center. Nevertheless, as the front passes, the westerly winds reach 35-40 knots during the day on Sunday. Sailing with a triple-reefed mainsail and staysail is not dangerous, but the 4-7 meter northerly swell crossed with a strong westerly sea makes life on board difficult. These trying conditions fortunately do not seem to affect our girls much, who keep themselves busy inside with a smile. We thought we would find the trade winds south of Madeira, but we were then caught by a second front and a southwest shift on Monday, then south on Tuesday, forcing us to sail close-hauled and even tack until we reached the entrance to the port of Graciosa Island in the Canaries, where we arrived on Wednesday, October 26.
Croque-monsieur for dinner Tunnel in the passageway... Snack with Nutella Diane at the helm!
This charming island lives up to its name, it is an ideal first stop after these difficult days of sailing. Beautiful arid landscapes and gentle warmth testify to our arrival below the 30th parallel north. A welcoming little port, a quiet car-free island with sandy paths perfect for stretching our legs. After warm encounters with neighboring sailboats also in transit, we enjoy the beach in the late afternoon for our first sea swim since departure. We plan to stay here for 2 to 3 days before continuing to another island in the Canaries in search of a washing machine...
In the streets of Caleta del Sebo At the foot of the dormant volcanoes Towards the beach Lanzarote in the background of the port of Caleta del Sebo Foot bath Damien swimming
