Category Archives: Sailing

“Courage can’t be bought !” That’s a truth – and where our friends Hille and Markus took their courage, I honestly can’t tell. But we really had second thoughts when they asked us to take them to the airport on Teneriffe. But as it showed itself, our worries were quite out of place: Hille is one of the few people that are truly seaworthy. And we’re not sailing the lakes of Berlin. No. We’re out on the atlantic ocean with 3000m water under the ship and wind with 5 to 6 Beaufort. The waves got quite good at the end of the trip and the whole journey was done without mainsail but only with Blister or Genua which makes it more unsteady.

But despite that, Hille had no problem going inside and making sandwiches for everybody or reading Asterix in the cockpit. Markus also was quite unfearful and gave up his permaplace on the cockpitbench to go Dolphin-watching on the forepeak or to help stowing the Blister. And both have taken part in doing nightshifts, cooking or pulling ropes. Short: they were both well integrated.

While our guests had their first night at sea, we slipped past Gran Canaria and made our 3000th nautical mile. So if my general-plan works out we’ve already made 1/11th of our way around the world. Hehehe.

The next day we had a prolonged visit from Dolphins. And a big group it was this time ! As we approached the coast of Teneriffe, the wind increased and we were quite fast with only the Genoa set and travelling at a speed constantly greater than six knots. We rounded Punta Montaña Roja during sunset and our friends couldn’t hide their delight when slowly the marina came in sight.

Only 10 minutes after parking the ship we were on our way through the ‘Ballermann of the Atlantic’ in search for something to eat. Funny that the restaurants in this town seem to oscillate slightly. Anyway. One hour later we all sank into our bunks and slept like the stones at the end of mooringlines – only to be awaken by the alarm clock at 0600h ! Our friends have to get to the airport. Oh no ! The holiday is already over ?  Well, yeah. We were one week late because of the weather and so we had only four days with our friends from Berlin. But these were truly wonderful ! Many, many thanks for your visit !!

We’ve hade wonderful days here at Lanzarote and it was topped by last evening which we’ve spent doing barbeque at a friends ‘house’ up in the mountains. It’s nor really a house but more a wonderful green oasis in the middle of the desert. A really magic place ! – I’ll do a posting with fotos on that on later.

Actually I just wanted to let you know, we’re off now towards Teneriffe, where our friends have to catch a plane and a few days later new guests will arrive.

The start is always a little hard, so I’ll help myself with a few numbers:

We’ve sailed from Sines in Portugal to Playa Blanca in Lanzarote which is 565nm and it took us a little less than five days to get there. Our daily trips were: 119, 135, 157 (!!) and 128 nautical miles. The 157nm on friday were a new record. While I’m writing this, I’m uploading a video to Youtube showing how that looks like.

What else does one do while cruising five days out on the sea ? Well, HOLD ON. – permanently !! Hehehe. We’ve also been fishing although quite unsuccessful. We’re doing 3-hour shifts, we cook, despite the rythmic movement of our home, and we do no sailing manoevers. No really: in the first two days we didn’t touch a line or a sail. Hehehe. We read book, try to capture pictures of waves (impossible !), we use our solar shower or put a bucket of saltwater over our heads. – All the typical things one does when out on sea… or ?

In the marina Rubicón we’ve been welcomed by our friends Markus and Hille and parked the Rancho Relaxo to the jetty to immediately flee from the ship and jump into the marina’s own pool. After a late dinner we had 14 hours of sleep and then… The same: Immediately to the pool. Also a little trip over the island with the car and tomorrow I’ll try to fix the broken boom of our ship. But that will also have it’s own blog entry.

Well and even if I should have said during the trip that I don’t give a sh.. about all the cool sailing and that I don’t care seeing the Carribean if the way towards it is THAT shakey…. After a day on the beach everything is forgotten and I can’t wait to go out to sea again. Gui says this very moment: “Yes – it is the crazy moments that make the whole trip really good.” (Or someting like that – difficult to translate. ;-)

Running under engine for the second day. Uh, how boring…. For a few hours we had a little wind and set sails, enough for a few photos.

Well. It seems that on thursday next week, there’ll be wind from the right direction and although it’s not really stable and there’s NO wind to the west of Morocco, we’ll probably be off towards the Canaries – finally !!

In the meantime, we made a few miles to the south of Portugal together with the Kira, Roede Orm and Chiloe. In the entrance to Setubal a few breakers surprised us and made our Rancho Relaxo with her 12 tons surf down a few waves. – Strange feeling….  The Ria was not that nice and so we lifted the anchor next morning and used the remaining tide for the exit out to sea. Another 35 miles down to Sines. It’s end of season and the harbours on our way get emptier all the time. We only meet the last sea vagabonds waiting for the crossover to Madeira or the Canaries.

In the meantime the kids are having fun at the beach and I think it’s time to follow…

Shortly after sunset and with the outgoing tide (for once!) we left Figueira da Foz to use the predicted northerly wind for our 115mile trip wo Lisboa. As it happens quite often, soon after we left the coast the wind dissipated and we had to run under engine for three hours. But right after midnight the capitana woke me to set sails. Soon after, the north wind set in and pushed us with a constant 4 Bft. and increasing waves towards the south.  In the morning the swell was too much for Gui and her face turned a little green. That’s why I was alone in the cockpit when we sailed with six knots in between Peniche and the islas Berlenga and Farilhoes.

Not much later the Cabo da Roca came in sight and as antissipated, the cape effect doubled the windforce – which helped the Rancho Relaxo to sensational speeds. Speaking of: for hours while running along the coast, we were chased by two larger sailingboats which could not take the leading position in our little private race !

We were thinking that the wind would decrease once we enter the Ria Tejo but actually it again gained on force and with strong gusts helped the Rancho Relaxo a whopping eight knots while gliding along quite close to the coastline. So we raced up the river, passing castles, beautiful lighthouses and finally underneath the Ponte de 25 Abril after which we dropped the sails in the last sunlight and entered the marina Alcantara. The SY Chiloe which we last saw at the Islas Cies lies only a few meters away from us.

After we spent the hot midday in the shadow with internet access and a nice Galaõ, we’ll soon take a stroll towards the city.

Today just in the morning, I made the discovery that this will (with the exception of Dakar) be the last time we’re on ‘land’ for about half a year which we’ll spend only on islands. Strange thought – but nice prospect.

Uuuh. After only one week being six on bord we have to say goodbye to Julia and Oliver. :-/ It was a waaay too short but wonderful time that we and our kids very much enjoyed. Gui and Julia had endless chats in the cockpit meanwhile Oliver tried to blend in with the rest of the crew and slept most of the day on the dinghy. Ah ! And our two guests managed to change their face-color a couple of times from: white -> green -> red -> brown. Hehehe. Have a nice flight & we hope to see you again in the carribean !!

But now I will go back a little to loose a couple of words about our journey towards here: The 39 miles from Aveiro we had the most wonderful wind and blazing sunshine. With nearly constant 3-4 Beaufort we sailed towards Fig.Foz where there is a little cape just north of the city. Still a few miles out on the sea we could already see the surfers whoosh back and forth which is a good warning sign ! And the ‘cape-effect’ soon after set in and we were running more than 7 knots with just the main sail set. The other two ships that left the last port just a little before us (SY HHH und Roede Orm), decided to use the beautiful wind and continue towards Nazaré. Hopefully, we’ll meet again in Lisboa.

We also took advantage of the weather and spent the last three days mostly at the beach and in the evenings to go out for dinner. The kids built castles, buried themselves in the sand, played in the waves – and we made pre-school at the beach (writing and calculating is fun in the sand !). The day before yesterday we had SENSATIONAL food in the Caçarola 1 – kilos of crabs and other seafood and as if that wasn’t enough a big pot of ‘Arroz de Tamboril’ to finish us off.  Uhuhuh !!! Luckily the road to the harbour it usually downwards so we could roll towards our beds… Yesterday we topped the culinary event by using the Touri-train for a taxi ! As the restaurant was about 2km up the beach and the kids (and us) didn’t want to walk, Gui used her charm to persuade the driver to get us there and pick us up ! Yeye !! The people in Portugal are pretty much without exception really friendly and helpful !

This is what they say in tourist guides…. When we sailed upriver towards that little, private marina we did not really think this could be a place we like. We had a rather unpleasent sailing day, going mostly against the wind while running under engine and our two new crew members where busy feeding the dolphins. So everyone was a little exhausted when we walked along the main channel towards the city centre.

Big surprise ! The old town really is crowded with gondolas and those are decorated with quite objectionable pictures. We found a supermarket and also a fantastic pizza place and went back to the ship in the middle of the night. Next day we sailed downriver towards the beach where we arrived just in time to wave to our friends from the SY Hitch Hike Heidi and SY Roede Orm who we found on board the ferry going towards the city.

The beach is endless and had really impressive waves that day. We enjoyed the rest of the day building sand castles and running through the waves. Beautiful. Beautiful – also was the next day when we pushed further south towards Figueira da Foz where we are now. And now that is when I will finish writing this story to go to the beach – it’s 31 degrees Celsius outside ! Bye.

Already two days ago it happened… 2000 nautical miles we’ve sailed since we left Berlin ! That’s not really much will say all those that went around the world or crossed the atlantic. – But it just happened that I was there and had a camera at hand, so I made that pic for you.

Well. – And 2000 miles is pretty much all I’ve ever sailed *before* we’ve started our adventure – and it took me more than 10 years to do that. So… it IS much – or is it not ?!? Hehehe.