Sunday - 5 August 2018

It was already warm and sunny when we woke. The marina is a the far end of this holiday town and, today, we run away from the town along an unmade road towards the quieter beach, well away from the centre. There were just half a dozen fishermen on the beach, casting there lines from the shore. A few other runners were out too.

We slipped lines in very little wind but as we departed enough breeze came in to sail for a while. We noted the depth plummet as we went over the underwater cavern.

We had read in the pilot book that the first week of August is fiesta in Peniche: the festival of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, which includes harbour processions and blessing of the fishing fleet. We were expecting the marina to be very full, but had no trouble finding a space on the long outer pontoon. The marina office was closed but a fellow English sailor lent us his access key to the facilities. A notice in the office window advised that we had to walk to the large harbour entrance to check in, but we couldn’t find where we had to go and a local told us that it was also closed anyway, being the Sunday of the fiesta.

Our view of the stage,  it was loud!

After showers on board, which is a first for us, we found a superb fish restaurant, one of many. We each had different fish and it was all delicious.

By the time we left the restaurant, it was dark, the Blackpool illumination type lights were on, decorating the harbour front. The main road of the town was filled with a huge fairground, with bright lights, music blaring and packed with people. It was had a fabulous vibe. Down on the harbour wall, next to the marina was a large stage, now with music blaring from the rock band. We realised why the marina wasn’t full. As in Muros, we knew we would be listening to the bands playing into the small hours.

Distance covered today	26	nautical miles
Trip distance covered	1037	nautical miles
Distance covered 2018	1757	nautical miles

Tricia (and Steve and Teresa)