We were now intent on getting around Cape St Vincent on the southwest tip of Portugal while the weather was still good and that meant one more stop at Sines before the long run around the Cape to the Algarve. With no regrets we left the berth at Sesimbra and in lovely weather with almost no swell, but also no wind, we motored the 37 miles to Sines. Sines is a busy commercial port with the fishing port and yacht marina inside. The guide book said that once inside the marina the commercial aspect of the port was almost invisible and this proved to be the case. We had to wait on the reception pontoon until lunch finished and then the helpful staff allocated us a berth. Everyone at Sines was very welcoming and helpful. Having settled the boat for the evening we took a trip into town for essential provisions and then headed to a nearby restaurant for an evening meal. We thought the staff were lovely as, unbidden, they brought us all sorts of titbits while we were waiting for our main meal. That is until we received the bill where we found that they had added 17 Euros for starters! Walking back past the castelo to the boat through a very picturesque town, we had a paddle on the beach before turning in early in preparation for a long day’s run to the Algarve.
Sailing Synergy 