{"id":1592,"date":"2024-06-22T12:51:01","date_gmt":"2024-06-22T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moxieenmer.com\/?p=1592"},"modified":"2024-06-24T11:20:40","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T11:20:40","slug":"land-ho-lagos-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moxieenmer.com\/?p=1592","title":{"rendered":"Land Ho! Lagos, Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our final leg across the pond <\/em>(aka the Atlantic) commenced at noon on Friday, June 14th<\/sup>. Although we sailed out of Ponta Delgada, we eventually had to turn on the engine and use the \u201cmetal sail\u201d to get us out from the \u201clee of the island\u201d. The first few days were magic \u2013 also known as \u201cchampagne sailing\u201d\u2026 According to 1 nautical website<\/a>, this means \u201da picture-perfect sunny day for sailing with perfect breeze\u201d.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our case, we were sailing downwind (breeze from behind), accompanied by a rhythmic, gentle \u201cswish, swish\u201d as the boat moved smoothly thru the water – practically calm enough to set a champagne<\/em> flute down without it tipping over\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Sunday (6\/15), the winds picked up quite a bit as a low front came in and the ride became \u201cspicier\u201d.  In one 24 hour period, we did 222 NMs, averaging 9.7 per hour with a max speed of 20.2 Knts!! Wowee we were flying!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That put us in clearly in the lead by mid-day on Monday (6\/17) \u2013 by approximately 50 miles.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We prepared for this, by putting on our \u201cGameDay faces\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We were making great progress towards our destination, but that presented a dilemma: Do we continue sailing and cross \u201cOrca Alley\u201d at night or slow way down and spend another night at sea when the next cold front might catch up with us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have been following several Orca interaction websites, (e.g., Orca.pt<\/a>) that chronicle sightings and attacks and saw 1 on June 16th<\/sup> at  Cape St. Vincent \u2013 our destination\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

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Gladis is the label<\/a> for any orca that interacts with a boat. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Luckily, we were able to maintain a good speed and headed across this 40 mile stretch in the late afternoon with sun behind us. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We rotated \u201cspotters\u201d at the bow and stern for the next 5 hours and luckily, we never saw any orcas.  Once into water less than 20 Meters, we could breathe easier because there\u2019s only been 1 attack at that depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We also had to cross the traffic separation zone<\/em> \u2013 which is the equivalent of a 4 lane highway for cargo ships and tankers.  The image shows the \u201cseparation zone\u201d for vessels making their way north and south around the Straits of Gibraltar.  The Arica Express<\/em> is highlighted so we could monitor their movements (see speed and COG info) to make sure we weren\u2019t going to have an \u201cinteraction\u201d (i.e., collision) with them. They passed behind us about 2 miles off our stern \u2013 man was it huge – 260 Meters long).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was still bright and sunny outside and we were sailing along nicely. Soon we spotted the lighthouse on Cape St. Vincent and started to relax a little because shallower water was just ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At sunset, we dipped the ensign<\/a> – an old maritime custom to signal respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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