This affluent coastal region of west Portugal has long been a drawcard for European royalty, espionage activity, and the rich and famous… the wealth in this region is obvious. And yet, we did not once feel out of place or unwelcome. This tiny triangle of Portugal is not to be missed!
Read MoreWe had not planned to sail along the west coast of Europe on the Atlantic Ocean this close to winter. Originally we were going to hop along the coastline doing day sails in warmer weather…
Read MoreWe’ve been getting ready for our next journey today… Cleaning, cooking and prepping the boat. In the morning we’ll leave Spain and head down the coast of Portugal. It should take us about 3-4 days to get down to Lisbon - the longest passage we’ve done. Adios Gijón!
Read MoreWe hadn’t heard of Gijón before the wind blew us there. But gee, we’re glad it did! We immediately had a good feeling about this place…
Read MoreHanging out in Gijón for the week while we wait for our next weather window… Hopefully heading to Porto (or Lisbon?) on Monday!
Read MoreAs the sky grew brighter and the sun rose in the sky, we eased ourselves into the day, still sickly on the rocky seas. But by mid-morning we had entered Spanish waters, which lifted the spirits! The sun was shining bright and the seas were increasingly calmer…
Read MoreThis crossing had been hanging over us for weeks, so leaving La Rochelle we were feeling both nervous and excited. But there was little fanfare as we cast off the dock lines and motored out of the marina…
Read MoreThis is it! Today we got the go-ahead to leave La Rochelle! Tomorrow we will sail out into the Bay of Biscay…
Read MoreSailors are a superstitious bunch. Throughout history they have performed launching ceremonies, in part to appeal for good fortune and the safety of each new vessel. And so, on a sunny Saturday afternoon we held a little party on the bow of our new home…
Read MoreHmmm… Looks like our weather window has now shifted to Thursday. The wait continues! Could be heading for some kind of record here.
Read MoreLooks like we may have a weather window to leave La Rochelle on Monday… Stay tuned! We’re currently doing all our final shopping and boat jobs in order to be ready to go as soon as we get the word. Bay of Biscay, let’s do this!
Read MoreHaving moved aboard three and a half weeks ago and completed the commissioning of our boat, all that’s left to do now is leave La Rochelle. And so, we are just waiting for the right weather in order to cross the Bay of Biscay…
Read MoreSince arriving in La Rochelle three weeks ago (and indeed on previous visits) we’ve been struck by the great vibe of this coastal city…
Read More"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Read MoreAfter opting for some extra training (on top of the standard three days’ handover), we tackled the last session head-on. But this time our trainer Alain stepped it up a notch… Boy, there is a lot that we don’t know!
Read MoreWaking up after our first night aboard was a chilly one… Not exactly what we’d signed up for, given the name of this adventure! Nonetheless, we bundled off the kids with the grandparents and braved the weather for our third day of sail training…
Read MoreOn the afternoon of Sunday 7 September, we officially moved onto s/v Long Summer! We can now call ourselves “liveaboards”…
Read MoreDay two of getting to know our boat started with a trip up the mast, followed by playing with the spinnaker out in the bay, and ended with a glimmer of hope that we could, in fact, master the cruising life…
Read MoreToday was the first day sailing s/v Long Summer. Surrounded by brand new million-dollar yachts, the pressure was on not to destroy our dream or somebody else’s!
Read MoreWe have nearly unpacked everything! And to add to the excitement, we also had our boat decals fitted today…
Read More
