Sines, Portugal 12 February 2007 Les på norsk

Southern - Europe at last

**OUT TO DRY** How can you tell a circumnavigator from the weekend sailors and charter boats? Simple. By their laundry hanging out to dry in the mast and rigging! We had months of fungus and mildew to exterminate, and the change in climate gave us the opportunity we needed.

NEWS AND FEATURE STORIES

SINES: Underveis has reached southern shores, at last. After having struggled our way through autumn storms, cold, rain and gale force winds. A fantastic feeling!

**WET** The passage from Brest to La Coruna went fine, except for the last 12 hours, as a strong gale hit us in the side. The rain was pouring down, and we were soaking wet upon our arrival in La Coruna.

FACTS ABOUT PORTUGAL

Portugal is situated on the Iberian peninsula together with Spain. The capital is Lisbon.
Approximately 10 million people live in Portugal.
Tourism, olive production and fisheries are among the main industries.
Portugal became democratic as late as 1974, after a military coup. Since then, all her colonies have been granted freedom. But Portuguese is still reckoned as a world language, spoken by several hundred million people in South-America, Africa and Asia.
Portugal has been a great seafaring nation. Great explorers like Magellan, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus all came from Portugal.
The currency in Portugal is Euro. Bank cards are accepted in most shops, and there
are ATMs everywhere. The price level on food and drinks is at least half of that in Norway, often much less.

(Source: CIA World factbook)

**WINDY** The winds can be fierce on the coast of Portugal, something we experiences on our passage from Cascais to Safi. Here is the breakwater in Sines, and the windpilot, torn to shreds.

**BEACH LIFE** The good thing about traveling out of season is that you can have all the facilities to your self. There are no families, and no vendors.

Sines, Portugal, 12.02.2007