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The site for keeping up to date with
Alison Rennie & Phil Hamerton
as they cruise aboard Bagheera West & South of Scotland.
Update: 28/4/12
We have reached Almerimar, our first 'destination' in the Med. We are now sitting
aboard, heeling at 10-
Here Bagheera will spend a month while we return to the UK for the wedding of one
of Phil's neices in Falmouth. While we are away Bagheera will come out of the water
to have her bottom cleaned and re-
We retrieved the car yesterday, completing a series of bus & ferry journeys which
has 'stitched' the coast from Lagos to Almerimar. Details of the actual stages are
on the Floating Blogs page if anyone wants to take the same sort of journey. The
car has been a great boon, allowing us to visit far more than we could otherwise
have managed. Tomorrow we go to Cordoba and Granada for a few days, camping & sight-
Update: 24/4/12
We have left Gib, with the diving gear but no watermaker, and are now progressing
along the Spanish coast. The watermaker hasn’t even left Trinidad and we will now
have to find a way of getting it from Gib when we are 150 miles East! Not good enough!
However the diving gear was ready, Phil had a good basic intro and we spent a couple
of days in Gib before going to Smir (see the Floating Blog and the Cruising Diary
for some info) and then returning to La Linea. After 1 night there we set off into
the Med. So here we are, now in Estepona -
Update: 17/4/12
Gibraltar! We arrived in Gib yesterday afternoon at 1700 after a short day motoring/sailing
down from Barbate and through the Strait. This really feels like the beginning of
another adventure and we can’t quite believe that we are here. We’ll stay for a couple
of days, expecting to pick up the watermaker and Phil’s SCUBA diving kit. Then we
plan to go on to Smir (Morocco) and back to Spain for the journey to Almerimar. Once
again no wi-
Update: 15/4/12
Waiting for a weather window to get to Gib -
The full story of our trips to Seville (Alcazar, Cathedral, Giralda Tower as well
as Semana Santa) are covered on the Floating Blog page, with extra photos also in
the Photo Gallery. Since then we have come further south, to Barbate (pronounced
Bar-
Sadly it also has a variety of weather -
We had originally hoped to be in Gib by 15th April so we’re almost on schedule......
Update: 4/4/12
From our man in Sevilla!
We are spending the first of probably a number of days in Seville, watching various of the Semana Santa processions. Having arrived by bus (dep 07.30), we’re now sitting with our feet up waiting for them to recover before going out looking for tapas and flamenco! Tomorrow we continue our Odyssey by bus from Rota (where Bagheera is now berthed) back to Lagos to collect the car (and, hopefully, our new bank cards).
After a dull visit to Mazagon we had a mixed day to Rota, ending with a cracking 3 hour sail with Bagheera reaching (pun intended) 7.4 knots in 13 knots of wind with slight sea on the beam. We could hardly have asked for better!
Rota is a very interesting town, of which more will follow. We have only spent a
very few hours there and we don’t have time for a full update with photos of Rota
yet! Then it will take hours to condense Sevilla onto the web page -
Update: 2/4/12
Bagheera is back in Spanish waters! After two days we’ve shaken off the Bom Dia’s
in favour of Buenas Dias -
Update: 1/4/12
We’ve escaped! We unstuck the velcro from ‘Port Velcro’ and sailed off (we motored for the first two hours) this morning as planned. Despite a great evening last night aboard Dakini, with many good friends (thanks Marcel & Helen), we didn’t have too much difficulty getting up & away for 10.00 (10.15 in the end!).
We managed to sail for 5 of the 7 hours of the passage, making an average of 5 knots over the whole day, most of it downwind in a Westerly Force 4. This was better than we had expected from the forecast and it was also dry, again better than forecast! We are now at anchor just S of Faro (a planeload of Brits arriving every minute or so) in W4, hoping it will quieten down soon. First ‘tots’ have been taken to celebrate our safe arrival and supper (cold, cooked chicken salad) will follow shortly. Then to bed early and off to Mazagon (Spanish flag required again) tomorrow.
Update: 29/3/12
THE BOAT IS READY! We have completed all the beginning of the season tasks and are
just waiting for the weather to settle down. For the whole of the last 2 weeks we
have had strong Easterly winds and the port of Lagos has repeatedly been officially
closed as a result of the sea conditions in the entrance. In any case our first ‘leg’
is to the East so we can’t sensibly set off until the wind comes round -
Update: 25/3/12
The clocks have ‘sprung’ forwards here, too, and the Swallows have arrived en route
for the UK (presumably). The wild flowers are beginning to bloom everywhere and the
almond blossom is almost over. By this time next week, with a fair forecast, we should
be on our way east, towards Chipiona (the mouth of the Guadalquivir). The deck caulking
is now complete, the inflatable canoe has been deflated and the storage areas on
the boat have been turned back to their sailing mode, rather than living-
Once again no updates on other pages as we’re really busy tidying up (and partying!)
But if you’re a position-
Update: 20/3/12
The first day of Spring in the UK, according to Google! Here the sun continues to shine but Portugal, like the UK, lacks water. There has been basically no rain since late October/November. One or two showers only and the farmers are very worried. However it's been pretty good for us: the warmest and most gentle winter anyone can remember!
Preparations are nearing completion for the next step on the way, a journey to the mouth of the Guadalquivir. We have decided not to sail up the river into Sevilla as it's pretty complicated and the available marina spaces are not in the city centre anyway. Instead we will get the boat, then the car, to Chipiona and we shall then be able to 'do' Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada & Ronda fairly easily from there. We may even go to Cadiz & Jerez!
It's been a busy winter fixing/improving the boat and we think we're just about ready: mosquito nets are fitted to all windows, we have our big sunshade being completed as I write and we will collect the watermaker in Gib and then fit it in Almerimar before we set off into the further corners of the Med. We’ve completed the prototype passarelle (boarding ladder), serviced the engine, finished converting the main saloon lights to LEDs and are putting the finishing touches to the teak deck maintenance. We think that all the electronics are working properly and the generator and holding tank, in particular, should be functioning.
Now all we want is some respite from the Easterly winds so that we can get to Spain!
No additional info on any other pages, this time! Details of the re-
Update: 13/3/12
Things are beginning to hot up in Lagos! The weather is beginning to get really pretty
hot with unbroken sunshine continuing to be the norm and night-
On Bagheera we have finished replacing 35 screws and teak plugs on the deck -
Update: 26/2/12
Spring has arrived in the Algarve! The marina has ‘sprouted’ many new residents as
folk from all over northern Europe re-
Update: 10/2/12
In the Ria Formosa Perpetual Trophy Challenge Bagheera made a good showing in two
days’ racing. Helmed and skippered by Scrabbler’s James with Jana, Francis and Jak
along with Alison & Phil as the crew, Bagheera had a great weekend racing in up to
32 knots of wind, sailing to windward on both days -
Update: 29/1/12
Today should have seen Bagheera racing again but we decided that the forecast of
6-
Earlier in the week Nuance left and, later, Burns' Night was celebrated by the local
emigrees -
There are photos and some other comments on the Floating Blogs page and the recipes for the cranachan and the shortbread are in the recipes page.
Update: 16/1/12
The last few weeks seem to have flown by: repairs, health care access, rescue & racing and the Great Fishing Race & BBQ! Meanwhile we have also had some poor weather: one brief period of windier and rainy conditions. Originally forecast as 40mph+ winds and heavy rain for Monday (today), it ended up with some rain overnight and a stiff wind (maybe 20/25 mph) though sunny. Tomorrow is forecast as back to normal: steady sunshine with a dropping wind! Updates this time on the Floating Blogs page for details of the fishing, the Bagheera page for info on the repairs and improvements as they progress and we also have news of our planned journey from April on the Cruising Diary page.
Update: 9/1/12
Bagheera to the rescue! Keen position-
Update: 5/1/12
Feliz Anno Novo -
Update: 26/12/11
What an extraordinary Christmas Day. After a small group of intrepid swimmers had a dip a small flotilla set off for the barbie. The sea conditions made landing difficult, and getting off equally so. Nevertheless, and despite various levels of being wet, a group of some 20 sailors enjoyed a festive barbie on the beach, with unbroken sunshine and very light wind. The pictures tell their own story on the Photo Gallery page. Phil has promised to swim on New Year’s Day, with his cousin, provided his back improves!
Today is quite breezy and the planned race has been postponed since the forecasters are suggesting F7 this afternoon. However this gives us the chance to join in, which is welcome as we thought we would have to miss it to collect the nephew from Faro.
Update: 25/12/11
Happy Christmas! Christmas Day has dawned as another cloudless blue sky with brilliant
sunshine on the Algarve. After a polyglot Christmas Eve we are joining a largely
Brit barbecue on the beach in a few hours. In the meantime people are appearing on
the pontoon with multi-
Happy Christmas! Christmas Day has dawned as another cloudless blue sky with brilliant
sunshine on the Algarve. After a polyglot Christmas Eve we are joining a largely
Brit barbecue on the beach in a few hours. In the meantime people are appearing on
the pontoon with multi-
Update: 22/12/11
Shock frost in the Algarve! On Tuesday we awoke to icy decks and pontoons! The temperature
was only 6ºC in the cockpit first thing but the day dawned clear and the cloudless
sunshine soon warmed us all up. Today is the solstice and, again cloudless, we have
been back into t-
Many fewer boats still have people living aboard them, though a few have guests arriving
for the festive season -
This update includes new stuff on all pages except the Photo gallery and Bagheera.
Update: 9/12/11
Christmas has arrived in the Algarve! Not only are all the shops full of Christmas
music but the marina has also started a competition for the best decorated boat.
As you can see Bagheera is decked out with lights up the fore-
This update also covers news on being boarded by the Police Maritime as well as recent race successes, on the Cruising Diary page, and some more recipes……
In the photo galleries on the Recipe page and the Cruising Diary and Floating blogs
you should now be able to ‘roll over’ a picture and see a useful caption -
Update: 19/11/11
Back in Portugal after a longer-
We’ve finally managed to get out of the marina and sail Bagheera around -
The story of our journey back, with a Land Rover Freelander, across Spain from Santander
stopping at Salamanca and Merida, in particular, is on the Floating Blogs page. Our
one sail out from here, complete with two groundings, is recounted on the Cruising
Diary page. The website will soon have a new page -
Update: 23/10/11
Well, that’s the World Cup all over! Despite the vocal support from several French
crews -
It looks as if the long summer might finally be over with the first autumn gale down
here and some serious rain! And they know a thing or two about rain here: it is almost
of Scottish quality in terms of ferocity -
We’re visiting the UK for a few days next week, to collect some more clothes, put Utopie to bed and to collect a car so that we can tour Portugal and Spain a bit over the winter. Phil will also be seeing the doctor to get his deaf ear checked out; visiting doctors here is a bit tricky, especially as our European Health Insurance Certificates have apparently been lost in the post and we are waiting for new ones!
Other than that there’s nothing much more to report apart from developing confidence in tackling Portuguese fish cookery (watch out for Phil’s seafood and white bean recipe coming soon) and some progress with repairs/maintenance onboard, which are on the Floating Blogs page
Update: 15/10/11
Phil has now qualified as a PADI diver but Bagheera remains in harbour!
During the enforced period of no sailing, while we wait for the furling winch to be restored to full operation, Phil has become a qualified (Open Water) SCUBA diver. Though temporarily deaf in one ear (perhaps it would be good if it was permanent??) there seem to be no lasting ill effects, just motivation to do some more! See some pictures on the Floating Blogs page.
In addition to the diving the inflatable canoe has taken us out of the harbour area to some of the stunning bays/beaches nearby; it really is an extraordinary part of the world!
Sadly, despite the valiant flying of the flag, the Welsh dragon has now been silenced here. While Phil was diving Alison joined the supporters of Rugby in the South Bar for the match on Saturday; what a disappointment!
Update: 9/10/11
Temperatures are falling in Lagos, at last! It is now cool enough for us to go to
the beach to swim, where the water is still in the low 20’s -
Alison’s attempts to save all small animals have now led to us being adopted by a
Sparrow who expects to be allowed into the cockpit, under the cover, to be fed. We
are proving that intermittent reinforcement is very effective!! Unfortunately we
can’t persuade it to go using the anti-
The shower pump is working, after a fashion, but we are still without a mainsail and can’t go out as the mechanism which holds the mainsail is unsupported and would get damaged, so we have resorted to boat cleaning. This is the first time we’ve done anything to clean her up since we bought her so it’s well overdue!
For latest news about Dragons in the Algarve go to the Cruising Diary pages……….
Update: 4/10/11
We’ve now settled on our winter home and are berthed in Lagos (pronounced Lah-
We still can’t really believe we’re here. The main pages of the website have now been brought up to date with info on the recent passages and trips to Porto & Lisbon among others. For the next few months the developments will be more about life here: cooking, eating and sorting out stuff on the boat. Just now I must go and take the shower pump to bits to find out why it doesn’t drain the shower properly!!
Update: 25/9/11
We have arrived at our original destination: Portimão. After sailing and motoring
for 1,387 miles we have reached our target, a marina on the Algarve which was recommended
to us months ago by Hugh, who also advised us over the boat purchase and many other
things. Our task, now, is to choose between several marinas on the Algarve, or possibly
into Spain, as our winter home. It’s still pretty hot here: regularly over 30º in
the shade, so we’ll need to plan carefully if we only have only about 80 sq feet
of space to live in and no air conditioning! For anyone who, like us, doesn’t know
this area it‘s hard to overstate the beauty as well as the extent of the coastal
development. We look forward to taking the boat to remote rocky beaches, where it’s
not possible to get by land, and exploring the warm, bright green water -
A full revision of the website is well overdue, having visited Porto, Lisbon and
many other places, but the vagaries of wi-
Update: 14/9/11
Bagheera entered Portuguese territorial waters at 1200 (GMT) on 6th September. Since
then we have spent a couple of days exploring Porto -
We are now in Nazare, a fishing port and tourist retreat near the bottom of the ‘big bay’ on the Portuguese coast. We will next spend time on the outskirts of Lisbon (Cascais, probably arriving by Friday) before setting off for the final stage of the journey to the Algarve, round Cape St Vincent.
The new Home Page photo shows the main anchorage of Isla Ceis (just W of Baiona at
the southern end of the Spanish Rias) with Bagheera the yacht in the centre of the
picture -
We have a massive amount to update on: Combarro & Pontevedra as well as Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Porto and Nazare from Portugal, and not enough time to do this properly. So you’ll have to wait to see the rest of the photos..
In the meantime we have cracked the AIS monitoring websites and you can see where we are and where we have been by clicking here.
This link works!
Update: 30/8/11
We’re now South of Cape Finisterre, S of the 43 North Latitude line -
Update: 21/8/11
Hola! Bagheera is now in Spain, after a 3 day crossing of the Bay of Biscay from the Scillies. We are now in La Coruna, N Spain, for a few days, listening to a local yachtsman practising on the local bagpipes (Galicia has a strong Celtic tradition). From here we will continue South, without our third crew member Nick, who has seen us through from Ardglass.
Update: 17/8/11
On passage to The Scilly Isles…. Sitting in the cockpit as we bowl along at 6 knots in 12 knots of Easterly breeze, with help from the tide (2 knots) in a sunny, calm sea West of the Bristol Channel. It has been a remarkable passage and there are new additions to the wildlife page and the Cruising & Floating Blogs.
If you are having trouble finding us on the AIS you might do better -
Update: 15/8/11
Our first foreign port! We’ve made it to Eire (Howth, nr Dublin) after a long, hard sail from Ardglass (N Ireland) yesterday. On the way from Troon we have also collected a third crew member, Nick Bowles, who has joined us to help cross the Bay of Biscay. If you’re trying to see where we are on the AIS website (see below) don’t be surprised if it’s very ‘old’ information; the site seems only to record where you are once or twice a day! Either that or the Guinness is having a stronger effect than I had thought!
Next stop is expected to the Scillies after a brief interlude of bad weather……. A fuller update can be expected later but communications have been difficult recently!
Update: 8/8/11
We’re ready to go -
You can now see how we’re doing by logging on to the site which tracks all vessels equipped with AIS (Automatic Identification System). This updates our position as we move. Log on to: http://www.shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=235087557
U-
Well, not quite a u-
The route involves a short stop in Troon to get mechanical bits & pieces checked
over and to allow for the delivery of new sails which we have just been measured
for in Oban. Then we set off for Falmouth, probably following the Irish coast to
Waterford and making the trip rounds Lands End from there. We hope to get to Falmouth
in 5 -
Updated: 28/4/12
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