Porto to Barcelona

We departed Porto the day after a storm. If we had paid attention to the fact that the pilot left the ship even before we were out of the port we might have been prepared for the swells. We were perpendicular to the giant rollers and the ship began to move from 45 degrees to port to 45 degrees to star board - back and forth continuously. It was wild, instant seasickness for most. Several giant crashes were heard from the galley. I am not sure what had been cooking as we left but later that day, those of us who could eat had mac and cheese. For two days we were rolling violently before the swells died down enough for us to resume a more or less normal existence.



The wind was from the south and we were sailing south along Portugal so there were no point in setting sails. On the fourth day we entered the Straight of Gibralta, Africa to the south and Europe to the North, amazing, unbelievable, cool - you take your pick. There were many fishing boats off the coast of Moroco. There were dolphins and pilot whales. We saw oval fins come out of the water. The students called - sharks. Others said turtles. They were of course sunfish. There were seabirds by the hundreds - there was so much life. I cancelled my Biology class and I had all but two of my students up on the main royal and main upper gallant yards. We were there for two ours and must have seen 100 sunfish. We could see deep into the clear water. Some of the sunfish were over a metre in diameter. We lost count of the dolphins but estimated over 1000. There must have been 20 or so pilot whales.


There was quite the current flowing out from the Mediterranean - there were whirlpools and two foot standing waves in bands. Ferries were crossing from Morocco to Spain. Plain ferries and cat ferries. Cruise ships were coming and going and there were of course many freighters.

When we turned north we were hoping for the wind to be behind us. It was for two hours but then changed direction and we actually turned around at night and went backwards - not by choice. The sails came down. I had set the fore course and helped furl for two hours. I must admit it's the sailing I love.

Two days from Barcelona we had a man overboard exercise and then we went swimming. The water was maybe 20 degrees C the water was clear and there was a depth of close to 2 km.
Below is Gibralta in the haze.

A storm had been raging off the French coast and we encountered some large rollers. There were branches floating in the water although we were far from shore so it must have been big. Another storm was advancing so we 'hurried' to get to Barcelona and arrived a day early. In the nine days of sailing from Porto we had sails up twice and for no more than for three hours - so disappointing.

Approaching Barcelona.