PORTO TO AVEIRO, 1stAugust

We decided it was time to leave Porto before we grew roots, and anyway we were keen to see Lisbon next. On the morning of our departure it was clear but mist was moving in over the sea from the West. By the time we had given back the marina keys and cleared the mooring, the fog was dense. Navigating out of the Douro River was quite hair raising. The ebb tide was strong, sweeping us sideways and we could not see anything. We just relied on the chart plotter.

In hoping that the fog would 'burn off' as the sun came up we kept going with very watchful eye on the plotter, AIS, and of course the sea ahead. The main problem in these waters are the little fishing boats and their thousands of crab trap markers. These markers are usually in the form of a boue of about 15cm diameter with a trailing rope ( so that the fishermen can haul it into the boat we presume). They are mostly found near fishing ports and are planted in depth between 20 and 80 meters. Other yacht people have told us that you have to cruising in about 100 meters to avoid them, however this would mean going 8 to 10 miles offshore which is a hassle when 'coast-hopping'.

By the time we were nearing Aveiro the fog had just about cleared. The AVEIRO port authority called us as we entered the estuary and then amazingly a police boat escorted us through the many fishing and sports boats until we were at our intended anchorage.

Finding a place to drop the hook was quite easy and the only problem was that boats arriving later tended to crowd around us too close.