30th June 22.30.
Somewhere up the crazy river.
Shame I don’t have that song onboard, Robbie Robertson was it? Tonight anchored up even further up Rio Gaudiana. Yesterday motored from Alcoutin to Pomarao, bit further up the river. Another pretty little village, so perfectly fits into the hillside maybe it was there all the time and just gradually appeared as the hillside eroded away. Probably.
Pretty village of Pomarao in the evening light.
This was a major mining area from middle for 19th century apparently, millions of tons of ore going down the river from Pomarao on sailing barges. Quiet little place now, no shops though I did manage to find a little bar with 3 people in it last night. Europe’s biggest damn is here as well on a tributary of the Gaudiana. Big it is, if you look left before flying into Faro you’ll see it. So this morning went of a wander before it got too hot while waiting for the tide, more piccys. Out of the village up a dirt track (old railway line maybe) it was so quiet that even footsteps seemed a noisy intrusion. Then about oneish the tide turned inland so off I went upriver again. Totally uncharted but a fair bit of water, though trip not without incident; I did manage to graze a rock which shook me up a bit. Sorry, girl, you with your new paint and all. Nothing major though. Top tip: - although generally the water tends to be on the outside of bends (as it says in pilot book), I did learn that a pays to look at the riverbanks as well, a cliff on the inside of a bend may well indicate good water there. Obvious really. So I didn’t go much further, mile or so later and anchored up in about 5m of water. Completely remote here. No people, roads, houses, telephone lines – nothing but hills and scrubland and emptiness and peace.
Somewhere up the crazy river
Not much traffic, couple of Dutch yachts head further upriver, other than that haven’t seen a soul since leaving Pomarao. Too hot to do much so lazed and snoozed then wander ashore about 9ish. Then best shower I’d had for ages onboard (maybe because first shower for a few days?) and salt cod for tea. Delicious.
Hope that anchor's dug in...
Must head downriver again tomorrow though, I think. Enough of this hermit stuff for now, and need more provisions. Bad seamanship I know but ran out of beer days ago. Down river it is then, 7am tide turns so early start. Haven’t had to worry about tides since Leaving Brittany not far off a year ago. Can’t say I’ve missed it.
Adios for now, from a place far, far away…..
