DAY TWO THURSDAY

DAY TWO THURSDAY 26/5/11 0900

WOW WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT
Firstly the only bus of the day from villa real goes at 1400 and not 1700 hrs so i got to the boat a little early, which was nice,I got a lift down to my mooring with the local taxi boat and climbed aboard Simo looked great , the paint job I had done over the winter was gleaming and it looked as though my owl ( bird scarer ) had done his job keeping the bird shit away and not on my covers, before I even went below i got all the covers off and folded neatly ready to be stowed , I dont think they will be needed for a while. I unlocked and went below and firstly lifted a sole board and was pleased to see a dry bilge , Simo only takes a bit of water when she is driven hard in a rough sea , but when it rains she takes a bit more , and apparently Portugal has had a lot of rain this spring, In fact as I sit here writing this at nine am it is pissing down , but also nice and warm .
Last night I started to prepare the cabin door's for varnish and as long as the rain stops i will finish all the prep on the coachroof and cockpit to give her a coat of varnish before the weekend, I have got to say the varnish is looking very good anyway but i know my chances of doing it in the UK will be limited.
Before I started the the work last night I foung a perfect birds nest with eggs in , how i never noticed it before I dont know , it was made up in the ropes stowed just aft of the mast step , how he escaped the vigilant owl I will not know but the nest was under the covers , and so snug , such a shame I had to offload it all but i took a pic for you all to see .
Anyway I will also goe up to the dock at Alcoutim for a two or three days , I need to get provisions and sort out all sorts of stuff , write list so I dont forget, and my plan will be to head down river on the sunday afternoon tide, spend the night in the entrance and then sail to Faro on nthe monday to stock up with food from the markets, and also the champions leage final is on the Saturday night Man U v Barca.

Sunday 29/5/11 day 5
well my Friends arrived from Sancti Petri down Cadiz way and we all went out for a meal in a resturant and watched the champions league final into the bargain Barca won 3.1 so we were happy, today we shall waatch the Grand prix and will be rooting for Button to win and Vettal to sulk ..
The varnish is all done and Simo is looking pretty smart , and the plan is to leave Alcoutim tomorow ( Monday ) with the tide and anchor at the bottom of the river. then on tuesday sail out and up to Faro and anchor in culatra, i want to get provisioned up by the end of the week, so i am ready for departure,
Forgot to tell you I went to a bit of a jump up on friday night at a little finca just dowwn the river , we had curry that was fab and I had far to much wine just like everybody else, the party wqs put on by a guy called Robert Black and he is part of a band called The Journey men , great bloke great mate , Robin and Sue who I had dinner with on Friday ( yes it's just a round of partie's down here)have promised me a dozen fresh eggs fo my trip and i met another couple who made a fab carrot cake , and she promised to make me one for my trip, I gave her old man the carrots yesterday, lovely couple.
Every bdy keeps saying I am mad to go back to the UK and i have to agree ,,, but i am still going and if the weather is good, in a weeks time
all for now