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We invite you to browse our website which holds 11.5 years of adventures aboard Big Sky and stories of our land trips. Use the "search" button above, or the drop-down buttons for "Sailing" or "Off the Beaten Path". We hope you enjoy.
Barb and Con Sprenger 
Above: Con and me in Chalki, Greece 2014 learning that grand daughter Kate was born.
* Hurricane Leslie made landfall in Figueira da Foz last night just after midnight, 340 KM from Lagos. The hurricane bounced around in the Atlantic for weeks until it changed course heading for Portugal. While spinning its way north east passing Morocco, experts weren’t sure if it would hit the Algarve (where we are) or Lisbon area. We added extra lines and slept soundly. About 1 am we heard rain, and by 3 am wind, but nothing dramatic. Northern Lisbon experienced power outages and trees down, and in Figueira da Foz people remained in an art hall following a concert. No one was hurt. The last recorded hurricane to reach Portugal was in 1842. On the bright side, Big Sky received a good washing. * Our motor-sail from northern Spain to Lagos, Portugal was pleasant mostly because we selected our departures to avoid strong winds, fog, and high seas. The Atlantic coast of Portugal is minimally traveled by tourists and sailors (compared to the Algarve) which makes the trip all the more enjoyable, especially with the Atlantic dolphins visiting. Surprisingly, the water temperature rose 7-8 degrees once we rounded Europe's most south-western corner. * Pictured: In Douro Marina situated in the pretty fishing village of Afurada de Baixo, laundry was being washed and dried communally. On our way to Peniche on a flat beautiful ocean, Short-Beaked Common Dolphins visited a number of times rolling over to look at us. They can travel at times up to 60 KPH, but played at our bow as we motored 12 KPM (7 knots). Early afternoon, Bottlenose Dolphins visited, squeaking and squirming and one guy spraying my camera. (Sorry for the water marks.) I could tell after the fifth time or so that he aimed his spray at me, turned over to see my reaction, followed by his squeaking. * Click: Sailing 2018 for stories and photos. My article from a few years ago: The Inspirational Philosophy of Sailing Through Life: https://www.nauticalmind.com/blog/2012/02/sailing-through-life/ |
Panorama photos below: View of Sintra from Castle dos Mouros; Erice amphitheatre in Sicily; Gulfo di Castelemmarre, Sicily; castles in Erice; Paxos in the Greek Ionian, and the northern end of the island of Milos.
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