We set sail for Porto on a relatively short day at sea, with the wind blowing a steady 10 knots at 60 degrees off the bow. Perfect conditions to pull out the gennaker, allowing us to cruise at an impressive 7 knots over ground. The most complicated part of the day, however, turned out to be finding a berth near Porto. Unbeknownst to us, it was The Feast of São João, the city’s most important festival celebrating Saint John, the patron saint of Porto. Our original plan to dock at a downtown marina was thwarted as they were fully booked due to the celebrations until June 24. Instead, we headed to a marina in Leixões, just 10 miles away. It turned out to be a pleasant spot with easy access to Porto via a quick 30-minute train ride or Uber.
In Leixões, we enjoyed what might have been our best meal yet. We dined on turbo and sea bass, selecting the fresh fish brought to our table before watching it being prepped and cooked over a coal fire right in front of us. The flavors were incredible! The night concluded back on the boat with a fun game of cards, our laughter mingling with the pleasant sounds of the waves crashing on the nearby beach.
lunch while sailing 🙂
coast of Portugal
