Life in Nazare in the year of the virus

 We have now settled in to our life in the Nazare boatyard. This is the view from our cockpit complete with the bowsprit from the boat behind which we need to avoid when boarding.

It took some time to source the parts for the gearbox but they duly arrived and within a day of their arrival the mechanic presented us with a repaired gearbox. Scruffbag fitted it a few weeks later, We have not yet tested it because we have decided to leave Erica in the yard over winter. We intend to rent an apartment for the colder months of January and February and paying marina fees and apartment rent seems a tad extravagant. In the meanwhile we have found another cracked engine mounting (probably occurring way back in Martinique when we wrapped a rope around the prop. so we are lucky ) this has gone away with Alec the welder for replacement. We also bought wood for a new boom gallows and plan a few other jobs

We continue to live life under the shadow of Covid so, although things are ok here we are not using public transport other than the funicular railway up to the old town of O Sitio from time to time, Everyone seems to be good at obeying the rules here and mask wearing is obligatory in all buildings and inside spaces and outside wherever there are several people,

We have applied for and been granted temporary Portuguese residency so we can stay here and travel to Madeira and the Azores without Brexit restrictions which is a bonus,

So life goes on. We have been going on lots of walks, There are long unspoilt beaches to the north and south of us and forests, farmland and hills and valleys, we are spoilt for choice.

We have also now bought second hand bikes so that we can travel further afield.

We have  made some good friends too, Dody, a German sailor who has been here for some years working on her wooden boat, and Wolfgang and Birte, a German couple who arrived this year from the Caribbean and the USA and Canada  and, like us are waiting out the virus.

Dody has her own small caravan and a well equipped workshop. She is a skilled canvas worker and woodworker and speaks fluent Portuguese. She seems to know everyone and has been very helpful and very generous in driving us around , She has several cats, including a mother and kittens she rescued from the port dogs. They often come up the ladder on to our boat and surprise us by padding around the deck. Max, who I believe was Dody's first cat never visits our boat but is otherwise the friendliest of all of them and is definitely not for sale.

Wolfgang has been very industrious in carrying out his 7 yearly maintenance of his steel boat, working all day and every day and putting the rest of us to shame.

As well as the cats, we also have 2 favourite dogs in the yard whom we have christened Big Dog and Fluffy. Big dog likes to chase cars and he also likes to come up behind you unexpectedly and nudge the back of your legs. Fluffy appears much older and seems content to follow Big Dog around.

We have settled into a routine visiting the local market twice weekly for fruit, vegetables and meat and have a favourite cafe for coffee and wifi and the occasional toasted sandwich or rich, thick hot chocolate drink. The biggest downside is descending the ladder in the cool early mornings or dark evenings to visit the toilet block.