Home -> Europe -> Portugal -> Travelogue 2001 -> Tuesday 26 June

A cruise along the coast of the Algarve

Around 8 o'clock we are picked up by a bus at the entrance of the campsite. After halting at a dozen hotels to pick up other people we arrive at 10 at the harbor of Vilamoura. The place is near Albufeira and we could better have taken a taxi. Half past 10 we put out to sea.
Elisabeth on the catamaran Looking back at Vilamoura At first we can't find a pleasant place to sit, so we end up at the back of the catamaran, just above the engines. But that also means we inhale all the exhaust that stays close behind the boat, so we soon leave this unhealthy place.
Most tourists on the boat are English and they are all talking about earlier trips to other countires. Many tourists have this problem. Boasting about the things one has seen, seems to be more important than the trip one is making at that moment. Teije had seen it a lot when he was a tour guide. Well, we enjoy our trip and marvel at the coast of the Algarve with all the beautiful beaches and limestone rocks.
Algarve coastline From Vilamoura the catamaran sails to the west and soon we pass Albufeira in the distance. We can't zoom in with our camera so the coast keeps it's distance.
Algarve coastline Algarve coastline Limestone is a soft material and thus the south coast is good carving material for the sea. The rocks have been sculpted into whimsical figures and everywhere there are small inlets and creeks we would never have seen from the road.
On the boat At 1 o'clock we reach Portimao and it is time for lunch: fresh sardines, of course... The boat halts for an hour and whoever wants to can take a swim. It looks very tempting, but we have had our share in the sun and the water, so we decide to be careful.
Algarve coastline Algarve coastline On the way back we have another experience: in a smaller boat we visit caves along the coast and sail under rocky arches. To prevent the camera from becoming wet, we don't make any close up pictures. We become very wet, though.
Algarve coastal caves Algarve coastal caves There is only one big disadvantage: everybody wants to make a trip in the smaller boat, so it takes hours before we can sail on. After some time this can get boring.
Eventually everybody has seen every cave and we can go on.
Sitting in the sun, Elisabeth feels her skin starting to itch again and she can't resist to scratch and pull it loose. We wonder how many more layers will come off.
About 6 we are back in the harbor of Villamoura, but it is 8 before we are back at the campsite. The bus first goes to all the other hotels and, although we passed the campsite several times, we are the last to be dropped off... We have made a wonderful trip, really worth while. Only those tourists, they can be so tiresome.
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