Avara in the Algarve

As usual, Google completely under estimates the time it takes me to get anywhere. I guess that's to do with how fast my bus goes. With the bus showing 70mph at 3250rpm and accounting for low profile tyres, I think this equates to 80kph. Google must use the speed limits to calculate ETAs and for the motorways the limit is 120kph, and then there are the breaks. So I've learnt to allow 50% more time cos the bus is slow and a further 50% for breaks, I get bored driving and stop a lot.

Interestingly, the oil temperature stays around 70c which is safe enough. Of course the dipstick temperature gauge indicates overheating by illuminating the oil light, but the engine shows no sign of overheated oil, it doesn't smell, it doesn't run differently at a service station stop, it's not difficult to start and it runs smoothly without labouring. I think the engine is coping with the heat. I hope I'm right. That's air cooled for you.

So I get to Avara in the late afternoon and park up in the campervan parking area next to the beach. This is designated the Tusami assembly area! It has no facilities and is just a dirt field. Next I get on the bike and and explore the beach. There are a couple of raised cafe/restaurants connected by raised timber walkways and I make my way there. Despite the stiff breeze, no one is on the sea. I'm looking ar0und and the spot some kites way off to the north. I take the bike to investigate. Asking in the cafe by the harbour I'm told the kiters go down the path from the fishermen's huts out to the harbour entrance. So that's where I go.

It's getting late and there are no longer kites in the air but I do find Tom packing up his gear. He thinks the forecast for tomorrow, Friday, is good. He strips from his wetsuit, packs everything in a backpack, straps his board on and jumps on his bike - see you tomorrow. I continue along the path to the harbour protection and the harbour entrance light. The whole construction was significant. The massive rock break waters, path and system of elevated walkways completely changed the area. I think it is a good thing, without these works the area would have been desolate marshland with no proper harbour. Now with these works the marshland is preserved but there is access to the beaches and a functional harbour.

Back at the van I decide to explore the town - for toilets, there are no facilities at the van park, sorry the Tsunami Assembly Point! I take the bike into the town, well, up a big hill, and find the high street busy with tourests. For me a bar; cafe, pastel de nata and Glenfiddich, I'm easy to please. Glenfiddich, there's a thing, I saw the bottle on the shelf but was served up whiskey, but not Glenfiddich, it was too dark and not smooth. I queried what I'd been served and the waiter was adament, he saw it poured, I let it go. Later I got chatting with the waiter, a young educated Portugese. Brixit, what was that about? they felt the impact in Portugal, less Brits, more German and French, he preferred the previous mix. The street was really getting going when I rode back to the Tsunami Assembly Point.

I'm up early, there is a reason for this. The restaurants behind the beach are noted (by Google) as having public toilets. That's interesting, maybe a planning requirement, it would make sense. I try the first but find them locked, there were staff there but just cleaning, they open at 12:00. I try the second also locked. Someone appears, sorry we don't open until 12:00, but did you want to use the toilet? I'll check they are clean. That's very kind. Least I could do.

Now to the real business of the day. I lay out everything I need to take to the beach; kite, board, harness, wetsuit, boots, pump, floatation jacket, helmet, lines, coke, sun cream. I make rolls for lunch. I have an 8m kite and stuff the bag, it has shoulder straps so I strap on my board. This leaves another bag for pump & stuff. I get on my bike with the kite/board on my back and the bag on the handle bars and take a trial ride ar0und the parking lot. A bit unsteady but it will do. Tom had said it would be low tide and limited water by midday, how right he was. A small channel to the harbour and water on the far shore that was it the rest was sand. I watched the tide come in and gradually water took over. They were already kiting on the far shore, but that was 18km away. As the water filled in the kiters arrived. Someone got out on the narrow channel, I think he was an instructor.

I let the water fill in before asking someone to launch my kite. A direct on shore wind and people on the beach. The kiters were getting on the water, I was uncomfortable. I waded out to give myself more than the 22m lines and got a good start, but I'm going parallel to the beach and getting closer, so kite to noon, off the board, wade out and start again. I can't say exactly what went wrong but I dumped the kite in the beach in front of people. This is not a good result and erodes confidence like you wouldn't believe.

Further up the beach the water opened into the harbour so I make for the point. The conditions were very blustery and just as I was diving the kite, nothing, the kite fell from the sky though the lines, a big mess. I got on shore in the marshy bit and spent an hour untangling my lines and then relaunched off the water. I was just restarting and again, the kite fell from the sky. That's it, time to pack up. I'm on the edge of the harbour in a marshy area but I can see one of the timber walkways. I figure it quicker to stash my gear by the walkway and go back to collect my bike and bag. I could have attempted to walk around the point and down the beach. As it turned out the walkway met the beach so I walked along the break, only two people and a dog, all the kiters had left with the wind. Sure enough my bag and bike were where I had left them. I rode back along the beach and walkway, collected my gear and made for the van park.

A good day? Another experience perhaps but not a good day. I just have to master upwind kiting.

I'm not enjoying staying in the van park with no facilities. With no wind forecast I think it best to head for Saville, my penultimate stop on this trip. 260km how long will that take?