Jo’s Monday walk : Blessing the fishermen

Why is it that whenever I suggest an outing to an event, my husband looks at me with some scepticism?  Granted, we have struggled sometimes to be in the right place at the right time, but we usually do get there in the end.  So it was with the Blessing of the Fishermen, in Quarteira this month.

I’d be the first to suggest that Quarteira isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are some occasions you shouldn’t miss, if you can help it.  Nossa Senhora da Conçeição is the patron saint of fishermen and of Portugal.  Every year on 8th December an image of the saint is carried to the harbour for a blessing of the fleet.  I had read that this took place at 3pm.  Thinking to have a bit of a stroll first, we arrived soon after midday.  All was quiet, but as we approached the harbour I was excited to see that the boats were all decked out in their finery.  Blue and white bunting fluttered in the air, colours considered lucky by the fishermen.

Access to the harbour was restricted to fishermen and their families, but you could walk right out along the molho, the sea wall enclosing them.  Music and laughter drifted from many of the vessels.  A black cat looked on disdainfully, just one of many opportunists.  At the end of the molho, a shrine dedicated to Our Lady.

A blessing did not look imminent, so we retraced our steps past the compelling street art and into the older part of town, hoping to find a church.  A red carpet seemed like an invitation, but turned out to be a herring of the same colour.  Dilapidation mingles with the mundane in Quarteira.

Back on the lengthy promenade, it was time for a drink.  I won’t show you the enormous piece of chocolate cake my husband managed to consume, without any help, I hasten to add.  I had seated myself next to an elderly gentleman, gazing out to sea.  Waiting for the action to transpire, we had soon exchanged histories.  He was from Lisbon, visiting his daughter and keen to see this event for the first time.  Gradually people were assembling, small groups chatting and families with children, weaving in and out on scooters and skates.  On the beach, a few sun worshippers appeared oblivious, but most kept an eye on the sea.

Sure enough, at 15.00 the fleet began to leave the harbour, tooting horns and shooting flares high into the cloudless blue sky.  Excitement rippled through the spectators.  The shorter arm of the seawall made a good vantage point, and I munched on roast chestnuts as I watched and waited.  Finally all the boats were lined up.  More flares ripped through the air, and they were off, racing back to shore.

Boats from all across the Algarve had come to join in the celebration.  We waited until all had returned to harbour, uncertain of what, if anything, came next.  And, just as we’d decided to call it a day, around the corner came the procession, led by a slow marching band, the Senhora held aloft.

We realised that the procession had made its way along the promenade, while the boats paid their tributes out at sea.  We were swept along with the crowd for a while, turning back at the busy harbour, where the priest would be waiting to give his blessing.  An afternoon to remember.

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I hope you enjoyed sharing this with me.  It was such a joyful, warm atmosphere.  Advent here in the Algarve is lovely.  I won’t be sharing a walk next Monday as it’s Christmas Eve and you might well have other things to do.  I will be stopping by with good wishes for the festive season before then but, in case I miss you, have a blessed and peaceful Christmas.  Meantime, my thanks to everyone for your company.  Let’s share some walks!

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On Mondays there are always murals over at Sami’s Colourful World.  Pop along and see, if you haven’t already.  Don’t be too busy to enjoy life this week.  Christmas will be here and gone before you know it.

116 comments

  1. It looks like a beautiful day, and a fun event. They do something like that where I live. The fishermen are called “watermen” here, and there are no saints, statues, or icons involved (they are not fans of Catholicism or anything Catholic-like in this protestant, evangelical area), but the idea is the same. They bless the tractors and combines during harvest season, too.

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    1. It’s one of the lovely things here, Cathy. You’re always running into an event you’ve never been to before. And it was so nice talking to the gentleman from Lisbon. 🙂 🙂 Any time, darlin!

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      1. Isn’t it fun to find so many fun events? I’m glad you also enjoyed talking to the man from Lisbon. Was he English-speaking, or is your Portuguese ability now enabling you to converse with locals? 🙂

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    1. No, I’ve not seen any of that crawling here, Andrew. Possibly up at Fatima. 🙂 They have a rather nice practise here of putting poinsettias on each side of the doorstep, and often a square of red carpet with it. A sort of welcome, I suppose, and this was just an extension of that. It doesn’t happen in Spain? Have you ever been around Christmas time?

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  10. I’m just like you Jo, the mere hint of a festival or local event, however small, and I want to see what’s going on. We have a similar event for the Hastings fishing fleet but sadly the skies aren’t as blue! Wishing you and yours a very happy Christmas…

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    1. Thanks, Suze 🙂 🙂 We’ve been spoilt for blue skies this December, but I was just looking at cashmere shawls for my return to England next week. 😦 Wishing you much joy this Christmas!

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  12. You’ve captured the excitement and joy of this celebration Jo. Beautiful photos, what a lovely and interesting place you live in. Have a lovely Christmas my friend, best wishes for 2019

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    1. Thanks darlin! It was a joyful occasion. I’m not really a religious person but I can be very moved by the belief of others. Wishing you and Jack a wonderful time, full of love 😃🎄🎅🍷🍰💕

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  13. I believe there is a very strong relation between fishing and faith, and I can understand why. Out on the oceans in the eye of a storm might turn the strongest atheist to prayer. In Amy Liptrot’s The Outrun, she describes Orcadian fishermen who don’t learn to swim so that if their boat goes down at sea, the end will be less drawn-out!
    Thanks for adding me to the list below. A Happy Christmas and a Healthy 2019 Jo!
    Denzil

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  16. How wonderful. You don’t have to have a religious faith to share the joy and sense of community events like this inspire. It seeems to have been a great afternoon. Oh… and happy Christmas!

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  18. How great to get involved in these local celebrations, always lovely to be a little part of them. It pulls you closer to an area doesn’t it? The weather looks beautiful still, wouldn’t mind a bit of that at the moment.

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    1. It was a fabulously warm day, Jonno. The Lisbon gentleman I was talking to said that it was unnatural for it to be so warm, and that it wouldn’t be good in the long run, but I can only enjoy it while it lasts. 🙂 🙂 Not looking forward to shivering in England next week. 😦

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