A week or two ago I caught the very busy ferry from Olháo across to the barrier island, Culatra. The sea was flat calm and a limpid blue and the air scarcely moved, such was the heat. Alighting at Farol, I followed the path across the island, passing chalet houses, a couple of cafés and the lighthouse for which it is named, to the beach.
A cluster of people were relaxing there, but I was surprised at how rapidly the ferry’s full load had disappeared. My aim was to walk along the beach, catching whatever breeze I could, until I reached the small hamlet, Culatra. There I would have a light meal while waiting for the ferry to carry me back to the mainland.
It’s a relaxed place, and I sat watching a youngster entertaining himself by throwing hoops, beside the church.
I sat for an hour or so, and in that time the wind steadily increased. The umbrellas began to flap and sway and, as I looked out across the water, white horses began to prance and the boats to bob wildly. A galleon at anchor in the bay had started to unfurl her sails, but must have thought better of it, for soon they were neatly stowed away.
In 1941 catastrophic gales hit this coast, wiping out much of the lowrise property and beach huts, and rearranging the sand spits and channels of the Ria Formosa. This is the front line, which protects the Eastern Algarve from the ferocity of the Atlantic Ocean. It comes as no surprise that the islanders, despite seemingly carefree ways, have huge respect for the nature that surrounds them.
Each August the whole island takes part in a thanksgiving ceremony to Nossa Senhora. Maybe you have to be fearless if you’re born here. By the ferry departure point the next generation lounge in the sun. Minutes earlier they had been leaping with gay abandon into the choppy waters.
For a closer look at the island, let me direct you to an older post of mine, Ilha da Culatra. Meanwhile, there’s cake!
Many thanks for your company again this week. Temperatures are starting to abate a little, and gentle walks will continue for the time being. Join me whenever you like here on Jo’s Monday walk.
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Never mind the weather! Mention food and Debs will be there!
A Borough Market wander for foodies
Come and count cacti with Janet?
Monday walk…Saguaro National Park
Alice certainly has some beautiful property on her doorstep. Take a wander with her :
Brambles or a story? Take your pick with Susan :
What is it about Drake and tractors? Sark looks delightful :
Aseem might prefer crowds and big cities :
But Sue has the beauty of nature right on her doorstep :
Brown Lowery Provincial Park – Calgary Day Trip Secret Gem
And Rosemay tackles the new block editor on our behalf. Got to be worth a visit!
Another day, another dollar! Well, hopefully, anyway. Funny how Mum’s old sayings stay in your head. Have a good week!
restlessjo 
Hopefully we will return one of these days, but for now content to walk it in your footsteps
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Life still complicated? We’re busy but I still miss you 🤗💕
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Glad you are busy :-). and life not that complicated it is just the cat!!
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How blue is that, please! 🙂
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Just blue enough 🤣💙
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Beautiful, relaxing, wonderful. Thanks 🙏
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Like yourself, I really love to be beside the sea. Many thanks for your company 🙂 🙂
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One for your next edition Jo, if you please. https://ramblingwombat.wordpress.com/2020/09/11/sherwood-homestead-via-mountain-creek-road-plus/ Hope you are having a good weekend.
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Thanks, Albert 🙂 🙂 I’ve been watching the US Open tennis when I can but it’s on in the evenings here so that gives me all day.
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So time to walk 🙂
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Or t’ai chi, which is my Saturday morning habit 🙂 🙂
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Oh Jo! That cake looks fantastic.
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You would have enjoyed it, Carol 🙂 🙂
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Such a beautiful thought, that thanksgiving ceremony. And I was admiring the ship, but you lost me at the cake. I hope it was tasty and fresh. * drools *
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One of our favourite restaurants! We were there again today with walking friends and a very creditable tiramisu 😍
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Another lovely walk. Thank you, Jo.
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That sea and sky are ever present at this time of year, Otto. Thanks, darlin 🤗💕
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Oh such a beautiful walk
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The offshore islands are a wonderful place to play, Yvette 🙂 🙂
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Love the sailing ship, they always look so stately.
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It’s a beauty, isn’t it? 🤗💕
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Lovely walk Jo, but I hope you managed to catch the ferry home before the winds got too strong?
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It was blowing pretty hard but we made it back, Gilda 😅🌊💕
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Another lovely walk as always! Love the simplicity of the church building…
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I’ve never been inside that church. Would love to be there for the celebration for Nossa Senhora. Not sure if it took place this year as processions were cancelled back at Easter. Doesn’t that seem a long time ago? 🙄💕
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I needed this beachy scene on a day when we are starting to see snow in Colorado! Ugh.
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Oh, poor you! How was the trip to see family? 🤗💕
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Still here – wonderful to be with sweet baby granddaughter! Thanks for asking, Jo – hope you are good!
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Nature is so powerful isn’t it Jo – I can well imagine the storms that must howl in from the Atlantic even though the island looks so pretty under the bright blue skies. It looks a lovely laid back place and a beautiful spot for stroll. Thanks for including my walk this week – still don’t quite know how I’ve managed to switch to the block editor though! Hope you’re having a lovely week xx 🙂 🙂
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The islands are lovely, Rosemay, but you wouldn’t want to be there when a storm sweeps in.
One of these days I’ll join you on the new editor and you’ll be an expert by then and keep me right. 😂💕💕
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No much better in fine weather – it must be incredibly wild when the storms come in and very exposed on the islands. Hopefully I will have mastered it by then!! Hope you’ve had a lovely week 🙂 Busy time here, some extra school pick up duties for our elder daughter and also Mlle is shortly moving into a flat with a friend as the room had become available. She won’t be too far away though! xx 🙂
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Gorgeous, as always. I am missing the sea so much.
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Just come back from the beach, Angela. We are there 2 or 3 times a week, chasing a breeze, at present. 😉🏖️💕
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Always dreamed of being the captain of such a ship, if it had been 2-300 years ago – then I would probably have been the pirate captain who, with the king’s blessing (if only the king got his share),had helped the merchant sailing ships get rid of their gold. 😀 😀 😀
The cake looks tasteful. 🙂
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Yes, just the role for you 😂💕 And very nice cake indeed! Thanks for the walk.
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In the smallest class in the school, I modeled in clay in natural size the head of the captain from the book “Treasure Island” – the colorful “thing” still has place on the book shelf of my old mum. The figure this old pirate was my favorite among all the characters in this book. 😀
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Love the simplicity of Portugal’s small towns, life ambles along quite nicely, and the people seem to be so content. That sailing ship is impressive—another lovely walk from you, Jo.
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Contentment is a wonderful thing, Suzanne. In present circumstances you’d think I’d be full of it, but it can be elusive. Thanks for your company, hon 🙂 🙂
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No, I didn’t think you would be now. I just remember that image when thinking of Portugal. Taking one day at a time is more appropriate for most of us. Always a pleasure to read your posts about your walks.
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I’m lucky as hell! I just wish the same for my kids 😦 😦
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Not an easy answer to that one. Like many other generations that went through major trauma such as war they will hopefully find their feet and get back to a life they are happy to live. Kia kaha Jo x
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It’s starting to hear up in Australia now so walks have to start earlier. Certainly living on the coast you have to respect the weather and work with it like the people on the sailing boat decisions not to unfurl the sails after all.
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One part heats, another cools. It’s a mysterious and wonderful world we live in, isn’t it, Albert? If only we all worked together and with nature. 🙂 🙂
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