Black smoke in Portugal

At 10am we head out into the hazy, smoky morning light. The fires are blazing in the hills, laying a huge smokescreen along the coast by Viana Do Castelo. Light winds at our backs, we motor-sail south. At the river separating Spain from Portugal we raise the Portuguese courtesy flag. This is our first time ever in Portugal. Will it be very different from Spain?

Entering the harbor and the marina, no problem. But we are now experiencing the worst effects of the brush fires ever. Smoke is billowing, rolling down the hills and into the town, and harbor. Ash is falling like big hot snowflakes. We get out our muslin mosquito netting, filtering the smoke that is getting into "Babette".

As the hills, the entire town and Eiffel’s long train-bridge fade in the dark smoke-clouds.