We were looking forward to the ship passage to South America. On 16/10/2017, at 12 o’clock, the lines were released. Now there were about 3’300 kilometers (as the crow flies) to Dakar ahead of us. One last look at the Elbphilharmonie, when the Grande Amburgo, with five knots and a pilot on board, sailed down the Elbe. In the late afternoon we had the Elbe behind and the North Atlantic in front of us. We headed southwest and rounded the mainland in the following days until we reached the English Channel. Here was fog and bad weather announced – no wonder; we were also near England! The mighty ship horn sounded every two minutes, its tolling went through the mark and leg. The ships that crossed our course were visible only on the screen; From the bridge you only saw gray in gray.
Three days later, on Friday, 20.10.2017, at 8 pm, we reached Vigo, which is on the border with Portugal. We watched the mooring maneuver from the bridge; It was too late for a first landing. We picked it up the next morning. The four of us went to the nearby town, to the media market, where we made a few purchases. Afterwards we walked through the old town back to the harbor. In a Super-mercado we bought yogurt, jamon, cheese and a few bottles of wine. (The one on board is of mediocre quality and variety is good!) With a full backpack we were back at 2 pm. on board; Two hours later, the Grande Amburgo was to lift the anchor. However, when we got on board we were told that we would be leaving the next day because a diesel pump had to be replaced. This gave us the opportunity in the evening to make another trip to the city and enjoy a gelati.
The next morning, it was Sunday, at 12 o’clock the bridge over which the ship was loaded and unloaded was lifted and the lines were loosened. Soon Vigo lay behind and the vast Atlantic ahead of us. Three days later we reached the Canary Islands in bad weather, the coast on the starboard side past us, without us seeing them.
