The Danish journalist, wine writer and Cavaleiro Bjarne Mouridsen participated in last year’s Regatta. He is giving us this report
10 minutes to start.
Every year at Saint John’s Day a Regatta is taking place on the Douro River in Porto. On that day the old port wine boats, the Barcos Rabelos, are setting sails and joining the boat race, arranged by Confraria do Vinho do Porto.
I have been on board one of the boats several times and here in 2021 I am on the boat Ferrão from Barros together with master blender Carlos Alves and his crew. Previously I have joined the crew of the boats from Ferreira, Dow´s and Fonseca. Who knows if I will manage to join all of them one day?
5 minutes to start.
The day began a couple of hours ago when we changed our clothes and had a team talk with the crew from the other boats from Sogevinus in the lodge of Cálem. Then we went off to the quay in Vila Nova de Gaia with a cooler bag and baskets with refreshments and lunch.
From the quay everyone entered the boats, and we were towed out to Foz at the mouth of the Douro. This is where the race begins, and the goal is in front of Sandeman’s lodge in Gaia. Along the way, there is time for a port tonic and some goodies. You can´t sail on an empty stomach.
Even before the trip out to Foz, the first small accident occurred when the crossbar broke on the neighbor boat from Porto Cruz. I tried the same some years ago in the boat from Ferreira and back then it was not possible to fix it, so the race ended before it started, leaving time for a glass of Mateus Rosé with winemaker Luís Sottomayor and the rest of the crew. That is the problem with the old Rabelos. They need a lot of maintenance.
This day the crew from Porto Cruz managed to fix the problem with the help of an oar and some string, but would it stay fixed during the whole race? It did. Nice work.
1 minute to start.
This time I am assigned a more permanent job on the boat, so I must find my old inherited Viking skills. In a matter of fact, it is told, that some of the inspiration for the Barcos Rabelos came from the old Viking ships that ravaged the coast many centuries ago. Today tourists and Port lovers from Denmark are ravaging the Port Lodges instead, but I hope they are more welcome.
For every time I have been participating in the Regatta a little responsibility has been added. Today I must help keeping the sail in the right position. So, there will not as usual be time for taking photos during the actual sailing. I put on my working gloves and are ready when they hoist the sail.
There are less participants this year than usual. Among others the boats from Symington’s are missing. I guess the reason is the pandemic, but all the necessary precautions have been taking. Everyone has been tested for Covid, we are wearing mouthpieces and keeping distance.
The red flag is replaced by a green one. It is the signal we all have been waiting for. The race has started.
The sail is hoisted and gets the right position, so we catch the wind. We start slowly, but then gain momentum. Along the way, the pattern is the same for all boats. You catch the wind and speed up, maybe you catch up with a couple of boats, but then you must steer around a third. You lose the good wind and slow down a bit until the next time you catch the wind again. The course is zigzag and follows the shouts from Carlos Alves who is standing in the front in his Confraria cape and hat. He is shouting Gaia or Porto as a command to the helmsman, who pushes to the tiller and makes the boat swing to one side or the other.
The race waves a little back and forth. We are approaching the third position, but unfortunately the two boats in the front – the ones from Fonseca and Dalva – are clearly in the lead. It seems like they are having luck with their position close to the Gaia side. And suddenly we are overtaken by the boat from Offley.
It ends with fourth place, which is said to be a nice result for the slightly larger and therefore heavier boat from Barros. And it is the best result among the boats from Sogevinus this day, which is not without significance internally.
After the finish line, we are towed back to our location by the quay and sailed ashore. The prize giving ceremony is taking place in front of the lodge from Ramos Pinto with a photo session and applause. The proud winners from Fonseca with David Guimaraens in the center are laughing and smiling, when the Chancellor of the Confraria, George Sandeman announces their names. Well deserved. Unfortunately, there is no afterparty this year due to corona restrictions, but that is understandable.
It was short and intense, cozy and fun. It is a fantastic opportunity to be together with friends from the Port companies. And not least, it is a great sight for the people who come and watch the Regatta from the Porto side or in Gaia. Slightly fewer this year, as the tourist flow is less than usual due to the pandemic. But hopefully, the Regatta will be back in June at this year’s Saint John´s Day together with the Enthronement Ceremony and the dinner in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto.
I am ready for both, and I wonder which boat will have a Danish Viking on board this time?
By the way this was the result of last year’s race:
- Fonseca
- Dalva
- Offley
- Barros
- Porto Cruz
- Taylor´s
- Rozès
- Cálem
- Sandeman
- Ferreira
- Kopke