A day of ups and downs.  It started when the camping gaz bottle (butane cooking gas for the stove) ran out while heating water for coffee.  This downer was easily resolved by hooking up the spare.  Then we had a great Sunday breakfast of banana & walnut buckwheat pancakes with mimosas.  Just as we were settling in for a slow morning, the security guard came by to let us know that the office was open so that we could register.  Then David had a painful interaction with the less-than-friendly Ayamonte marina staff who charged Gyatso as if it were an 80' yacht.  Somehow, we were being penalized for following the pilot book instructions.  Since we had already visited this nice little town and the wind seemed perfect for sailing, we decided to push on.  On the upside, we had a great sail to Mazagón and friendly staff welcomed us to the marina, and people on a neighboring Spanish boat helped secure our dock lines.  Two boats from Lagos were docked nearby, Moonshadow (another Tayana 37) and Pyxis.  Lisa cooked a delicious chicken and zucchini risotto to end the day on a high note.  As if that wasn't enough, we admired a beautiful sunset: bright colors reflected off the high clouds. 

Another part about getting underway again is that we become much more in-tune with our surroundings.  Today, we admired the cloud formations along the way.  David went below to get our copy of the Mariner's Weather Handbook, A guide to Forecasting Tactics by Steve and Linda Dashew, an essential book onboard.  We opened up to the chapter on "Reading the Clouds" and sure enough, we had a text book example of cirrostratus clouds displayed across the sky: "typically veil-like but with more density than plain cirrus".  We learned that these high altitude (30,000 ft) cloud systems are made up of ice crystals and that they indicate the approach of a warm front.  We also learned, "You can often make out cirrostratus at night when there is a three-quarters to full moon, as they make haloes around the moon."  Sure enough, our three-quarters full moon that night had a bright halo encircling it.  Both the book and our own experience tells us that it is now just a question of when the weather will change for the worse.

On Monday, we walked up the hill and into the small town of Mazagón for our first shop at a Spanish supermarket.  Saturday's galley crisis is now resolved: two jars of Capitán Mani peanut butter are onboard.  No luck with exchanging the empty Camping Gaz bottle -- this will have to wait.