“As quatro Princesas”

Veronica Vleck

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The traditional wooden boats of the Tagus estuary are one of the most important cultural assets of its coastal communities. The diversity of its craft is the largest in Portugal and Europe, and one of the largest in the world. They include the “Fragatas”, the “Varinos”, the “Faluas”, the “Bote de Fragata”, the “Cangueiros”, the “Botes”, the “Botes de Pinho”, the “Catraios”, and the "Canoas"- of which Princesa do Tejo is one- if not the- most beautifully restored and lovingly cared for, lateen rigged examples.

For centuries these boats were a fundamental mean of transport in the Lisbon region:- ferrying cargo and people between the two sides of the Tagus. They both supplied the city of Lisbon, and guaranteed the loading and unloading of large ships from all over the world in the Port of Lisbon docks.

In the late 60’s, with the advent of new road bridges- linking the two sides of the Tagus- these vessels fell into disuse. Only about 70 of the thousands that used to exist still survive. They are all registered in the “Marinha do Tejo” - the Living Museum of the Portuguese Navy. See them in action in this beautiful video by Henrique Ahnfelt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCOe0n3ayjQ

This painting was a present for her owners- who gave me one of the best and happiest days of my life sailing in her from Cascais to Oeiras- with a stop at the Farol du Bugio- which I had wanted to see from up close for over 30 years, ever since my father told me about how he used to row there. When I first met them, and the owners of the other three canoas in this painting, all four boats were moored together like this in the Bay of Cascais, with about 25 friends on them, cooking and eating a jolly good lunch on the boats under the tarpaulins that they had hosted to have some shade, playing music, laughing, and all having a whale of a time. They had never even met me before, and they all said "come and join us, just moor your sea canoe to our bouy, and come and have some lunch with us." The smell, and the atmosphere, was amazing.

I have since had the priviledge to become friends with Bruno and his family. I am so happy about that. Just like their darling "Princesa do Tejo", they are "the best of the best." :-)

2 years ago