Villa Real de Santo Antonio to Cadiz – Tuesday 30th June 2009
Our last day in Portugal was one of the most perfect so far. Instead of heading out to sea, we decided to meander up river, under the suspension bridge and onwards. The weather was utterly perfect, the water utterly still as we drifted along at about 5 knots. Portugal was to the left of us, Spain to the right – it was strange to think that we were in no man’s land (or water) somewhere in between and one side was an hour ahead of the other! The scenery was beautiful and totally unspoilt, and we eventually dropped anchor under a stand of poplar trees on a curve of the river where birdsong drifted on the warm air and the banks were lined with oleander bushes. The only thing we couldn’t do was to take a dip to cool off from the relentless heat. On the way up river, we had seen thousands of jellyfish – and mean looking ones at that - and although they were heading downstream, there was too much risk that one or two may have hung around looking for tender Jersey flesh to sting!
We had intended to spend the night in a marina on the Spanish side of the border, but when eventually we returned to the river mouth, the wind had risen and it was more prudent to head back into the same Portuguese marina we had left earlier in the day.
This morning dawned hot and bright and after a quick bread run into town, we slipped out of the marina and out to sea. The Portuguese and Spanish fishermen had obviously been competing with one another to see who could lay the most pots in our path…there was no clear winner; both sides had done a magnificent job!
Our journey took us across the bay of Cadiz and for most of the 5 hour trip, we were almost out of sight of land. The conditions were wonderful and we dropped the bimini cover so we could enjoy the sunshine whilst being cooled by the breeze created by our speed. As usual, the wind came up in the early afternoon, but by then we were almost at our destination and now here we are, back in Spain, but a very different part of the country from the rainy northern coast we left behind a couple of weeks ago!
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Vilamoura to Vila Real de Santo Antonio - Sunday 28th June
We ended up spending five nights in Vilamoura and new crew arrived on board on Wednesday morning - Adrian flew into Faro which was a short drive away. We had a hire car, which was just as well because we weren't able to get hold of charts for the coast we had passed which meant we would be unable to get in too close if we returned on Zaffina. Instead we drove to Carvoeiro and spent an afternoon on a nearby beach.
We did manage to get a chart for the area to the east of Vilamoura and yesterday we went about an hour out and nosed into Ria Formosa where we anchored off Ilha de Barreta, a nature park surrounded by long golden beaches. We lazed on one of the beaches for the afternoon before returning to Vilamoura for a barbeque on board.
When we left harbour this morning, there was a surprisingly heavy swell and we anticipated a bumpy trip. We hadn't actually decided where to spend the day as we couldn't get to Santo Antonio until early evening due to the tides, but the conditions pretty much dictated that we head back to Ria Formosa which turned out to be an idyllic choice. By the time we got there, the wind had dropped and we had a delicious day in the sun, with a warm breeze rocking us gently at anchor.
We moved on in the late afternoon, avoiding the numerous pots on our way to Rio Guardiana, the border between Portugal and Spain. Getting into port was an interesting challenge, with both the wind and the tide pushing hard on the stern, but the negotiation of the entrance was immaculate (I would praise the Skipper, but he'd only get big headed...) and now here we are, tied up in Portugal and looking across the river to Spain!
We ended up spending five nights in Vilamoura and new crew arrived on board on Wednesday morning - Adrian flew into Faro which was a short drive away. We had a hire car, which was just as well because we weren't able to get hold of charts for the coast we had passed which meant we would be unable to get in too close if we returned on Zaffina. Instead we drove to Carvoeiro and spent an afternoon on a nearby beach.
We did manage to get a chart for the area to the east of Vilamoura and yesterday we went about an hour out and nosed into Ria Formosa where we anchored off Ilha de Barreta, a nature park surrounded by long golden beaches. We lazed on one of the beaches for the afternoon before returning to Vilamoura for a barbeque on board.
When we left harbour this morning, there was a surprisingly heavy swell and we anticipated a bumpy trip. We hadn't actually decided where to spend the day as we couldn't get to Santo Antonio until early evening due to the tides, but the conditions pretty much dictated that we head back to Ria Formosa which turned out to be an idyllic choice. By the time we got there, the wind had dropped and we had a delicious day in the sun, with a warm breeze rocking us gently at anchor.
We moved on in the late afternoon, avoiding the numerous pots on our way to Rio Guardiana, the border between Portugal and Spain. Getting into port was an interesting challenge, with both the wind and the tide pushing hard on the stern, but the negotiation of the entrance was immaculate (I would praise the Skipper, but he'd only get big headed...) and now here we are, tied up in Portugal and looking across the river to Spain!
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Lagos to Vilamoura – Tuesday 23rd June 2009
If you’ve been reading this blog thinking “lucky beggars” then don’t bother reading any more because it just gets better, and I don’t want to raise your blood pressure!
We had a fab 3 days in Lagos, although with the temperature nudging up to 40 degrees at the weekend, it was too hot to do very much. We managed a couple of dinghy trips to the nearby coves where we relaxed on the beach and then explored the rocky outcrops and caves on the way back to the marina. Before we left Jersey we had heard about the Rally Portugal so we were delighted to see the yachts from the UK arriving in Lagos prior to our departure on Tuesday morning.
The sky was cloudless when we set off, calling the marina office once we were ready to depart so they could raise the bridge to allow us to pass through, then it was a quick hop down to the open sea. As we headed out, a customs boat shadowed us for a while but obviously decided we were ok, because they came alongside briefly and then waved us on. We didn’t bother getting up to full speed, and instead meandered gently along the coast, looking longingly at some of the deserted beaches which we hope to return to during the course of the week. We nosed into Carvoiera, the most picturesque resort along the coast, and promised ourselves a return visit.
By lunchtime we had arrived in Vilamoura, a modern, purpose built marina with dozens of restaurants along the quayside and teeming with life. We moored up, with the wind trying to blow us off, and then spent the afternoon giving Zaffina a good clean, inside and out. Well, we have to do some work occasionally!
If you’ve been reading this blog thinking “lucky beggars” then don’t bother reading any more because it just gets better, and I don’t want to raise your blood pressure!
We had a fab 3 days in Lagos, although with the temperature nudging up to 40 degrees at the weekend, it was too hot to do very much. We managed a couple of dinghy trips to the nearby coves where we relaxed on the beach and then explored the rocky outcrops and caves on the way back to the marina. Before we left Jersey we had heard about the Rally Portugal so we were delighted to see the yachts from the UK arriving in Lagos prior to our departure on Tuesday morning.
The sky was cloudless when we set off, calling the marina office once we were ready to depart so they could raise the bridge to allow us to pass through, then it was a quick hop down to the open sea. As we headed out, a customs boat shadowed us for a while but obviously decided we were ok, because they came alongside briefly and then waved us on. We didn’t bother getting up to full speed, and instead meandered gently along the coast, looking longingly at some of the deserted beaches which we hope to return to during the course of the week. We nosed into Carvoiera, the most picturesque resort along the coast, and promised ourselves a return visit.
By lunchtime we had arrived in Vilamoura, a modern, purpose built marina with dozens of restaurants along the quayside and teeming with life. We moored up, with the wind trying to blow us off, and then spent the afternoon giving Zaffina a good clean, inside and out. Well, we have to do some work occasionally!
Sunday, 21 June 2009
We ended up staying six nights in Cascais, our longest stop so far. The weather was fabulous and we loved the area so we hired a car and saw a few of the sights and lazed on a few of the beaches. In the mornings, the first stop was the bakery in town, which was a ten minute walk away and had an amazing range of breads on offer. The lowlight of the stay was listening to a busker at a beach café who was more out of tune than either Frank or myself…quite an accomplishment!
Tim and Annabelle had to leave on Friday to pick up their car from Gijon and drive back up to St Malo over the weekend. It was cheaper and more convenient for them to fly to Oviedo than to take the train north, so we took them to the airport in Lisbon yesterday morning and then returned to Cascais for a lazy day on the boat. Rather than staying in harbour, we took her out into the bay and dropped the anchor, where we ate lunch then swam off the back of Zaffina. It was baking hot.
This morning dawned still and bright, and we managed to rouse ourselves to leave the marina just after 7am – already it was hot, and with almost no wind at all, the only thing we had to worry about was the swell. Oh, and the pots! We had encountered more pots in Portuguese waters than along the whole of the French and Spanish coasts put together, and we feared that the journey ahead would require us to be on constant alert. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that once we were out to sea the pots petered out altogether and we only saw about two in four hours. Or maybe we didn’t see the markers on the others and simply drove over them!
The swell was quite heavy but as it was on the starboard quarter, it pushed us forwards all the way. We were like a couple of kids when we reached Cabo Sao Vicente, the lighthouse there marking the southwest point of Europe, and turned onto the Algarve. We’ve done it! We may not be in the Med yet, but we’ve negotiated the Atlantic coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, and our reward was to turn into calm waters and perfect conditions, with the scent of pines wafting off the land. Lunch was spent at anchor in a small cove where we lazed the afternoon away before making the short crossing to Lagos. It’s still hot and quite breezy now and we’re off to find a small café for dinner.
Tim and Annabelle had to leave on Friday to pick up their car from Gijon and drive back up to St Malo over the weekend. It was cheaper and more convenient for them to fly to Oviedo than to take the train north, so we took them to the airport in Lisbon yesterday morning and then returned to Cascais for a lazy day on the boat. Rather than staying in harbour, we took her out into the bay and dropped the anchor, where we ate lunch then swam off the back of Zaffina. It was baking hot.
This morning dawned still and bright, and we managed to rouse ourselves to leave the marina just after 7am – already it was hot, and with almost no wind at all, the only thing we had to worry about was the swell. Oh, and the pots! We had encountered more pots in Portuguese waters than along the whole of the French and Spanish coasts put together, and we feared that the journey ahead would require us to be on constant alert. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that once we were out to sea the pots petered out altogether and we only saw about two in four hours. Or maybe we didn’t see the markers on the others and simply drove over them!
The swell was quite heavy but as it was on the starboard quarter, it pushed us forwards all the way. We were like a couple of kids when we reached Cabo Sao Vicente, the lighthouse there marking the southwest point of Europe, and turned onto the Algarve. We’ve done it! We may not be in the Med yet, but we’ve negotiated the Atlantic coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, and our reward was to turn into calm waters and perfect conditions, with the scent of pines wafting off the land. Lunch was spent at anchor in a small cove where we lazed the afternoon away before making the short crossing to Lagos. It’s still hot and quite breezy now and we’re off to find a small café for dinner.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Baiona to Caiscais. Sunday 14th June 2009
If it’s Sunday, it must be Portugal!
As the last couple of days have started overcast and then cleared up, we assumed when we woke to grey skies that the same would apply today. We had decided that, sea permitting, we would make the long trek from Baiona to Cascais, taking us into yet another country as we head Med-wards.
Sadly, we have discovered that the bakeries in Spain are not like those in France, and instead of opening at crack of dawn, you can’t buy bread until later in the morning. Tim did his usual rush up to the nearest outlet in hope of buying a warm crusty loaf but no such luck, so we set off early(ish) with just a few slices of toast for our breakfast at sea.
The weather decided not to improve but the sea conditions weren’t too bad, although there was quite a swell, as ever. With four of us on board, we were able to have a couple of people keeping watch whilst the other two could take a break, which broke the journey up quite considerably. Within about an hour, we had passed out of Spanish waters and were sailing along the coast of Portugal. The first things we noticed were the pots…pots everywhere and markers cunningly chosen so they blended in with the background making some of them almost impossible to spot! From then on, we had to be extra alert throughout the whole journey in order to avoid catching a pot and transplanting it somewhere nearer Cascais!
With a big swell on the stern quarter for most of the journey, we were delighted with Zaffina’s performance. She really gave us a remarkably smooth crossing considering the conditions, and never bumped or jarred through the water. With every trip, we become more confident with our boat and more thrilled with the way she handles.
It took us almost eleven hours to reach our final destination, the longest trip we’ve done so far and certainly the longest we intend to do. It was quite tiring, despite the breaks, and we were all relieved to turn into the entrance to Cascais, out of a busy sea and strong breeze into complete calm and, suddenly, beautiful hot weather! Now Annabelle is preparing dinner, Tim is heating the barbeque, Frank is studying the charts and all is well with the world.
If it’s Sunday, it must be Portugal!
As the last couple of days have started overcast and then cleared up, we assumed when we woke to grey skies that the same would apply today. We had decided that, sea permitting, we would make the long trek from Baiona to Cascais, taking us into yet another country as we head Med-wards.
Sadly, we have discovered that the bakeries in Spain are not like those in France, and instead of opening at crack of dawn, you can’t buy bread until later in the morning. Tim did his usual rush up to the nearest outlet in hope of buying a warm crusty loaf but no such luck, so we set off early(ish) with just a few slices of toast for our breakfast at sea.
The weather decided not to improve but the sea conditions weren’t too bad, although there was quite a swell, as ever. With four of us on board, we were able to have a couple of people keeping watch whilst the other two could take a break, which broke the journey up quite considerably. Within about an hour, we had passed out of Spanish waters and were sailing along the coast of Portugal. The first things we noticed were the pots…pots everywhere and markers cunningly chosen so they blended in with the background making some of them almost impossible to spot! From then on, we had to be extra alert throughout the whole journey in order to avoid catching a pot and transplanting it somewhere nearer Cascais!
With a big swell on the stern quarter for most of the journey, we were delighted with Zaffina’s performance. She really gave us a remarkably smooth crossing considering the conditions, and never bumped or jarred through the water. With every trip, we become more confident with our boat and more thrilled with the way she handles.
It took us almost eleven hours to reach our final destination, the longest trip we’ve done so far and certainly the longest we intend to do. It was quite tiring, despite the breaks, and we were all relieved to turn into the entrance to Cascais, out of a busy sea and strong breeze into complete calm and, suddenly, beautiful hot weather! Now Annabelle is preparing dinner, Tim is heating the barbeque, Frank is studying the charts and all is well with the world.
Sorry about the delay with getting this posted, problems with communications systems!
Ria de Arosa to Baiona – Friday 12th June
There was still a hint of daylight in the sky when we finally went to bed at around midnight on Thursday to spend our first night at anchor. The wind came up during the small hours, which made for a noisy night with small waves slapping incessantly against the hull. Fortunately, the wine and the brandy meant that we were undisturbed!
We woke to grey skies and the sea still slopping around so we moved the boat to a more sheltered position on the other side of the island before Annabelle and I nipped up to the village to buy some provisions. The local supermarket was well stocked for anyone in dire need of cleaning products, but as far as food was concerned, it was a big disappointment. We managed to find enough to keep the wolf from the door and returned to Zaffina to prepare lunch.
Frank and I took the dinghy across to a beautiful islet in the middle of the Ria, encircled by a glorious sandy beach. Frank swam; I dipped my toes in (it’s getting warmer, pretty soon I’ll have a proper swim!) By now the sky was cloudless and the temperature rose throughout the afternoon.
Around 5pm we lifted the anchor and set off for our next port of call, Baiona. The trip was brief, less than 2 hours, and the scenery was lovely as we slipped between the Galician islands and the coast. The marina at Baiona was large and welcoming, and we all loved the town, so instead of staying for just one night as originally intended, we spent two nights there, enjoying a spectacular sunset on the last night when the sky turned from gold to pink to purple as darkness drew in.
Ria de Arosa to Baiona – Friday 12th June
There was still a hint of daylight in the sky when we finally went to bed at around midnight on Thursday to spend our first night at anchor. The wind came up during the small hours, which made for a noisy night with small waves slapping incessantly against the hull. Fortunately, the wine and the brandy meant that we were undisturbed!
We woke to grey skies and the sea still slopping around so we moved the boat to a more sheltered position on the other side of the island before Annabelle and I nipped up to the village to buy some provisions. The local supermarket was well stocked for anyone in dire need of cleaning products, but as far as food was concerned, it was a big disappointment. We managed to find enough to keep the wolf from the door and returned to Zaffina to prepare lunch.
Frank and I took the dinghy across to a beautiful islet in the middle of the Ria, encircled by a glorious sandy beach. Frank swam; I dipped my toes in (it’s getting warmer, pretty soon I’ll have a proper swim!) By now the sky was cloudless and the temperature rose throughout the afternoon.
Around 5pm we lifted the anchor and set off for our next port of call, Baiona. The trip was brief, less than 2 hours, and the scenery was lovely as we slipped between the Galician islands and the coast. The marina at Baiona was large and welcoming, and we all loved the town, so instead of staying for just one night as originally intended, we spent two nights there, enjoying a spectacular sunset on the last night when the sky turned from gold to pink to purple as darkness drew in.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Coruna to Ria de Arosa – Thursday 11th June 2009
After an overcast day in Coruna when all we did was move the boat to refuel and pop into town for lunch, we were pleased to wake this morning to peace and calm…no wind. Tim went to get bread for breakfast and was promptly abducted by aliens. Actually, that’s not strictly true, but he certainly took his time and as soon as he was back, we were ready to depart.
It was still overcast as we slipped out of the marina at 9,30am but the best thing was that the surface of the water was unruffled, although there was a residual swell from the winds a couple of nights earlier. As we headed west, the swell increased but otherwise the sea remained calm and the skies started to clear. The nearby hillsides were peppered with wind turbines, some moving, some still; they obviously don’t need planning permission for them around here!
Having steadily headed west since we hit Spain, today we finally had a change of direction as we turned the corner at the notorious Cape Finistere, and it’s all downhill from now on! We celebrated this tremendous landmark with a bottle of champagne, and celebrated some more when the swell suddenly decreased, the remaining cloud cleared away and we motored into some great boating conditions. There are loads of Rias, or inlets, around here so we nosed into the Ria de Arosa and dropped anchor in a sheltered bay where we had a late lunch and spent the remainder of the afternoon sunbathing.
As I write, the sun is starting its descent towards the headland, the chicken is roasting in the oven and the ice is melting in the pineau. Don’t think we’ll be moving tonight -unless the anchor drags!
After an overcast day in Coruna when all we did was move the boat to refuel and pop into town for lunch, we were pleased to wake this morning to peace and calm…no wind. Tim went to get bread for breakfast and was promptly abducted by aliens. Actually, that’s not strictly true, but he certainly took his time and as soon as he was back, we were ready to depart.
It was still overcast as we slipped out of the marina at 9,30am but the best thing was that the surface of the water was unruffled, although there was a residual swell from the winds a couple of nights earlier. As we headed west, the swell increased but otherwise the sea remained calm and the skies started to clear. The nearby hillsides were peppered with wind turbines, some moving, some still; they obviously don’t need planning permission for them around here!
Having steadily headed west since we hit Spain, today we finally had a change of direction as we turned the corner at the notorious Cape Finistere, and it’s all downhill from now on! We celebrated this tremendous landmark with a bottle of champagne, and celebrated some more when the swell suddenly decreased, the remaining cloud cleared away and we motored into some great boating conditions. There are loads of Rias, or inlets, around here so we nosed into the Ria de Arosa and dropped anchor in a sheltered bay where we had a late lunch and spent the remainder of the afternoon sunbathing.
As I write, the sun is starting its descent towards the headland, the chicken is roasting in the oven and the ice is melting in the pineau. Don’t think we’ll be moving tonight -unless the anchor drags!
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Gijon to Coruna - Tuesday 9th June 2009
Well you can forget all that "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" nonsense. It falls mainly on the boat, or at the very least, on the marina!
We ended up being stuck in Gijon for five nights, and overall, it wasn't a bad place to be stuck. We hired a car on Saturday and went out into the mountains, and then late in the evening, Tim and Annabelle arrived, after a mammoth drive through France and Northern Spain. Sunday was a recovery day for them, although we did manage a fairly long walk along the promenade which ended with lunch (and rain) at a seaside bar. Yesterday we went to Ovieda, a pretty in places town about half an hour's drive from Gijon, where the local custom is to pour a glass of very rough cider from a great height and partially miss the glass so half of it lands on the floor. Not sure of the significance of that one, but we think it was probably that the cider was so bad that you wouldn't want to drink a full glass of it!
Having been stuck in port for a few days, we decided to take a chance on the weather this morning - the forecasts we checked all contradicted one another, but the general concensus was that it may be a bit unpleasant, but shouldn't be too bad. Out of Gijon things seemed pretty good, for the first 15 mins or so! Then it got decidedly iffy (that's a well known boating term, by the way) as we neared the Cabo de Penas. After that, it was a mish mash of a sea for most of the way with the wind seemingly changing direction all the time. We debated whether to stop off at Vivero, which would have cut the journey down by a few hours, but we would have been obliged to moor off the marina which we didn't particularly fancy with a swell running. So...we pressed on. And on. And on. The journey from Vivero to Coruna went very slowly, especially as the blue sky which had been ahead of us changed to grey as we approached and the sun disappeared completely.
By the time we could see our destination, the swell had risen as had the wind and the rain started coming down. We were more than a little relieved to get into port, tie up and get the kettle on. And guess what? The forecast is not looking great, so we'll probably be stuck here tomorrow.
Oh well, there's always shopping!
Well you can forget all that "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" nonsense. It falls mainly on the boat, or at the very least, on the marina!
We ended up being stuck in Gijon for five nights, and overall, it wasn't a bad place to be stuck. We hired a car on Saturday and went out into the mountains, and then late in the evening, Tim and Annabelle arrived, after a mammoth drive through France and Northern Spain. Sunday was a recovery day for them, although we did manage a fairly long walk along the promenade which ended with lunch (and rain) at a seaside bar. Yesterday we went to Ovieda, a pretty in places town about half an hour's drive from Gijon, where the local custom is to pour a glass of very rough cider from a great height and partially miss the glass so half of it lands on the floor. Not sure of the significance of that one, but we think it was probably that the cider was so bad that you wouldn't want to drink a full glass of it!
Having been stuck in port for a few days, we decided to take a chance on the weather this morning - the forecasts we checked all contradicted one another, but the general concensus was that it may be a bit unpleasant, but shouldn't be too bad. Out of Gijon things seemed pretty good, for the first 15 mins or so! Then it got decidedly iffy (that's a well known boating term, by the way) as we neared the Cabo de Penas. After that, it was a mish mash of a sea for most of the way with the wind seemingly changing direction all the time. We debated whether to stop off at Vivero, which would have cut the journey down by a few hours, but we would have been obliged to moor off the marina which we didn't particularly fancy with a swell running. So...we pressed on. And on. And on. The journey from Vivero to Coruna went very slowly, especially as the blue sky which had been ahead of us changed to grey as we approached and the sun disappeared completely.
By the time we could see our destination, the swell had risen as had the wind and the rain started coming down. We were more than a little relieved to get into port, tie up and get the kettle on. And guess what? The forecast is not looking great, so we'll probably be stuck here tomorrow.
Oh well, there's always shopping!
Friday, 5 June 2009
Santander to Gijon – Thursday 4th June 2009
Due mainly to the fact that the marina was so far out of town, we decided to just spend two nights in Santander, during which time we gave Zaffina a good clean and then explored Santander itself. Lunch was an interesting experience, as our lack of Spanish meant we could understand next to nothing on the menu and had to guess at what to order…fortunately with a great deal of success, although I doubt if we’ll ever know what Frank’s main course actually was!
The sun, which had shone almost continuously yesterday, was conspicuously absent this morning when we emerged from our cabin but the wind was still low so we swiftly fuelled up and set off.
Going down river was pleasant and warm, but once we got out into the open, the sea was very confused (I know the feeling) and not as calm as we’d hoped. Things improved the further west we went, although the cloud cover never cleared and it was more than a bit chilly. The scenery was spectacular and had the weather been nicer, we would have dropped anchor for lunch in one of the many little coves we passed. Slightly inland, the mountains were shrouded in cloud and a hazy mist onshore marred the visibility.
Strangely enough, although today’s journey was only half the length of Tuesdays, it really dragged and we were relieved when we finally got to Gijon. The sun put in a brief appearance but at the same time, it started to rain as we headed towards the harbour. It’s grey and wet this evening and, with a poor forecast, it looks as though we may be here for a couple of days, so we plan to hire a car and explore the surrounding countryside.
Due mainly to the fact that the marina was so far out of town, we decided to just spend two nights in Santander, during which time we gave Zaffina a good clean and then explored Santander itself. Lunch was an interesting experience, as our lack of Spanish meant we could understand next to nothing on the menu and had to guess at what to order…fortunately with a great deal of success, although I doubt if we’ll ever know what Frank’s main course actually was!
The sun, which had shone almost continuously yesterday, was conspicuously absent this morning when we emerged from our cabin but the wind was still low so we swiftly fuelled up and set off.
Going down river was pleasant and warm, but once we got out into the open, the sea was very confused (I know the feeling) and not as calm as we’d hoped. Things improved the further west we went, although the cloud cover never cleared and it was more than a bit chilly. The scenery was spectacular and had the weather been nicer, we would have dropped anchor for lunch in one of the many little coves we passed. Slightly inland, the mountains were shrouded in cloud and a hazy mist onshore marred the visibility.
Strangely enough, although today’s journey was only half the length of Tuesdays, it really dragged and we were relieved when we finally got to Gijon. The sun put in a brief appearance but at the same time, it started to rain as we headed towards the harbour. It’s grey and wet this evening and, with a poor forecast, it looks as though we may be here for a couple of days, so we plan to hire a car and explore the surrounding countryside.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Royan to Santander - Tuesday 2nd June
We did it, we did it, we did it! Arrived in Spain this afternoon. I'd like to say they put the flags out to greet us, but they didn't even come down to the pontoon to help us moor up and the wind was an utter nightmare. But enough of our wind, the journey...
Up with the lark, we were back on our way by 7.20am and almost struck disaster straight out of the port. The passage out was narrower than indicated and meant that we had 0 feet between us and rock bottom, or in this case, sandy bottom, according to our read out. For once we were glad to find ourselves in deep water, and off we went, down the Gironde and out to sea again. The sun was shining, the waves were small and we were the only pleasure craft around; strangely there was not one sail on the horizon nor small motor boat zipping along.
We had to do a dogleg to avoid the French target practice site (perhaps that's where all the other boats disappeared to?) so went straight out from the river mouth and then turned south after an hour and a half. There was nothing to see except sea and sky for about six hours, but surprisingly, the time passed swiftly and our excitement mounted as we neared the Spanish coast. Oh yes, except dolphins - we passed loads of them en route. The coastline which appeared out of the mist was entirely different from that which we'd left behind in France. Here it was mountainous and green, with small towns and villages coming into view as we drew closer.
Sadly we were too large to moor at the town marina and had to go some distance up river, so we're a bit out in the sticks. With no one to guide us in, we just headed for an empty berth and eventually managed to moor up, despite the wind doing its darndest to blow us off the pontoon. And amazingly, they've allowed us to stay put, so here we are for the next couple of days, relieved and delighted to be in a new country.
We did it, we did it, we did it! Arrived in Spain this afternoon. I'd like to say they put the flags out to greet us, but they didn't even come down to the pontoon to help us moor up and the wind was an utter nightmare. But enough of our wind, the journey...
Up with the lark, we were back on our way by 7.20am and almost struck disaster straight out of the port. The passage out was narrower than indicated and meant that we had 0 feet between us and rock bottom, or in this case, sandy bottom, according to our read out. For once we were glad to find ourselves in deep water, and off we went, down the Gironde and out to sea again. The sun was shining, the waves were small and we were the only pleasure craft around; strangely there was not one sail on the horizon nor small motor boat zipping along.
We had to do a dogleg to avoid the French target practice site (perhaps that's where all the other boats disappeared to?) so went straight out from the river mouth and then turned south after an hour and a half. There was nothing to see except sea and sky for about six hours, but surprisingly, the time passed swiftly and our excitement mounted as we neared the Spanish coast. Oh yes, except dolphins - we passed loads of them en route. The coastline which appeared out of the mist was entirely different from that which we'd left behind in France. Here it was mountainous and green, with small towns and villages coming into view as we drew closer.
Sadly we were too large to moor at the town marina and had to go some distance up river, so we're a bit out in the sticks. With no one to guide us in, we just headed for an empty berth and eventually managed to moor up, despite the wind doing its darndest to blow us off the pontoon. And amazingly, they've allowed us to stay put, so here we are for the next couple of days, relieved and delighted to be in a new country.
Ile de Re to Royan - Monday 1st June
Our three days on the Ile de Re were fabulous. Dinner at the Balleine Bleue, watching the sun go down and sipping champagne was doubly fabulous! We spent a couple of mornings doing chores – cleaning the windows then deciding that they were too smeary and needed cleaning again…and again…and again, plus catching up on other odds and sods! We were told that it was a holiday weekend in France, and that was probably the reason why the marina was so full. Apparently they managed to squash 360 boats in there on Saturday night, and it was almost possible to walk from one side to the other just by hopping from deck to deck. Such a busy marina provides endless entertainment, from unskilled skippers trying to avoid other boats (sometimes successfully, sometimes not,) to impromptu parties, from dogs being winched down the wall onto yachts to enthusiasts who spend their entire time tinkering on their boats, there’s never a dull moment.
The weather was glorious throughout the weekend and on Sunday we hired bicycles and cycled along the dedicated paths through vineyards and market gardens to La Couarde, a pretty little town where the market was just winding up, stall holders putting away the local cheeses, saucisson and pineau which had been on sale that morning. We continued our bike ride to Grandjonc, where we spent the rest of the afternoon lying on the beach; well, I did, whilst Frank braved the cold and the waves and had his first dip of the year in the northern hemisphere!
We had intended staying until Tuesday, but with good seas forecast and the wind in a favourable direction, we decided to cut things short and depart this morning. After a quick trip to the market to stock up on essentials like ripe cherries and melons, we battened down hatches and headed once again into the great blue yonder. Our course took us under the famous bridge linking the Ile de Re with La Rochelle, then around the outside of Ile d’Oleron, which meant we were further south than on any of our previous boating trips. We decided to make today’s trip a relatively short one, so turned into the Gironde River and headed up to Royan, putting ourselves in pole position to depart early tomorrow morning. All being well, tonight will be our last night in France and by tomorrow evening, we will finally be onto the Spanish coast.
Hasta la vista, baby. Is that Spanish?
Our three days on the Ile de Re were fabulous. Dinner at the Balleine Bleue, watching the sun go down and sipping champagne was doubly fabulous! We spent a couple of mornings doing chores – cleaning the windows then deciding that they were too smeary and needed cleaning again…and again…and again, plus catching up on other odds and sods! We were told that it was a holiday weekend in France, and that was probably the reason why the marina was so full. Apparently they managed to squash 360 boats in there on Saturday night, and it was almost possible to walk from one side to the other just by hopping from deck to deck. Such a busy marina provides endless entertainment, from unskilled skippers trying to avoid other boats (sometimes successfully, sometimes not,) to impromptu parties, from dogs being winched down the wall onto yachts to enthusiasts who spend their entire time tinkering on their boats, there’s never a dull moment.
The weather was glorious throughout the weekend and on Sunday we hired bicycles and cycled along the dedicated paths through vineyards and market gardens to La Couarde, a pretty little town where the market was just winding up, stall holders putting away the local cheeses, saucisson and pineau which had been on sale that morning. We continued our bike ride to Grandjonc, where we spent the rest of the afternoon lying on the beach; well, I did, whilst Frank braved the cold and the waves and had his first dip of the year in the northern hemisphere!
We had intended staying until Tuesday, but with good seas forecast and the wind in a favourable direction, we decided to cut things short and depart this morning. After a quick trip to the market to stock up on essentials like ripe cherries and melons, we battened down hatches and headed once again into the great blue yonder. Our course took us under the famous bridge linking the Ile de Re with La Rochelle, then around the outside of Ile d’Oleron, which meant we were further south than on any of our previous boating trips. We decided to make today’s trip a relatively short one, so turned into the Gironde River and headed up to Royan, putting ourselves in pole position to depart early tomorrow morning. All being well, tonight will be our last night in France and by tomorrow evening, we will finally be onto the Spanish coast.
Hasta la vista, baby. Is that Spanish?
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