| Datum: | 30-07-2016 Ria de Vigo | | | | Tuesday, 19-07-2016 to Friday, 29-07-2016
Again, a thick fog is hanging over de bay at Combarro, it is cold and damp and we have quite enough of this, on to the next Ria! When we stand at the point of leaving the Ria de Pontevedra, a large boat of the Guardia Civil comes alongside our boat and wants to checks some things, like our insurance and passports. We have a difficulty understanding each other and we exchange papers with them by way of a landing net, but eventually everything is o.k.!
For your information:
The Guardia Civil, in Spain also called Benemérita, is a Spanish police-force with military and civil functions, like the military police in the UK.
There is enough wind to sail out of the Ria on the mainsail and as we head direction sea, the mist wanes and it feels much more agreeable immediately. It is not very far to our next destination, Isla Cies, just 17 miles, it will only take us 3 or 4 hours.
Isla Cies
This splendid archipelago with crystal clear water and snow-white sand, lies just off the coast and consists of three islands: Isla de Norte O Monte Agudo, Isla del Faro and Isla de San Martin. The islands shelter the Ria de Vigo from the ocean and are a paradise for water birds and also are part of the, in 1970 proclaimed, “Parque Nacional de las Isla Antlanticas”, to protect the flora and fauna. We drop anchor at a large beach, Playa de Rodas (acclaimed most beautiful beach in the world in 2007) and there we see the “Freya” already laying. Here it is also a coming and going of ferry boats, inevitably causing waves that rock the boat. Initially we were anchored well, but the next day, it turns out, we have moved quite a bit, partly due to the increasing wind. Since the forecast indicates that the wind will gain strength and will turn (so we shall not lay so sheltered), we got to get out of here! On the engine we sail into the Ria, in the direction of the town of Cangas, where we will be sheltered. This sea resort lies halfway into the Ria in the north and opposite the immensely big port of Vigo, where a number of large freight steamers and cruise ships lay berthed. The beach is well delimited for the swimmers and the lifeguards sail severel times a day with their boats along the beach to keep an eye on everything. Around our boat there are little sailing boats with children getting sailing lessons and surfers graze the sea at the front and the back of the boat, which is always nice to watch. With the dinghy to town to restock and do the laundry. The supermarket as well as the laundrette are in the street of the fishing harbour, so that makes a difference, not having to tote the laundry and the errands. We wash our duvets, so to store them cleaned, because we really hope that we won’t need them anymore by now! The machines of the laundrette “Canwash Lavanderia autoservicio” (in the avenida de Bueu) are fast: 30 minutes washing, 30 minutes drying. Fred walks up and down to the dinghy a few times with the 5-litre-bottles of water, while I get some fresh bread and do the laundry. We have a drink on a terrace, before we sail the brimming dinghy back to the boat. On the way, I dredge up a hat from the water and imagine: that was just the kind of hat I was looking for! After a thorough shampoo I am the happy owner of a very trendy hat!
Just as we are lazily enjoying the beautiful sunny weather in our birthday suits, a boat from customs comes our way. Before we know it, a rib boat, three men strong, comes alongside and wants to come aboard for inspection. Now, for the moment I don’t feel inclined to jump up and get dressed, so I keep my seat, while Fred speaks to them. He first asks them to show their identification card and tell us the reason for this inspection, we were already checked out earlier on. It becomes apparent that the check we had in Gijon is over two months ago and that application has expired. The gentlemen don’t know where to look, so I put a towel on after all! In English, completed with some Spanish, they ask a few questions and an application is filled in. Anyway, we are covered for the next two months. After a handshake the gentlemen get off to the next foreign boat; there are a few more in the bay!
When we drop anchor, we always attach a yellow buoy to the it, so we know exactly where the anchor is. Just to be sure we have put the name of our boat and an anchor on the buoy. And then there comes some rogue with a motor boat, who is going to pick up our little yellow ball with his boat hook, because he thinks it is a mooring buoy!! Fred runs to the front and yells that that is our anchor buoy! It takes some time, but in the end, they get it. How stupid can you get…..?
To prevent repetition, we attach an extra float to the buoy. For this, we use one of the empty 5-litre-bottles, with a big red cross tagged on it. And that works, problem solved! We go over for coffee on the Dutch boat “Freya”, nice to see and hear how others take care of things, you always learn something new. The rest of the day is spent by me with lounging about, while Fred disappears into his “office”, with sea view, some punishment!
The next day we sail on the Genoa (jib) to Baiona (Bayona), for now the last spot in Spain. Because the prediction is that the wind will increase, we wait here for more favourable weather to sail to Portugal. We are berthed on a mooring, close to the harbour and have a view of the beautiful bay, well protected against the wind by the peninsula, with the gigantic fort “Parador de Baiona” on it. We want to lay the dinghy in the Real Nautica Bayona, but we get a very unfriendly send-off there. Well then, up to the beach, where we find a Frenchman, who is willing to keep an eye on it. We walk around the fort and have a stunning view of, amongst other things, the island Cies and the sea. In the harbour lies a replica of the ship “Pinta”, one of the ships that Columbus came back with after his discovery of the New World in 1493. The town has some cute little streets, with restaurants and bars, where, of course, we feasted on delicious tapas! For some time now, we are looking for a new camping showerbag; you fill this thing with cold water and hang it in the sun to warm up. In Spain there are shops where you can find literally anything and everything and here we frantically try to explain what we are looking for. They fetch a lot of different things, but not the showerbag! To be continued…….
We berth the boat in the harbour to tank water and diesel. And there the harbour master tells us that we also have to pay when we use a mooring! And us thinking to get a free ride, but no. We grumble about the fact that we first get sent away with our dinghy the day before and now have to pay for facilities that we won’t use anymore. We pay 50% for laying at the mooring, but that is expensive enough!
And the next day we are leaving for Portugal! We are really looking forward to new people and a different language and culture.
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| | | 6-08-2016, reactie van Ria en Carel | Mogen wij een foto van Caroline zien mét dat hoedje?
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| | | | 6-08-2016, reactie van Fred en Caroline | Speciaal voor Carel:
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| | | | 7-08-2016, reactie van Carel | Het hoedje staat je goed!
Ik zou 'm ook opgevist, gewassen en gehouden hebben.
Bedankt voor snelle reactie op mijn verzoekje.
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