Portugal

Portugal is just like we remembered it.  Especially the sardines.  Andrew and Sue joined us just outside Porto (Leixoes) and we've been enjoying the warmth, the seafood, the comparitively cheap prices and the friendly people.  At least we were until the bimini broke this afternoon.  But it's cobbled together again now and it's on, on and South to Nazare tomorrow (they used to wear socks on their heads there, we're hoping to see them again).

There has been some talk in the UK, we think about excessive regulation.  We arrived yesterday in Figuera do Foz.  We parked the boat where the other foreign boats were.  We were told to move it 20 metres to the "reception area" where the police could interview us.  Having spent 30 minutes writing down every conceivable detail of the boat and our family histories we were permitted to move it back to where we started.   Then we had to report to the marina office to check into the marina.  The marina office couldn't help us until they got the details from the police, who unfortunately were by then unavailable...  Luckily a great deal of good humour prevailed throughout. We quite like UK regulation now!

Fitzroy, Trafalgar

... are the sea areas we are looking at weather for right now.  The problem is that they're so huge the forecast can't be much more than a very broad generalisation.  We have been dominated by weather again in the last few days.  We got to Sanxenxo (in Gallego, Sangenjo in Spanish) on Sunday.  And we spent several happy hours putting up the extremely sophisticated and complicated sunshade (bimini) on Monday morning (extremely sophisticated and complicated piccies will follow).  Then it rained.  And blew very hard from the South.  And we discovered that our sunshade made a very effective washing line shelter while we whiled away our time in wet and windy SanX.

But now we're off again, and we're in the attractive and historic port of Bayonna.  And it's going foreign to Portugal tomorrow.

Going South

We rounded Cape Finisterre today so are now firmly Southward bound.  The weather continues wonderful and getting hotter.  Until today we've had some really good favourable winds.  Today we had none and had to motor, but oh well. 

We're enjoying exploring the Galician rias (in Ria de Muros now).  You could easily spend months here.  The scenery in the north is very rugged indeed (it's apparently known as the Costa de Muertos!), but it has slowly got softer as we've gone round, and is now green rolling hills around large, fairly sheltered inlets.  Lots of fishing still, and lots of seafood to be eaten.  It's tough out here!

Val in control!

Standing on the Corner

And suddenly it's Summer! Warm sunny days, windy afternoons, starry nights.  What a difference!

From Gijon we went to the very attractive fishing village of Cudillero.  Lots of wind and bouncing about en route, but we had a friendly local to help us with the mooring.  It didn't work.  The set moorings are a complete tangle of ropes going every whichway.  The chap kindly helped us drop an anchor, which then got trapped in the mooring ropes, and we lost it.  He then helped us dock on a pontoon (a very special concession).  The pontoon broke.  So we were not unhappy to leave for the first of the Galician rias (think fjords or sea lochs) - in Ria de Ribadeo.  It also has a marina which didn't break.

We've had one or two equipment failures of our own, in particular a plotter (think satnav) has decided it only likes cold weather and has gone on strike.  Luckily we have two.  However the shiny new cup-holders are working magnificently! 

We've now been rapidly through Ria de Barquero (near Ria de Vivero) with magnificent coastal views (Cabo Ortegal above), and are in La Coruña, right on the North West corner.  And we've bought a new anchor.  We have a sort of arrangement to excahnge the plotter, and we're a day ahead of schedule.

Thanks to all who have posted replies on the blog.  It's good to know there are people out there!  Excuse us for not replying directly - the blog doesn't seem like the best medium for ongoing conversations!  Oh, and good luck with the government!  Just as long as Cameron keeps sterling going up I could be converted!!

Asturias

Greetings from Gijon, an attractive city in the province of Asturias.  Lovely sandy beaches between high rugged cliffs.  Inland, lush green hills and clear rivers.  And in the background the snow capped peaks of the Picos de Europa.  Excellent food, particularly the seafood, and drink, especially the local cider.  Splendid!

However ... there is a hint of a problem in that word "green".  It's wet.  And it's cold.

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain,
But also in Asturias
And when those dark grey clouds roll in again
It makes us bloody furious

[Val didn't think it was any good either!]

Along the coast

So from Santander we had a gentle sail to S Vicente de la Barquera, a very pleasant seaside town and fishing port, with splendid views of the Picos de Europa.  A gentle friendly place we thought, until we were woken in the early hours by a rescue helicopter searching for survivors from a boat apparently deliberately burned out.  So maybe it's more a Midsummer Murders location?  Rivalries in the Rias, Val suggested.

And on today (Tues 11th) to Llanes, beating against the wind in the rain.  Just as good as England.  And the harbour is full of fishing boats, and the marina is being rebuilt, and we have to leave on the tide at 6.00 tomorrow morning, and I need a beer.

The waves in Biscay

were biggish

We're in Spain

Bien.  We're in Santander.  We've started!  The sail across went very well.  The boat performed excellently, the crew showed stamina and dedication, and the even the skipper managed to find Santander!  It took us 4.5 days of strong to gale following winds, so relatively quick, but rough, very cold and quite tiring.  A photo or two may follow when we have a faster internet connection.  Many thanks to Peter and David for their help, encouragement and company!  And thanks also to Alistair for his departure photos.

Val arrived yesterday (Friday).  We were extremely lucky since northern UK airports were closed earlier, and Spanish airports, including Santander, are closed today.  Tomorrow we're off to San Vicente de la Barquera.

Across the bay

Sally T arrived in Santander today, Thursday 6th after a cold crossing in strong northeasterlies. Peter and David returning on the Santander Plymouth ferry this afternoon.

First stage

The intrepid crew (Peter, David and Simon) make it to the entrance to Portsmouth harbour! They actually made it to Portland on Sat May 1st, and are setting off today (Sunday) for
Santander with strong northerlies forecast. Hopefully they'll be there by the time I (the less intrepid crew) arrive by plane on Friday.