Oct 2006
An evening stroll around the waterfront
27/10/06 18:29 Filed in: La Coruna
Santiago de Compostela
13/10/06 16:49 Filed in: Galicia
David leaves as he needs to get to the Algarve before bad weather sets in.
I decide to do something constructive with my time here and enquire about the availability of Spanish language courses. Spanish is a language of which I have zero knowledge. I locate a school, Paralaia, and decide to undertake a one week beginners course in Spanish to see how it goes.
In the afternoon Joss and I catch a new high speed train to Santiago de Compostela. On arrival at the station the attractions of this Unesco world heritage site are not immediately apparent. It looks a gaggle of unremarkable modern buildings.
Proceeding the wrong way on leaving the station we eventually get to the old town and begin to see what all the fuss is about.
Self in main square, Santiago de Compostella
Complete view of building above.
........
I decide to do something constructive with my time here and enquire about the availability of Spanish language courses. Spanish is a language of which I have zero knowledge. I locate a school, Paralaia, and decide to undertake a one week beginners course in Spanish to see how it goes.
In the afternoon Joss and I catch a new high speed train to Santiago de Compostela. On arrival at the station the attractions of this Unesco world heritage site are not immediately apparent. It looks a gaggle of unremarkable modern buildings.
Proceeding the wrong way on leaving the station we eventually get to the old town and begin to see what all the fuss is about.
Self in main square, Santiago de Compostella
Complete view of building above.
........
Winter Berth
12/10/06 06:27 Filed in: La Coruna
Today is a public holiday and I had a chat with the marina duty manager who seems quite keen to attract longer stay visitors during the low season. He takes me around the inner marina basin which is noticeably calmer then the outer basin and a good safe mooring location.
He offers me a very attractive rate for the winter and although the marina facilities are incomplete the rate and central location convince me to stay. There is no option of shore storage but this was not essential.
Later in the afternoon I move 'Kiriwina" to her new berth in the inner harbour.
Spend an enjoyable evening out with David and Joss.
He offers me a very attractive rate for the winter and although the marina facilities are incomplete the rate and central location convince me to stay. There is no option of shore storage but this was not essential.
Later in the afternoon I move 'Kiriwina" to her new berth in the inner harbour.
Spend an enjoyable evening out with David and Joss.
La Coruña/Sada
11/10/06 10:23 Filed in: La Coruna
The pilot books speak quite highly of a small port called Sada which is in the Ria Betanzos about 12 miles from La Corunna.
I decided to go and have a look and made the trip by bus. It's a nice spot with a modern marina but it's pretty remote and the moorings are quite a walk from the office and facilities. A plan is evolving where I winter the boat in this area and take a side trip for a couple of months at which time the boat would be hauled out and left ashore.
Sada marina was supposed to offer such facilities but they do not have sufficient boat cradles to offer shore storage. I won't be staying in Sada.
Back to La Corunna. Walking through the old town after dinner with Joss we come across David from "Exubrant" who I had met in Gijon. He had left Gijon before me but had made a few stops along the way hence his later arrival.
David and self.
I decided to go and have a look and made the trip by bus. It's a nice spot with a modern marina but it's pretty remote and the moorings are quite a walk from the office and facilities. A plan is evolving where I winter the boat in this area and take a side trip for a couple of months at which time the boat would be hauled out and left ashore.
Sada marina was supposed to offer such facilities but they do not have sufficient boat cradles to offer shore storage. I won't be staying in Sada.
Back to La Corunna. Walking through the old town after dinner with Joss we come across David from "Exubrant" who I had met in Gijon. He had left Gijon before me but had made a few stops along the way hence his later arrival.
David and self.
Gijon to A Coruña
10/10/06 10:22 Filed in: Spain
Much as I have enjoyed staying in Gijon it is time to move on.
I decide to proceed directly to La Coruna which should take about 30 hours. The weather forecast indicates very little wind but it is better to proceed before the south westerlies resume.
As Kiriwina exited Gijon harbour around 10:30 the wind was more from the south at around F3. All sails were hoisted and we motor sailed around the breakwater and set course for Cabo Penas.
By 12:00 the wind had become variable F1 so the yankee and staysail were taken down. We continued to make good progress under motor with the main up for stability.
At 13:00 we rounded Cabo Penas and set course for Punta de la Estaca de Bares. The wind continued to be variable F1-2.
Traffic during the day was quite light save for a few fishing boats and the odd coaster. During the evening it became much heavier with lots of fishing boats and numerous ships.
In the distance there were some spectacular thunder storms with huge lightning strikes. Fortunately they stayed distant.
Punta de la Estaca de Bares is rounded at 05:30 10th October and a couple of hours later as we were heading south west. Sunrise revealed just how spectacular this coast is.
By late morning as we approached Cabo Prior the wind backed to the south and increased to F3. The cape was rounded at 12:00 and we proceeded south towards La Coruna. There was now a large SW swell with a southerly F5 wind and frequent rain squalls.
The approach was uneventful and we were berthed in the outer basin of Darsena Deportiva marina by just after 15:00. This was not an ideal location and is subject to residual swell and heavy wash from passing fishing vessels. Joss on "Audax" had already arrived.
I requested a different berth and while initially quite reluctant the duty manager allocated a more settled berth and helped me to move. Even the new berth was subject to quite violent movement. Many of the local boats have large mooring dampers. I decided that this was not a place to moor for any length of time.
I decide to proceed directly to La Coruna which should take about 30 hours. The weather forecast indicates very little wind but it is better to proceed before the south westerlies resume.
As Kiriwina exited Gijon harbour around 10:30 the wind was more from the south at around F3. All sails were hoisted and we motor sailed around the breakwater and set course for Cabo Penas.
By 12:00 the wind had become variable F1 so the yankee and staysail were taken down. We continued to make good progress under motor with the main up for stability.
At 13:00 we rounded Cabo Penas and set course for Punta de la Estaca de Bares. The wind continued to be variable F1-2.
Traffic during the day was quite light save for a few fishing boats and the odd coaster. During the evening it became much heavier with lots of fishing boats and numerous ships.
In the distance there were some spectacular thunder storms with huge lightning strikes. Fortunately they stayed distant.
Punta de la Estaca de Bares is rounded at 05:30 10th October and a couple of hours later as we were heading south west. Sunrise revealed just how spectacular this coast is.
By late morning as we approached Cabo Prior the wind backed to the south and increased to F3. The cape was rounded at 12:00 and we proceeded south towards La Coruna. There was now a large SW swell with a southerly F5 wind and frequent rain squalls.
The approach was uneventful and we were berthed in the outer basin of Darsena Deportiva marina by just after 15:00. This was not an ideal location and is subject to residual swell and heavy wash from passing fishing vessels. Joss on "Audax" had already arrived.
I requested a different berth and while initially quite reluctant the duty manager allocated a more settled berth and helped me to move. Even the new berth was subject to quite violent movement. Many of the local boats have large mooring dampers. I decided that this was not a place to moor for any length of time.
Gijon, Asturia. 1-8 October
1st October
Tony and Gill set off early and very kindly donate their surplus to requirements tender bag to replace the completely useless bag supplied by Suzuki with my Suzumar tender. Thanks Tony & Gill. I take some photos of "Nimbus" leaving the harbour to e-mail on to them.
"Nimbus" - Outward bound Gijon fairway buoy
For the rest of the day I continued with boat cleaning and give my tender a good scrub down to remove mould which has accumulated since May. The tender has only been deployed once and that was a few days ago at L'Aber Wrac'h.
A fairly slow day finished off by catching up with e-mails.
Dramatic breaking seas on the outer wall of Gijon marina.
2nd October
Quite a bit of walking around the town including a visit to Gijon Aquarium. very impressive.
4th October
A trip to El Corte Ingles to stock up on food and to buy a length of hose. It seems most Spanish marinas do not supply hoses for fresh water purposes.
When I returned I noticed a Finnish yacht had arrived. "Viitri" with her skipper Perti. She had had a bouncy crossing and he was busy drying out the interior.
5th October
I deployed the Brompton and cycled out to the Botanical Gardens. It was a quiet day and I virtually had the place to myself.
A bull in an adjacent field.
Later I met Jos from Audax. He had got caught by the tail end of a hurricane while bound for the Azores and took a bit of a battering. He was spending a few days in Gijon recovering.
That evening Jos, Perti and I had dinner.
Jos and Perti.
6th October
During the day I removed the pulpit so that in preparation for re-sealing. Small amounts of water were getting past the deck seal.
Perti left very early in the morning hoping to bypass Portugal on his way to the Canaries.
David on "Exubrant" arrives on his way to Lagos and we have a long night out. What a wild man! I have not stayed out till 04:00 for a while. Of course the pain was to follow later with an almighty hangover the next day.
Kiriwina on her berth in Gijon Marina.
7th October
The pulpit was put back and the seal hose tested after a couple of hours. No apparent leaks. Otherwise a bit of a tidy up down below before a more restrained evening out with David. Jos and David sailed for La Coruna.
8th October
I decided to leave on Monday and spent the rest of the day getting the boat ready for sea.
Tony and Gill set off early and very kindly donate their surplus to requirements tender bag to replace the completely useless bag supplied by Suzuki with my Suzumar tender. Thanks Tony & Gill. I take some photos of "Nimbus" leaving the harbour to e-mail on to them.
"Nimbus" - Outward bound Gijon fairway buoy
For the rest of the day I continued with boat cleaning and give my tender a good scrub down to remove mould which has accumulated since May. The tender has only been deployed once and that was a few days ago at L'Aber Wrac'h.
A fairly slow day finished off by catching up with e-mails.
Dramatic breaking seas on the outer wall of Gijon marina.
2nd October
Quite a bit of walking around the town including a visit to Gijon Aquarium. very impressive.
4th October
A trip to El Corte Ingles to stock up on food and to buy a length of hose. It seems most Spanish marinas do not supply hoses for fresh water purposes.
When I returned I noticed a Finnish yacht had arrived. "Viitri" with her skipper Perti. She had had a bouncy crossing and he was busy drying out the interior.
5th October
I deployed the Brompton and cycled out to the Botanical Gardens. It was a quiet day and I virtually had the place to myself.
A bull in an adjacent field.
Later I met Jos from Audax. He had got caught by the tail end of a hurricane while bound for the Azores and took a bit of a battering. He was spending a few days in Gijon recovering.
That evening Jos, Perti and I had dinner.
Jos and Perti.
6th October
During the day I removed the pulpit so that in preparation for re-sealing. Small amounts of water were getting past the deck seal.
Perti left very early in the morning hoping to bypass Portugal on his way to the Canaries.
David on "Exubrant" arrives on his way to Lagos and we have a long night out. What a wild man! I have not stayed out till 04:00 for a while. Of course the pain was to follow later with an almighty hangover the next day.
Kiriwina on her berth in Gijon Marina.
7th October
The pulpit was put back and the seal hose tested after a couple of hours. No apparent leaks. Otherwise a bit of a tidy up down below before a more restrained evening out with David. Jos and David sailed for La Coruna.
8th October
I decided to leave on Monday and spent the rest of the day getting the boat ready for sea.