Back to Vigo
13/06/07 14:43 Filed in: Ria de Vigo
The forecast did not look good. Predominately southerly winds continuing until at least the weekend. Today winds were forecast to be SW 5-6.
It is also my birthday today and I do not particularly want to spend today or the next four days in Baiona. I decided to return to Vigo which I prefer to Baiona.
We left Baiona at 13:00 where the SW winds had be gusting to around 20 kn. As soon as we cleared the marina I turned the engine off and deployed the yankee. When we cleared Baiona breakwater and headed for Canal da Porta the wind began to pick up and as we approched the Canal entrance it was gusting SW to 30 knots. Normally I would put the engine on standby to transit Canal da Porta but this time we flew through it touching 6 knots at times and with barely a pause as we passed under the lee of Isla Estrella.
Once out into the Ria proper it was clear I had too much sail up as the wind was now gusting to 35knots (F8). We were flying along at over 6+ knots but with lots of weather helm and too much heel. I reduced the yankee to one third and we rushed up Ria Vigo at speeds often in excess of 5 knots with frequent wind gusts to 35kn.
Fortunately it had eased when we arrived at RCN Vigo at 15:30. They were pretty full but allocated us a berth between two 40ft+ boats. Little Kiriwina at 28ft was suspended between the two with a mooring configuration which required me to climb on to an adjacent boat and then onto the pontoon.
Shortly after we were settled in the wind picked up again and it began to rain heavily but I was glad to be back.
It is also my birthday today and I do not particularly want to spend today or the next four days in Baiona. I decided to return to Vigo which I prefer to Baiona.
We left Baiona at 13:00 where the SW winds had be gusting to around 20 kn. As soon as we cleared the marina I turned the engine off and deployed the yankee. When we cleared Baiona breakwater and headed for Canal da Porta the wind began to pick up and as we approched the Canal entrance it was gusting SW to 30 knots. Normally I would put the engine on standby to transit Canal da Porta but this time we flew through it touching 6 knots at times and with barely a pause as we passed under the lee of Isla Estrella.
Once out into the Ria proper it was clear I had too much sail up as the wind was now gusting to 35knots (F8). We were flying along at over 6+ knots but with lots of weather helm and too much heel. I reduced the yankee to one third and we rushed up Ria Vigo at speeds often in excess of 5 knots with frequent wind gusts to 35kn.
Fortunately it had eased when we arrived at RCN Vigo at 15:30. They were pretty full but allocated us a berth between two 40ft+ boats. Little Kiriwina at 28ft was suspended between the two with a mooring configuration which required me to climb on to an adjacent boat and then onto the pontoon.
Shortly after we were settled in the wind picked up again and it began to rain heavily but I was glad to be back.