La Paloma to Piriapolis
02/02/09 22:41 Filed in: Uruguay
Up at 06:30 as we have a long day ahead.
Clearance formalities are slow. Everything is written by hand. We need to pay the Hidrografia for our berth and present a receipt to the Prefectura before being cleared from La Paloma.
A marinero assists with our departure at 08:15 and great care is needed to avoid hull damage from unfendered steel mooring buoys.
Outside the harbour a big swell is running with breakers each side of the approach channel. Once clear we had an uneventful motor sail to Piriapolis in light, variable winds.
Cora Mae motor sailing in calmish seas off Punta del Este.
We arrived off Piriapolis at 20:30. Berthing arrangements were unclear and the marina appeared unmanned and full. Eventually, in fading light, we moored alongside a large Argentine yacht itself moored against an old barge.
Conditions had deteriorated with the manoeuvres being accomplished in a strongish northerly wind which made Gunter a bit nervous given that the Argentine yacht and barge were unfendered.
Getting ashore involved some acrobatics as we jumped from Cora Mae to yacht to barge to small fishing boat to derelict quay. Once ashore the Prefectura informed us that we would still have to pay for our ramshackle berth.
After two ports in Uruguay I am a bit underwhelmed at the cost and condition of mooring berths.
Days run: 71 miles.
Clearance formalities are slow. Everything is written by hand. We need to pay the Hidrografia for our berth and present a receipt to the Prefectura before being cleared from La Paloma.
A marinero assists with our departure at 08:15 and great care is needed to avoid hull damage from unfendered steel mooring buoys.
Outside the harbour a big swell is running with breakers each side of the approach channel. Once clear we had an uneventful motor sail to Piriapolis in light, variable winds.
Cora Mae motor sailing in calmish seas off Punta del Este.
We arrived off Piriapolis at 20:30. Berthing arrangements were unclear and the marina appeared unmanned and full. Eventually, in fading light, we moored alongside a large Argentine yacht itself moored against an old barge.
Conditions had deteriorated with the manoeuvres being accomplished in a strongish northerly wind which made Gunter a bit nervous given that the Argentine yacht and barge were unfendered.
Getting ashore involved some acrobatics as we jumped from Cora Mae to yacht to barge to small fishing boat to derelict quay. Once ashore the Prefectura informed us that we would still have to pay for our ramshackle berth.
After two ports in Uruguay I am a bit underwhelmed at the cost and condition of mooring berths.
Days run: 71 miles.