Sunday, 28 June 2015
MUROS FISHING VILLAGE
MUXIA TO RIA DE MUROS, 26 JUNE
We anchored off the fishing harbour of Muxia in rather windy conditions watching streams of large professional looking fishing boats coming and going. There's obviously a lot of investment in fishing here probably European Union money.
On the 26th we left early at 07.00 for the last part of the Fisterre traverse. Again a beautiful calm day . We even saw Minke Wales just off the Cap.!
HEADING SOUTH FROM LA CORUNA, 25 JUNE
After a VERY pleasant week in La Coruna we fueled up early on Thursday morning and headed out into the gentle swell of the great Atlantic Ocean with the intention of rounding one of the most hazardous headlands in Europe, Cap Fisterra. (The rounding of the Cap takes two days and our first stop was in the bay of Muxia.)
Luckily the weather was more or less gentle on us so we motored a lot of the way to Muxia in Ria De Camarinias.
Saturday, 20 June 2015
DAYS IN CORUNA, 17TH JUNE
On arriving in Coruna we anchored in a small sheltered bay on the East shore of the port. After an overnight rest we moved across the port to Coruna Marina.
It was surprising how few yachts were in the marina (this is a major staging port for yachts travelling between Western Europe and the Mediterranean) and we were glad of the nice welcome we received.
A lunch of local sardine fritters and deep fried peppers with white wine was organised as our arrival celebration.
Lots of walks and lovely meals (tapas) in the local restaurants ensued and we are still here.....
It was surprising how few yachts were in the marina (this is a major staging port for yachts travelling between Western Europe and the Mediterranean) and we were glad of the nice welcome we received.
A lunch of local sardine fritters and deep fried peppers with white wine was organised as our arrival celebration.
Lots of walks and lovely meals (tapas) in the local restaurants ensued and we are still here.....
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| faithful yacht KWANZA in Coruna marina |
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| view over the port looking South |
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| Bizantine style.. |
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| old churches |
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| the museum on the main square |
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| museum and square Maria Pita |
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| another church.. |
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| statue of Maria Pita who saved the port from the English ! |
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| not eating those...! |
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| happy landings.! our arrival lunch in Maria Pita square |
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| magnificent building.! this is a museum on Maria Pita square |
CROSSING THE BAY OF BISCAY, 14TH TO 16TH JUNE 2015
We left Camaret bay just before 6.00 in the morning and set a course of South West so as to clear the famous (or infamous) 'Raz De Sein' to avoid the massive tidal overfalls.
The weather forecasts on Passage planner, Met Office and XC Weather, all promised calm seas and gentle North West winds. Sure enough the first six hours of the trip was in calm conditions and barely enough wind to sail, so we kept the engine going with the hope that we could shut it down as we got further out into the bay.
Unfortunately as the sun set the seas became even calmer and the wind dropped completely. We watched our AIS system for any other ships and turned the radar on as the darkness loomed.
With an average speed of 7 knots we covered over 100 NM by midnight.
The skipper kept the night watch while the second in command went below to sleep in the aft starboard cabin which we had set up for the trip.
As we approached the steep underwater ravine where the depth changes from 200 meters to over 4000 meters in a ten miles or so, we anticipated a change in the sea state. Its reputed that the upwelling of the underwater currents and the Atlantic swell generates dramatically turbulent conditions. However we hardly noticed any changes and were quite enthralled to watch our two echo-sounders eventually run out of range at about 1,400 meters depth.
During the next days (the trip took three days and two nights) we were visited by hundreds of Dolphin, often in big pods of over twenty in each. They flirted with the boat and vied for positions just under the bow.
During the nights the dolphin could be clearly seen as they left spooky phosphorescent trails in the water and sparks as they broke the surface.
At one point we were surprised by a Minke Whale which surged out from under our boat. At first we thought it was just another dolphin playing around the boat but then the whole body of the whale appeared. The dorsal fin of the Minke Whale is ridiculously small and set very far aft on the huge mammal so it can be confused with a dolphin until they rise for air.
On the second night at sea, about 150 NM off the Spanish coast, the birds arrived. First a swallow who wanted to build a nest under our bimini cover, then a homing pigeon who stayed with us for about 12 hours until he caught sight of land and took off.
As we approached the coast of Galicia Spain the fishing boats started to appear (during the second night at sea). Luckily we had AIS which gave plenty of warning of their presence. On two occasions at night we saw other yachts ghosting along with only a mast head light on (no AIS.!).
As dawn broke on the third day the Spanish shore was well in sight. By midday we were entering the area of Coruna (our destination). By 14.00 with strong winds and high swell we sailed into the outer part of Corunia Ria, to anchor at 16.00 in the bay of Enseada de Mera. We were happy that there were no other boats anchored there and that we had eventually arrived.
THE BAY HAD BEEN CROSSED.!!
The weather forecasts on Passage planner, Met Office and XC Weather, all promised calm seas and gentle North West winds. Sure enough the first six hours of the trip was in calm conditions and barely enough wind to sail, so we kept the engine going with the hope that we could shut it down as we got further out into the bay.
Unfortunately as the sun set the seas became even calmer and the wind dropped completely. We watched our AIS system for any other ships and turned the radar on as the darkness loomed.
With an average speed of 7 knots we covered over 100 NM by midnight.
The skipper kept the night watch while the second in command went below to sleep in the aft starboard cabin which we had set up for the trip.
As we approached the steep underwater ravine where the depth changes from 200 meters to over 4000 meters in a ten miles or so, we anticipated a change in the sea state. Its reputed that the upwelling of the underwater currents and the Atlantic swell generates dramatically turbulent conditions. However we hardly noticed any changes and were quite enthralled to watch our two echo-sounders eventually run out of range at about 1,400 meters depth.
During the next days (the trip took three days and two nights) we were visited by hundreds of Dolphin, often in big pods of over twenty in each. They flirted with the boat and vied for positions just under the bow.
During the nights the dolphin could be clearly seen as they left spooky phosphorescent trails in the water and sparks as they broke the surface.
At one point we were surprised by a Minke Whale which surged out from under our boat. At first we thought it was just another dolphin playing around the boat but then the whole body of the whale appeared. The dorsal fin of the Minke Whale is ridiculously small and set very far aft on the huge mammal so it can be confused with a dolphin until they rise for air.
On the second night at sea, about 150 NM off the Spanish coast, the birds arrived. First a swallow who wanted to build a nest under our bimini cover, then a homing pigeon who stayed with us for about 12 hours until he caught sight of land and took off.
As we approached the coast of Galicia Spain the fishing boats started to appear (during the second night at sea). Luckily we had AIS which gave plenty of warning of their presence. On two occasions at night we saw other yachts ghosting along with only a mast head light on (no AIS.!).
As dawn broke on the third day the Spanish shore was well in sight. By midday we were entering the area of Coruna (our destination). By 14.00 with strong winds and high swell we sailed into the outer part of Corunia Ria, to anchor at 16.00 in the bay of Enseada de Mera. We were happy that there were no other boats anchored there and that we had eventually arrived.
THE BAY HAD BEEN CROSSED.!!
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| sunrise as we left Camaret heading for the end of the Raz de Sein |
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| crew relaxing and doing some knitting .. |
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| the underwater chasm between 1000 and 2000 meters |
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| spotting dolphin |
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| lots of them ! |
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| they played around the bow.. |
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| sunset somewhere out there.... |
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| our guest on the second night stayed until land came in sight |
PORT DU MOULIN BLANC TO CAMARET, 13TH JUNE
The weather looked right for the big event of crossing the Bay of Biscay.!
We left the marina at Moulin Blanc Brest and sailed out through the entrance of Brest harbour amongst the hundreds of small pleasure boats and wind surfers, and headed for the small harbour of Camaret. Wind was beautiful as we glided through the Gullet de Brest and round the corner (South) to pick up a mooring outside the Port Vauban, Camaret's main marina.
We spent the night here finalising our preparation for the 330 NM crossing the next morning.
We left the marina at Moulin Blanc Brest and sailed out through the entrance of Brest harbour amongst the hundreds of small pleasure boats and wind surfers, and headed for the small harbour of Camaret. Wind was beautiful as we glided through the Gullet de Brest and round the corner (South) to pick up a mooring outside the Port Vauban, Camaret's main marina.
We spent the night here finalising our preparation for the 330 NM crossing the next morning.
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| the bay of Camaret |
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| sunset of Port Vauban |
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