"In and out the dusty bluebells"

We had read the warnings that the Portuguese waters have many lobster pots. They weren't wrong. They are numerous and difficult to spot, even in broad daylight. We must have altered course at least a dozen times that day, they just kept on coming.

Lots of pots

Entering The Viana channel (Rio Lima) the wind and tide was very strong. We moored onto the waiting pontoon on the outside of the marina entrance. Antonio from the marina welcomed us and informed us there was a finger pontoon available inside the marina. Alison looked at the current and wasn't keen. The current can run at about 7 knots and the entrance is quite narrow with a swing bridge. I wanted to enter the marina as it looked very sheltered so Alison said ok and let's have a go. Simples it was straightforward getting in and was very sheltered. Good prices, wifi available in most bars/ cafés.

Swing footbridge

Road/rail bridge designed by Eiffel

Flowers overhead in the charming streets

Heading South

IIt was difficult to leave Muros and we consider Pedro (The face of Muros Marina) a real friend!

Downwind to Sanxenxo we tried out our planned techniques. The poled (boom) out jib worked a treat. The A- symmetric spinnaker not so well. A bit more tweaking needed there.

Sanxenxo is a big marina full of "Gin Palaces" but a convenient stop to watch the World Cup Final. Not much atmosphere for the match as the Spanish had lost interest after they got knocked out.  A lot of the bars looked closed near the marina. Later we found out they opened at midnight and boomed out music till dawn hmmmmmmmmm!

Sanxenxo

Baiona

The next day we made the short hop to Baiona. The wind was all over the place and the sea got choppy between the islands. We moored at the MRCY marina as it was in a beautiful setting beneath the old defensive walls. Just stayed the night as this marina was expensive.

Next morning we headed for Viana Do Castelo. Alison had checked the forecasts for today and the wind was to be behind us again - more downwind practice. Well no! The wind blew in the complete opposite direction all day. Engine on!

Afternoon came and I popped below for a siesta. 20 minutes later Alison calls "Miles, FOG!" Yes a real pea Souper that was coming off the land so we decided to change course and head out to sea. We could sail at this angle so we put up the sails. After all the winching and tweaking we looked up, Fog gone, wind gone, speed 2.8 kn. Pah!      Sails down engine on back on course.

Magnificent Muros Marina

This is more like it! A must to visit. A new marina that is not in the pilot books yet. Helpful and friendly staff, Pedro & James. Facilities are all that you could want. Garden area, library, power showers and wifi room in this converted ex Police Station.

It is very easy to live here. The supermarket is a hop, skip and a jump away, opposite a beach,a couple  of good hardware shops, 2 tobacconists, bars, cafés and restaurants, and a market twice a week. We liked it so much we stayed a month.

Alison with Pedro

Floral carpets through the streets

The Marina's private garden where we enjoyed many internet mornings. 

The fireworks were spectacular

Muros got very noisy come fiesta time, but hey Spain like to party!!!!!!

While we were there I ordered the autopilot parts we needed off eBay. It's fixed now and ready for a sea trial. Also the toilet packed in but a service kit was ordered and is now back in action to the relief of Alison!

A Caruna

The night we arrived we walked into town - the main reason was that we had ran out of tobacco. The streets were alive with football fans. The local team had won and they were jubillant. Tables were booked in resruarants and they were having a great time.

The next morning some were still staggering about as we found a convenience store for some provisions. Spain is mainly closed on a Sunday - like Britain 30 years ago.

A Caruna and Northern Spain were not what I was expecting. The streets weren't  paved with Paella, no chickens roasting outside, no never ending Tapas. Had we come to the right country?

This was real Spain and not the tourist destinations of our Jollies. The locals were busy going about their business, earning a crust etc..  Outside of the marina not many people spoke English. Compared to France the average bodyweight was up a few stone probably something to do with the smell of deep fat frying that abound.

our autopilotwas on the blink again so we tried to phone the A Coruna Raymarine shop - number not connecting - took a bus to the other side of town to pay them a visit, didn't get off at the right stop due to the bus station not looking like a bus station. So we had an unplanned tour of the city and got off at the right stop next time around.

Asked a local for directions - down and out of the back of the building - Jobsworth wouldn't let us out where the buses came in - Alison has a bad knee - had to retrace steps and walk around.

   Went somewhere for lunch. Played it safe and pointed to a tasty looking picture in the window, not available till evening, got a burger that wasn't a burger. Eventually found th Raymarine shop. English spoken and very helpful but no parts in stock but could be ordered and our problem was probably the gearbox - Good advice I think.

     After a week of inclement weather the two German yachts we had crossed Biscay with were ready to leave on a good forecast so we tagged along.

At A Caruna we weren't best pleased with the boat being covered in coal dust and the strong smell of butane gas ( I thought we had a leak ) from unloading cargo ships upwind.

   If you visit marina Caruna ask for the free discount passport that covers other marinas in the chain but is not freely offered. Why?

'Mira' the yacht berthed next to us and heading north told us about Muros Marina around the coast that they were very impressed with.

    We rounded the Cote du Morte ( Coast of Death ) with no problems and fair seas. Spent the night at Camarinas and set off again early the next morning for Muros.