Position 42:07.347N 008:50.735W

Wednesday October 8^th

15h45

Wind SW Force 2

Sea State Calm

Visibility moderate

Heading 127T°

Under: Motor

Speed 7.0 Kts

The rib has come out to us and we have declined the hospitality of the town marina.

MRCY can be contacted on VHF Ch71 (rather than 9 as in publications). After contacting office we had a mariner down to us by bike in a couple of minutes and we are now moored in a stern on position with lazy line forward on the north pontoon behind an RCYC motor cruiser. Our other neighbor is a 50M motor cruiser.

I emailed Barra on arrival to tell them about the facilities and cost here and they were over within minutes. Its costing us 17 Eur per night. They were paying 43 in the other marina. Staff could not have been more friendly. Our post was here and we had Louis the rigger on board within hours. We have now ordered the parts we need and will get the work done as soon as they arrive.

Bayona (Baiona) Pop. 11,000 (45, 000 in summer)

Landfall of the Pinta on Columbus return from the New World March 1^st 1493. This was the first town to hear news of the discovery. That is of course with the exception of Ardfert almost 1000 years previous (St Brendan The Navigator). The Pinta is a caravel type vessel, its real name unknown. Pinta meaning painted was a nickname of course it was made of wood as Columbus was a vegetarian and refused to sail in a leather vessel.

I had always assumed that Columbus had been at sea for years but he only left in August 1492. He must have wanted to be back by St Patricks Day. In fact the Pinta (a replica of which is moored here) was able to do up to 15 knots and frequently had to wait for the Nina and the Santa Maria. She was 20m and 7m beam with a crew of 26 and weighed 60 tons.

The entrance to Bayona is a fantastic sight. The stunningly situated medieval fortress sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the Atlantic with waves crashing on the rocks below. The town and the inlet were obviously well guarded. Proven in 1585 when the inhabitants of Bayona repelled an attempt by privateer Francis Drake to take the town.

The yacht club is located in the fortifications below the Parador behind the higher protective walls. The club house restaurant bar is beautiful, a colonial style building overlooking an immaculate lawn hanging above the water. Inside crisp while table linen, wood paneling and well used leather furniture should make you feel uncomfortable in shorts and a t-shirt but the staff are so pleasant that you feel right at home. They are dressed in white coats, very smart. No trophies are displayed as such but the alls speak much louder with a neat brass plaques, the name of each winning boat engraved.

Both Barra and Spent have now moved south. We will probably catch up with them later. Our ARC flag has brought us some new friends. Tony and Michael, Bue Tarn, Cambletown Scotland. They are also doing the ARC on a Nicholson 35. This is the second smallest boat on the ARC. Michael and Tony joined us for a drink aboard Cerys and as it turned out were planning to eat at the yacht club that night also. Table for four please.

Pics: Dinner in the MRCYB; Fortifications; Marina; 50m neighbours go for a spin;