On to Ria de Vivero 13.07.09

Left Ribadeo at 8.30a.m. at high tide using the leading marks to guide us out of this tricky harbour. We motored for about 50 minutes then a good sailing wind sprung up taking us along the coast to Ria de Vivero well known in Galicia for its mussel production. We anchored off Playa de Abrela, a small sandy bay surrounded by high, steep hills which would give us shelter from the now SW5 winds that had started when we were some 7-8 miles away. Unlike the dark sands at Ribadeo, this was a white strand lapped by turquoise water and backed by the dramatic hillside covered in trees. We went ashore to find a spotless blue flag beach with foot showers and broad boardwalks through the surrounding shrubs along to a small river which wound down to the beach again. It was quite plush.

Feeling rested we upped anchor next morning and, passing the many mussel beds en route, went further into the Ria to a small marina where the 2 British yachts we had last met in Ribadeo were moored. Later a French yacht came in with a very tired and forlorn crew. They had been beating against the wind for two days on passage, their engine was not working because they had caught a massive cargo of rogue fishing net on their propeller which had become deeply entangled, they limped into a mooring contending with a difficult crosswind. Thanks to a Brit with a dry suit, snorkel and diving knife the net was cut away but this took a long time, Chris acted as interpreter as the French had little English and the diver no French. It is the sort of unhappy occurrence that yachtsmen dread and we hope never happens to us.

Colourful Vivero with its excellent tapas bars, cafes, retaurants and indoor market.

Before leaving Vivero we visited the fish market to purchase a kilo of their famous mussels for 3 euros. These mussels were enormous, 3 times the size of those we usually get in UK and we wondered what they would be like. In fact they were very good but we both agreed that we prefer the smaller ones.