The next Ria we wanted to visit is called Santa Marta which was detailed as having a very tricky entrance with a shallow sand bar and difficult winding passage through shoaling sand banks ready to trap the unwary. We had no chart for this Ria but managed to look at a fellow traveller's pilot book which also emphasised it as having stunning scenery, interesting if difficult to find anchorages and a smart town unspoilt by development at the head of the Ria. We had to go there!

Armed with vital navigational information from this pilot book we made the route without going aground albeit very slowly and cautiously; it was similar to the passage to Snape from Aldeburgh up the river Alde on the east coast. We are so glad we made the effort, the scenery is indeed stunning and our reward was the best anchorage we have had: still as still and only a wet dinghy ride from the excellent Orteguera.

We had hit on market day and were able to stock up on lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, salad and bread. The fresh produce in Galicia is first class; lettuce, leeks, onions, cabbages, aubergines, garlic, carrots, pimentos and courgettes are excellent; the tomatoes in particular are delicious, we buy their large ones with green and yellow streaks that are just wonderful for salads and luscious cooked with just about anything.

They also had these rather wonderful pitchforks, we would have loved one but no room on board.

The market in Orteguera was buzzing until the rain started, it bucketed down – we got our first real soaking dinghy-ing home to Gryphon II in our peaceful, sheltered anchorage.

There were no visiting yachts in this Ria but a small local boat followed us out next morning; getting out again was, of course, a lot easier. As the pilot said "rewarding pilotage to an elegant town".