Viana do Castelo to Leixoes and Leixoes to Figueira da Foz
Minka of Southampton - Cruising Log
Edmund Wigan
Sun 25 Apr 2010 21:48
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Viana do Castelo to Leixoes
Saturday 24th April
I have been having some problems with the satellite
software and pictures. So this update will be text only.
At Viana I needed to fill up with diesel before
setting off but found that they had a problem with their diesel tank......it was
empty because it had a hole in the bottom. So they sent me to fill up in the
commercial port. I found the place ok but had to tie up to a massive stone wall
which was about 3mts above my deck. Fortunately there was some string to tie to
hanging down. I mean string as I have seen stronger stuff on a parcel. The
arrangement was that they would be there at 0800 to serve me. No sign of anyone.
I called the harbour master and marina on the radio but no reply. No answers to
their phones either.
Eventully at 0915 I started the engine and was
about to unwrap my parcel when a very smart young woman looked down from
the top of the wall and asked if I wanted some diesel. She wandered off and came
back with the man. Then I had a long explanation about why their diesel was very
expensive, did I really want some? It was 1.11 euro a litre. By this stage I
would have paid anything. So I filled up undid the cats cradle and off we
went.
Not a lot of wind and it was from the south so we
ended up doing 46nm to get 30 and arrived in Leixoes about 1930.
First impressions were not good as the water is
very dirty. I think the marina doubles up as the town's septic tank and oil
disposal facility. From the sea the town looked very industrial with factories
and chemical works. I had a wallk round later (having climbed out of the marina
as the office was shut) and there is an old town which was
picturesque.
I decided to leave early the next morning before
Minka dissolved and the marina office opened to charge me for sleeping in a
sewer.
Sunday 25th April
Leixoes to Figueira da Foz
I had to go to this place to see if it was as
interesting as its name. I set off at 0700 as it is over 60nm which is normally
about 12 hours sailing.
There was not much wind for the first hour but then
we got about 10kts from the north so I put the spinnaker up. After a couple of
hours the wind increased to 20kts and Minka started surfing off the tops of the
waves doing 8kts. I decided to get the spinnaker down which was interesting but
I managed it without doing any damage.
There are an awful lot of pot marker buoys along
this coast up to ten miles off shore which is why it isn't sensible to sail at
night. However as I came round Cabo Mondego the bay just before F da Foz it was
full of them. So I had a bit of fun playing dodgems. At least it was low tide so
none were floating underwater which sometimes happens if they are on a short
lead.
Arrived here at 1840 and two nice policemen came
and took my lines. I then had to produce all the ship's papers, passport and
insurance. I think they must have seen me speeding with the spinnaker up. They
then said they would allocate me a berth but that was too much trouble so they
told me to park where I liked. Nice friendly people. They didn't have the code
for the marina gate as the marina has no staff on Sundays. So I had a choice of
another climb out of a marina or stay on board tonight.
I will stay here for two nights to have a day
looking around. I noticed some great beaches on the way
in.
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