Espasante
Moonbeam
David and Lynn Wilkie
Sun 11 Jul 2010 19:24
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43.43.172N 007.48.755W
Saturday
Up early and the weather is perhaps the most
perfect we have had this trip. Our Dutch and German friends had already left
heading for La Coruna to watch the football!
We left Viverio at 09.30; a small town with great
potential, a lovely historic centre, a river flowing through the middle, an
interesting fishing port and a marina but perhaps the overall management of the
town does not measure up to some places like Zumaya and Ribadeo " who" gave the
impression of trying much harder.
  The scenery in the Ria is superb but it is not long
before we hit seriously thick fog with less than 100m viz. However once we were
into the Ria de Santa Maria the fog lifted and we anchored off the small town of
Espasante. Again this Ria is very attractive with small settlements and
individual houses on the steep wooded slopes.
      After lunch I took the rib into the inner Ria which
has a winding channel with a bar ( no not that sort!) when entry is only
recommended at High water minus 2 hours. On reflection the pilot book is perhaps
a tad over cautious ( as they are ) but this Ria de Santa Marta de Ortigueira is
as attractive a place as I have seen! Sheltered ( albeit shallow) water and some
lovely houses with extraordinary gardens.
  One garden presumably belongs to a retired
ships captain as eventually I spied the house- a complete deckhouse and bridge
from a small ship!
 The gardens face south and are protected from the
prevailing northerly winds- I could swallow the anchor! Later we spied an
other ship's bridge so whose idea was it first we don't know!
A pleasant anchorage with a good beach and lots of
families enjoying themselves. Wind was variable but not strong and no
significant swell.
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