Figueira de Foz
Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Sat 14 Aug 2010 19:48
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Our position is 40:08.83N 08:51.53W
Saturday 14th August
The alarm clock was set to wake us early this
morning as the time to leave Sao Jacinte and the Rio de Aveiro was high water at
7:30. Leaving was as usual easier than arriving. The anchor came up OK, the 35m
scope and a change in wind direction overnight put it worryingly close to a
large rusty old boat. The entrance to the Ria was much calmer and the
obstruction of a ship picking up her tugs was easily avoided.
Having left early the wind was frustratingly
variable. Fresh easterly at first, so genoa and mainsail gave us a good 6knts,
but this did not last long as it dropped and went broader so a period of trying
to get the cruising chute to make a contribution on both gybes followed. The
latter part of the passage was completed under poled out headsail and main with
speeds increasing as the wind freshened. The 32Nm passage took nearly 8
hours,surprisingly slow when some of the time we were doing 7 or 8 knots down
the waves.
The entrance looked straightforward on the chart
until it became obvious that heading for the waypoint we had between
the breakwater walls would take us straight into the northern one.
The pilot book update notes did refer to changes but I was not
expecting the entrance to be moved significantly to the south. No problem
motoring to the marina on the north of the channel and in the absence of any
guidance we allocated ourselves a suitable berth.
A short trip ashore for provisions revealed a
pleasant town and a cafe that has wifi so now we have had a super dinner cooked
by Kay we are of to have a coffee, check our emails and send this diary
entry.
 Passing the ship in the entrance to Ria de
Aveira
 The new harbour wall under construction - the
strange angle of the photo is the result of trying to navigate and take
pictures!
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