Ria de Aveiro
Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Fri 13 Aug 2010 20:22
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Our position is 40:39.50N 08:43.81W
Friday 13 August 2010
We stayed at Povoa de Varzim for 2 days - one to
take advantage of the good facilities and WiFi and also because a terrible thick
sea fog descended and shrouded everything in dankness, and the
other so we could take the Metro and visit Porto, Portugal's second city.
The skipper's ankle was not in great shape for endless sightseeing, but we
changed some ancient escudos (entailing a visit to the bank of Portugal - a most
resplendent place, enlivened by a mad woman being served before us, who was
obviously re-enacting her life story), viewed various of the sights, including
another double decker bridge, and encountered the crew of Yavanna (now in
Leixoes) while we were having lunch at a riverside cafe. We manfully resisted
the opportunity to have many "free" port tastings and headed back in
time to get to bed for an early start the next
day.
The pilot book was full of dire warnings about the
dangers of the entrance to Ria de Aveiro and the importance of arriving at the
right state of tide, so, bidding a fond farewell to Gordon, we set off in fear
and trepidation, (particularly given the date) aiming to be at the entrance 1
hour before high water. For once there was wind when we left and we were able to
run South under poled out jib and cruising chute for about an hour until it
became apparent that the wind strength was increasing and we were sailing too
fast and would arrive too early. So first the jib was rolled, and then
later the cruising chute snuffed and replace by just the unpoled reduced
jib. During this manoeuvre we still managed 3 knots under bare poles,
snuffed chute and skipper on the foredeck, so as the wind (and sea) increased to
F5 we were struggling to go slowly enough not to arrive before the ideal slot of
high water -2 to -1. In anticipation of the dangerous approach waterproofs and
life jackets were donned and we were pleased to see a yacht precede us through
the opening and apparently come to no harm. Waves were breaking with some
ferocity on the outer wall but inside the problem was mainly restricted to a
ferocious flood tide, taking us along (with little help from the engine) at
10 knots. There was some concern about being swept past the entrance to the
anchorage off Sao Jacinte but we made it in and eventually managed to anchor
successfully in spite of the very gusty wind and other trials of a crew
incompetence nature. We were then able to enjoy the trials of another British
boat that had 3 attempts at finding a place they were happy with - the second
saw them anchor on top of some local moorings - before ending up next door to
us.
This is an interesting place if not particularly
attractive. The anchorage is next to a Portuguese air base (although no sign of
any airplanes) and on the other side is a commercial harbour. Apparently
the little village ashore is a holiday resort - somehow seems unlikely. Big
ships also come by on their way up river to another commercial harbour but there
is no place for yachts up there so we will be off again tomorrow morning
(braving the treacherous entrance again!) to Figueira da Foz. Hopefully there
will be some room in the marina there - apparently one of the visitors pontoons
sank last year.
 Traditional boats loaded with barrels of port (or
maybe not!) moored alongside the quay used by the port cellars.
 View of the double decker bridge in Porto (cars
& pedestrians on the bottom, metro trains and pedestrians on the top)
taken through the window of the funicular railway car
 Running under poled out jib
and crusing chute
 Dangerous entrance to Ria de Aveiro - doesn't look
as bad as it felt, but that was probably the fear factor (and I couldn't
photograph the ripping tide)
 Anchorage of Sao Jacinte, with British boats second
attempt at anchoring just being aborted.
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