Still in Viveiro

Nano's blog.
Nigel Anderson
Wed 16 Aug 2006 17:44
Date: 16-08-06     Time: 16:30 UTC      Position: 43:40.48N  007:36.05W   Name: Viveiro 

Click here for English version;

Utpå kvelden var vi hele åtte båter som hadde funnet fram til denne ankerplassen, og vi lå fredelig i kveldssola uten et vindpust - helt idyllisk. Litt før soloppgangen begynte det å blåse, men en del kraftige kast. Litt usikker om vi hadde dregget, slapp vi ut litt mer kjetting for å gi ankeret bedre arbeidsforhold. Det hjalp en stund, men midt på dagen kom det noen forferdelige byger med vindkast opp i 30 knop, og vi begynte å dregge, sammen med to andre båter. Vi fikk posisjonert oss igjen, så langt inn mot stranda som dybden ville tillate, og satte ankeret på nytt - og det satte bra. Da kunne vi nyte lunsjen vår i fred. Redd for å forlate båten, ble Rønnaug igjen mens jeg tok jolla inn til byen for å handle litt. Det vi ikke hadde fått med oss var at fridagen i går førte til at de alle fleste butikker også var stengte idag - inkludert matbutikkene, så handlerunden ble ikke mer enn et brød og et par småkaker, samt en engelsk avis fra i går.
 
Imellom bygene har sola vært framme og det har vært riktig så fint. Mye tid har gått til lesing, sende e-post, flere mislykkede forsøk på å stoppe lekkasjen fra toalettet og vaske båten. Siden vi blir her i natt har vi brukt jolla til å sette ut vårt andre anker i en V-form med hovedankeret. Dette sprer belastningen mye bedre samt at båten svinger mye mindre og gjør at vi vil sove mye bedre.
 
Siden det ble ikke noen ordentlig handletur, blir middagen av det enkle slaget - en boks med fransk fiskesuppe, ferskt brød og småkaker til dessert. Dagens bilde - smale bakgater i Viveiro med fine små balkonger.
 

English version

By the end of the evening there were eight boats anchored together here in a sunny evening with not a breath of wind. All very idyllic. In the small hours of the morning we heard the wind pick up, and it was gusty most of the morning. A little unsure if we had dragged our anchor slightly, I got up at eight to pay out more scope (increase the length of chain between the boat and the anchor). This seemed to help - at least for a while. In the early afternoon we experienced some violent squalls with gusts of 30 knots, and we started to drag the anchor. We motored round to reposition ourselves, getting as close to the beach as our draught would allow, dropped the hook and motored backwards to dig it well into the sand. This did the trick and we showed no signs of moving after that. Even so, we used the dinghy to put the kedge out at an angle to the bower which spreads the load and stops the boat swinging so much - we will sleep much better with this configuration.
 
Before the business with the anchor dragging, Rønnaug stayed in the boat while I took the dinghy to town to do some shopping. We were getting a bit low on essentials having been unable to shop yesterday because of the bank holiday. However, though there were lots of people in town, most of the sensible shops were still closed - including the food shops. Some arts and crafts shops were open, but not much else - though I found a bakery for fresh bread and cakes; also a newsagent who happened to have yesterday's Daily Telegraph.
 
Between the showers the sun has been out and it has been quite delightful. Much of the day has been spent reading, sending e-mails, more failed attempts to stop the leaking toilet and washing the boat. A good mid-afternoon kip is another pleasure on days such as today.
 
Dinner will be of the simpler sort today - a tin of French fish soup with fresh bread, and apple tarts for desert. Today's picture - narrow back streets in Viveiro with tiny wrought iron balconies.