Exploring La Coruna and on
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Thu 11 Jun 2009 14:29
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La Coruna and on
46:29N 006:32W
mid Biscay 11th June
2009
As I write this we are motor sailing before an
eight knot breeze from astern. Annette is asleep and the sea is
calm. We left La Coruna with heavy hearts for two reasons: it was
raining heavily plus being very grey and cold also we thoroughly enjoyed
the place and could easily have spent more time enjoying its charms. For
just under twenty four hours we sailed on a broad reach in heavy rain and with
twenty knots of wind. Great progress and the eternal rain did stop just
before nightfall. With 170nm on the log the wind died as we knew it would,
hence the early start in the wet, but we are now over half way to Ushant.
As I write the plan is to continue on to Dartmouth as there does not look like
being any wind for some days so stopping in Camaret and waiting for the wind to
blow sounds a non starter.
La Coruna is a pleasant sized city. Small
enough to get around by foot and yet large enough to boast fantastic shopping,
exciting restaurants and culture. We passed a large concert hall with
an interesting series of Mozart concerts on. Also saw theatres.
The old town is a warren of little streets and the newer has been done
well. For example the walk way in which the pavement is decorated with
cartoons of the famous.
 I have a lovely picture of Annette sitting next to a stone
Mark Twain similar
to the bench in the background of this picture
So much of sailing is the people you meet, be it on
a tropical atoll or a city marina. Here the marina is a
crossroads of voyaging yachts. We ended up with a Fin and his
charming Argentine by birth but Israeli national wife plus four
Norwegians and ourselves all downing the good stuff and talking about foreign
ports, telling jokes et al in Nordlys's cosy cabin. The Fin had just
bought a beautiful 50 foot wooden S&S designed Danish built ketch in the Med
and was taking it home and the Norwegians were ending a circumnavigation. The
rain beat down outside but we braved it to the old city and a meal of many
meats, salad, chips wine and beer and coffee for all costing 15 euros per
head. Good service as well. What has gone wrong in the UK? We
are very much looking forward to coming home and all the benefits of
a stable life amongst family and friends will bring
but I would be lying if I did not admit that we will miss such
evenings as the one I have described above.
 Annette in training for Granny duties in a Coruna park.
This looks like it might be the penultimate blog
after so many. Writing them has given me much pleasure and made me get
organised with my computer and photo editing etc. In front of us lies such
exciting things as buying a car or even cars. Also a TV. Neither of
which we own at the moment. I believe a 'blackberry' is no longer
something one eats. Do I need one? Perhaps a gooseberry would suit
better. God willing we will sail into Lymington on the last of the
flood on Sunday morning the 21st June. Our house becomes vacant on the 1st
July and nomadic life stops!
Happy times
David
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