Vigo to Baiona and the Islas Cies

Saturday 1 October

N 42o 07’,  W 008o 50’

We are currently in Baiona where we anchored last night before moving to the Monte Real Club D Yates marina.

We have not travelled very far in the last few days having eased back to explore and enjoy the Ria de Vigo experience.

After our ferry trip to the city of Vigo we spent a second day (Weds 28^th) in the Marina Rodeiro at Cangas and got the folding bicycles out. Chris borrowed Brian’s (thanks Brian – CL) and Phil took Morag’s and we set off to explore inland a little way.    There was very light rain that morning, almost nothing, but it made the pine and eucalyptus foliage very aromatic.  After a short tour of a residential part of Cangas we cycled to Moana mostly on a dedicated cycle/pedestrian way, to a small town in the next Bay to the east where we had a rustic but good and inexpensive lunch sitting outside under an awning  while we waited for the rain to clear.  Some of the menu choices were a lottery due to our lack of language skill, but everything turned out to be very good.  The sun came out on the way home and the bikes were packed away dry.  Chris did a light supper of pork escalopes with a mushroom and cream sauce with boiled potatoes, no one is losing weight on this trip so far.

Phil and I walked around the old part of Cangas following a tour suggested on a tourist map and the narrow streets were picturesque but the key architectural feature, the tour suggested we view, were the older dwellings with external staircases, mostly in granite, which consisted of living accommodation on the first floor and storage for fishing nets and gear on the ground floor level.

The following morning with the weather brightening we sailed the six miles over to the Islas Cies, which are also a national park, in a good breeze.  We were the only yacht anchored there when we arrived but ferries were dropping off visitors from Vigo, Cangas and Baiona.   The bay we anchored in was surrounded by an extensive beach that was too bright to look at in full sun.  The island consisted of granite with tor-like outcrops everywhere and the sheltered side of the island was forrested with pine and eucalyptus.  The more open, exposed ground had shrubs and gorse foliage. In the afternoon we took the dinghy ashore and walked out to a lighthouse on the highest point, the light has a charted elevation of 187m.    

By the following morning we had been joined by more yachts and the bay was peppered with small fishing boats (ten or fifteen) all at anchor flying diving flags.   We later found they were diving for razor clams and were given three to try – is this really a marine national park?  After breakfast we went ashore again and walked in the other direction and had a swim before returning to our boat at lunchtime. In the afternoon, with the bay crowded with yachts, we got the anchor up and, feeling lazy, we just set the Genoa and bimbled down to Baiona, another six miles, at a leisurely 3 knots.

The first water tank ran out today - that’s 17 days for three people without being particularly careful - so very pleasing.

All best, Tony Phil and Chris

Phil:  I agree, a very pleasant few days being yachtie tourists, not much sailing, good eating and drinking.  Our visit ashore to the Islas del Faro/Norte (part of the Cies) was great, well-marked paths some interesting fauna and flora and fantastic views (see pics). A walk, a swim, a beer all in bright warm sunshine, before a lunch in the cockpit just in my swimmers – this was one of those days that make sailing pleasurable (almost ��).  Apologies, I had to add that bit as we know the weather at home has been somewhat inclement, and the Skipper was reluctant to gloat.  The Royal Yacht Club in Baiona today for dinner – Happy Days!