Sleigh ride to Ria de Camarinas
Thursdays Child
Robin & Joanna Minchin
Mon 1 Sep 2014 20:50
008:10.454W
Ria de Camarinas
After last night's forecast we had both envisaged needing to reef today but then felt a little silly as there wasn't a breath of wind so we had to motor for 2 hours! Much relief however that the wind came in late morning and we were soon sailing beautifully and eating up the miles.
Big moment as we turned left around the corner, gybing round, and it was a case of 'let the sleigh ride begin'. We had to roll the jib away as we were rolling massively from side to side as the 2.5m swell predicted by our Belgium neighbour on the pontoon was about right. With NE 15 knots of breeze it was exhilarating if rather exhausting, especially down below when nothing stayed where it was put, including people big and small.
Another boat passed close by and we took some footage of what we must have looked like, one moment the bow out of the water, the next minute the hull completely invisible in the troughs. Food today was a case of nibbles that were easy to grab.
I took photos for Cousin Graeme who came to Ria de Camarinas in the 1970s on Mayfly, as no doubt the place has changed enormously but can't seem to down load them, so will have another go in the morning.
A dramatic and unwelcoming entrance with a deep ominous roar as the swell hit caves and headlands and worked its way along the entrance sending large white and green spray far into the air. Huge wind turbines busy whirring high above and a light house beeping away on our AIS announcing its presence.
A good day, 58 miles on the log in 11 hours to arrive in a delightful and peaceful anchorage, Neil Young's Harvest Moon playing on the iPod during supper on the deck of a stationary boat with beaches and woodlands surrounding us. The town of Camarinas is behind us and the memory of the beserk boat earlier in the day feeling like another world.
A few days here as the wind is disappearing to nothing later on in the week. We will then take the next N/NW/NE to creep past Cape Finisterre, giving it good sea space and hoping it is kind to us, (and waving to it for Great Aunt Katharine) from thence we sail out of the Shipping Forecast and on south.