43:25.97N 03:27.34W at Santona
Spellbinder
Tue 17 Jul 2007 19:15
On Sunday morning went in to the marina. Very hot day, reaching about 32 degrees, so wandered ashore and found a shady terrace in the old port where we experienced marvelllous tapas surrounded by large family groups of the locals. Mid afternoon a 50 mph wind appeared in the space of about 3 minutes, our first experience of a Galerna, gradually dying down over the next couple of hours.Quiet dinner on board.
Keith and Sheila Read arrived on schedule on Monday morning, and after a brief settling in we set off for Castro Urdiales, a small fishing port and holiday resort about 10 miles west. Went ashore to look at the old port and very fine church. Were just having an evening glass of wine and the odd tapas by the harbour when a procession came into view, carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary, with a brass band and led by the priests. The statue was loaded onto a fishing boat, all decorated with flowers and bunting, and then taken out around the harbour accompanied by a fleet of fishing boats with the priest chanting out his blessings as they went. After casting the flowers on the water at the harbour entrance the statue was brought back to land and the whole procession returned to the church. We followed that with an amazing supper on the harbour side, where the menu was grilled sardines and pink Navarre wine, sitting at trestle tables.
West again on Tuesday to Santona, where we anchored off the beach for K&S to swim. Lunch onboard, but then the sun departed, so motored round to the Santona yacht club, where we were eventually allocated a mooring. Now preparing for dinner in the yacht club, long trousers and smart shirts required, and dinner service does not start until 8.30pm. Definitely a change in culture from France.