We last left you in Muros, having survived the coast of death. Since then we have continued to move ever southwards and taken in a couple more of the Spanish Ria’s. The Rias truly are safe havens from the might of the Atlantic Ocean and we have really enjoyed visiting them.
From Muros we enjoyed another downwind sail, past the Ria Arousa and through the gap between the mainland and Isla Ons and in to much more populous Ria De Pontevedra where we anchored at the top outside the old town of Combarro
John on Rival Spirit was already anchored there and it was great to meet up with him again after leaving A Coruna.
The Ria itself was quite different to the others we had visited. It was much more populated, and the banks were lined with beaches and hotels. It looked much more touristy. In contrast, the busy little own of Combarro was picturesque and the old town was well worth a visit. The wind in the anchorage was pretty crazy in the afternoons, blowing in at 30 knots. Its when you need your dinghy to work well, so we were a bit annoyed with ours when the engine battery went flat! Out with the charger, and we were soon up and running again.
We visited the town and took a walk around the old town. Lots of narrow street and old grain stores on stilts.
The rest of the time we enjoyed the views from the anchorage and watched the kite surfers…. I need to get me one of those!
A couple of days later we moved South again this time to the Ria de Vigo, which would be our last Galician Ria before we move to Portugal.
To split up the journey we stopped the first night in the North of the Ria entrance at a pretty beach called Ensenada de Barra, and then headed down towards the city of Baiona where we anchored for several days.
Baiona was a great place to visit. A bustling town with lots to offer the cruising sailor and plenty of history to absorb. Baiona was was Columbus’ first mainland landfall in 1493 after returning from his masacre of the people of the New World! They have commemorated this with a replica of his ship ‘Pinta’ permanently berthed in the harbour which we took the chance to visit
Given the choice of crossing the Atlantic in Azimuth or Pinta, we firmly decided that Azimuth would be more preferable!
The town is dominated by the medieval walls surrounding the Parador Conde do Gondomar on the northern headland which is a huge and still complete fortification commanding the harbour and its approaches. A visit is well worth the effort and we walked right round the wall with views in all directions
Baiona also has a superb old town where you can get lost in the narrow streets and we stopped for lunch at a great restaurant.
And then heading back to the anchorage later we wonder why its a bit smoky in the bay only to spot a forest fire developing on the slope! It seemed to have gone out by the next morning we think.
Join us again soon as we head down to Portugal!
Such wild beauty and lovely pictures