Vigo to Cascais

We decided to push on from Vigo directly to Cascais near Liboa. We really want to get to warmer waters soon. After we had departed Vigo we slowly discovered that our new toilet setup wasn't working at all. Solids would not come out, fluids would - but very slow. As the weather window was limited we decided to push on.
In spite of the poor toilett conditions we had a great trip south. Wind from 5 to 15 knots and we had to use the metal genoa when speed got too slow. The 48 hour trip was eventless, but we had a couple of meetings with other vessels that made the trip a bit more fun.

Costa Mediterranea 

As we crossed the border to Portugal the Spanish courtesy flag was replaced with the Potugese.

This fishisng boat wanted to have a look at us and passed close by.

We arrived in Cascais at 0730 Portugese time on Sunday the 29. September.
The next day we got started checking the toilet problem. The hose on the exit of the toilet was packed solid with salt/stone recidues.  Banging the hose on the pontoon and flushing it with water cleaned it up and it was reainstalled. Now it all works as it should. We spent one day at the marina, but as the berthing fee is rather high we left and anchored just outside.

We are discussing where to sail next. The weather is fine to proceed for a 4 day trip to Porto Santo and Madeira.

Muros to Vigo

Long overdue on the blog updates.

We had 3 nights in Muros. Waited on weather to go south to next destinations..
We had two nights in the marina with very high winds and heavy rain showers.

Our electrical toilet is about to stop working and we need to get it fixed.
We would like to have it done by a mechanic and have found a marina in Vigo that will do the job.
We think it may be enough to replace the electric pump-out with a manual one.
We purchased a manual pump conversion kit when in Falmouth, for later installation.
The electric pump draws 20 Amps and being on a boat every Amp saved is important.

We left for Vigo at 10AM to sail the 70 miles to Vigo. We had some wind from the west and we motorsailed most of the time arriving Marina Davila Sport in Vigo just as the sun set.
The next morning Javier from the marina boatyard came onboard for a look at the job.
He said it would be an easy job which would be done the next day.

Thursday we got a taxi to a large supermarket in Vigo and bought provisions the will last us a few days. Outside the supermarked was this big fishingboat put on display several km's inland.
It's clear to see Vigo is proud of it's inheretants of being a big fishery port.

Same afternoon the mechanic appeared and got to work. He was very efficient and the toilet was in place with a manual pump. We left Vigo the next morning (Friday, after having filled up 100L of diesel. Our destination would now be Cascais near Lisboa in Portugal.
Distance 240 nautical miles and 48 hrs of sailing.

La Coruna to Camarinas, Finnisterre & Muros

We left La Coruna to go south along the Atlantic coast on Wenesday morning.

Ocean Viking in Marina Coruna (center)

Weather was fine but even if the wind was from the NE it was too light to be of any help.
Once again our green metal genoa had to be put to work.
As we motored on our way towards the anchorage for the night in the little town of Camarinas, we sailed into dense fog. We have a good radar and it was started. Most ships/boats today are equiped with an AIS (Automitic Identification System) which makes boat visible on chartplotters.
But there are exceptions and we met a few of them. One of them was this fisherman.
We saw him on the radar - but he wasn't paying attention to his radar and kept coming at us.
As you will see he spotted us just 5/10 seconds before we would have crashed.

We arrived Camarinas and anchored just before darknes.
There were a few other boats anchored there aswell. German, Dutch, Danish, French.

At anchor in Camarinas

 When we woke up the next morning visibility was ZERO. We waited untill midday when the fog lifted slightly and we were on our way this time to sail past Cape Finnisterre and to Muros, our next anchorage. Also this time motoring as there was no wind. We passed Finnisterre and the sea was dead calm.

Cape Finnisterre capped by fog.

 We arrived Muros at sunset and anchored just outside the marina in 9m.

First Mate relaxing after anchoring

As the weatherforecast predicted strong wind and lots of rain, we decided to go into the marina the next day and wait it out.
Saturday morning the wind got up to 35-40 knots and the boats in the marina realy moved from the wind coming down the mountainside.
Muros is a small town, but nice and quiet. There are many yachts here, 3 of them Norwegian.

Muros seen from the anchorage

Looks like we will be stuck here untill Tuesday.

Aviles to La Coruna

We were up at dawn Friday the 13th.
Motored to the fuel dock and filled up with diesel in the main tank and jerry-cans on deck.

We planed to sail from Aviles to La Coruna a distance of 128 nm or around 25 hours sailing.

Here is what we really sailed

Weather forecast was for ENE winds 10 gusting 20 knots.
Perfect force and direction. We set of in sunny and almost calm weather, but after an hour wind picked up and became as forcast said.

We stopped the engine and sailed using the electric autopilot first, then engaged the Hydrovane steering.
It performed very nicely and the boat sailed very pleasant and quiet. No buzzing from the electric autopilot.

Sailing usig the hydrovane we can switch of all electronics except the fridge, AIS and marine VHF.
Thats the perfect time to use the HF radio. Geir had a few contacts with radio friends in Norway
and also downloaded weather GRIB files using Winlink/Pactor.

The GRIB file showed there had been a change in the forecast and that we were in for gale force winds on the second half of our voyage to LaCoruna. We double checked windy.com which also had the same change.

We therefore decided to sail to the small town of Ribadeo, which has a nice marina.
We arrived at 6PM. 

The Marina in Ribadeo

A nice park in Ribadeo. Yes Grete attacked me with a pair of siccors....

The next day weather was checked. This time the forecast looked fine and we left Ribadeo at 5PM Saturday.
The distance to LaCoruna was 85 nm and we arrived at 9AM Sunday. We had winds mainly from the aft and it gave us very nice speed. A bit rolly at times, but all was fine.

We moored at Marina Coruna, which is the first marina after rounding the breakwater.
The marina was half empty - so we are definately at the end of the season.
The weather is still very nice and temperature at daytime is up to 25C.

Our neighbour in LaCoruna

Lazy days in Aviles, Spain

Even in Spain weather swings towards autumn.
Yesterday afternoon and evening was overcast and we had a few showers.
During the night we received heavy rain and wind. So today we have opted for a day relaxing below.
Because of the strong wind, we are glad we are safely moored in a good harbour.

Todays wather (Tuesday)

 The outlook from Wednesday looks pretty good. The wind will be around 10-15 knots from the east which will give us a good push going west.
We are looking for a nice anchorage to stay a couple of days and perhaps have our first swim.

We are aiming for La Coruna - where will to stay for a few days. From there we are planning on a train ride to Santiago de Compostella. This place has been a famous pilgrimage for european catholics since year 813. That year the remains of the aphostle Jacob was claimed to be discovered there.

Crossed the Bay of Biscay

We have arrived the port of Aviles in the North of Spain.
The sail from Camaret-sur-Mer was 299 nm and we did it in 53 hours making an average speed of 5.6 knots. The weather was as the forecasted by windy.com. The first part with NW winds 15-20 knots and wavehight 2+ meters. During the trip the wind dropped to 10-15 knots from  the NE and the last 12 hours Easterly 5-10 knots.

We left Camaret with the outgoing current at 11AM 06.09 and motorsailed to spend less time to get out to the continental shelf. In deeper water the waves are less choppy and with a longer ocean swell and therefore much more pleasant sail.

Camaret-sur-Mer in the morning

Leaving Camaret-sur-Mer

We "killed" the engine and sailed, this time using our new Hydrovane steering.
It's so nice to enjoy the silence when the engine is off.
Geir used the oportunity to have a few radio contacts and to get (GRIB file) weather reports.

Here is a video showing conditions under way. We were also visited by s group of small dolphins, which we tried to film. Look closely at the bow at the start.

We arrived at the city of Aviles in the afternoon on the 8. september.

First-mate happy to have crossed Bay of Biscay

Faro de Aviles,  lighthouse in the entrance to Aviles

Our neighbour for the night. Guardia Civil (Military/Coastguard)

Another "Norwegian" Cruise ship,  Braemar - Fred Olsen Cruising Lines
arrived next morning on a 7 day cruise out of Southampton

We went shopping today, most shops were closed because of some sort of holiday, but we found a market with a butcher and a baker. We got meat and bread. We'll go for more groceries tomorrow.

Falmouth to Camaret-sur-Mer

Finally we could say good bye to Falmouth Marina. 

We depated Falmouth at 2100 on Sunday 1. september for the 122nm down to Camaret-sur-Mer just outside Brest.

The trip started with a fine sunset and a clear stary night. After clearing the coast the wind increased and the waves got higher and we had a lumpy crossing well into the following morning.

Our track from Falmouth to Camaret-sur-Mer.

Early afternoon the wind eased off and so did the waves and we had to rely on our Volvo Penta to take is the last 50 odd nm to Camaret.
Our voyage went into the Chanel-du-Four on the inside of Ouessant Island.
The first 2 hours we negotiated a current slowing us down to less than 2 knots. About a half hour after Brest HW the current changed and we picked up speed to 8+ knots.

We arrived the marina at Camaret in pitch darkens at midnight 2. september, where we moored on the outside of the pontoon breakwater and went fast asleep.
The next day when daylight revealed the spaces at the marina we hauled over to a mooring on the inside of the breakwater. The marina is not impressive, but has what one needs.
We will probably stay here for a few days and leave for Spain when the weather is right.

Narrow street from the Arts quarter to the esplanade.

Overview of Port Vauban marina. Red boat is Ocean Viking .

Picture from the boat with a view into the town centre.