We had done two days in the marina in Vilagarcia (playing tourists) so it was time to do a bit of sailing -with the added incentive that there were 100+ boats heading this way for Friday night. The dinghy was returned to us on Thursday night looking "as new" but with two yellow "go faster stripes" hiding the repairs. There was however a strong recommendation not to use it for 48 hours to let the adhesive cure properly.
We left the marina Friday morning and headed back in the general direction of Caraminal (where we had anchored the previous weekend). It was another leisurely cruise in great weather so topping up the sun tan was the primary activity. We decided to go into the marina in Caraminal rather than be stuck on the boat all evening. As we approached the marina, I did the usual call on channel 9. I have now worked out the system! They either do not respond - as they can't speak English, or they come out with something totally un-intelligible. Either way you haven't a clue where they want you to go but at least they know you are there and then they come out waving hands to direct you - and take your ropes. Now don't get me wrong. I am not criticising these guys - just the opposite. Imagine a Spanish boat coming into Port Edgar.
Anyway, we were shown to a rather substantial berth on millionaire's row - in between 40-50ft motor cruisers. The marina itself is described in the pilot book as having good pontoons but there wasn't a lot more. It cost 24 Euros for the night (we are 12m). The showers / toilets left a lot to be desired. There was a cafe bar where we had a cold one while waiting for the office formalities (very quick - shortest form to fill in yet - and they had brought that to the boat).
In the evening we went into town for a meal and found a nice bar in one of the squares away from the busy cafe area behind the park area. For the first time in weeks we found a waiter who spoke reasonable English - although once we got chatting we found he was from Romania!
Saturday morning we stocked up on food in the local "Gadis" - Spain's equivalent to Tesco's and for the second Saturday on the trot got mobbed by old ladies. Rule 2 - don't go to the supermarket on Saturday. Midweek - fine. Saturday - manic! We left the marina around twelve-ish and headed towards the Isla de Arosa - about 3 miles away. Here we saw the massed ranks of boats that had evicted us from Vilagarcia.
Honestly this picture doesn't do it justice but there were around 50 boats motor sailing down the Ria. I got it wrong when I said in a previous post it was the equivalent of West Highland Week although maybe I was right and the winner is the one who gets in last burning the most fuel. Turns out it is a cruising thing where they all sail together from one marina to another over 4 days. They were all off to Sangenjo in the next Ria down.
Anyway, we headed over to a nice anchorage at Punta Caballo for lunch on the north west tip of Isla de Arosa. First job was to thread our way through the mussel floats or "viveros" as the locals call them.
These are laid out all over the place and look quite daunting. However they are laid out to a plan and it is easy to sail between them providing it is not dark. The photo above shows us motoring into the anchorage between the rows on what was yet another very pleasant day. The photo below shows the anchorage once we had got in. A really pleasant place although exposed to the north which stops you using it as an overnight anchorage as most nights that is where the wind is coming from.
We then headed back towards Vilagarcia, stopping to do a bit of fishing. Within 15 minutes we had caught a couple of mackerel for tea and something that looked a cross between Thomas the tank engine and a manta ray. It was about 10 pounds in weight, but not knowing how to go about preparing a railway engine cross (or is that a cross railway engine), it went back in.
We had decided to go back to the marina in Vilagarcia so we could go and have a look around Santiago again and also possibly Pontevedra - there a good rail links from here. Also despite the great weather this weekend (and most of last week), the forecast is cloud and rain on Monday and Tuesday so a good day to play tourists again. We got into the marina around 5 ish and parked up on a hammerhead in time for a siesta ahead of a stroll into town for the evening.
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