Spanish Rías and Porto

Last week we left Sada in “the usual weather”, heading for the western rías (rivers, though low-lying fjords would be a better description). By the usual weather I mean the “Portuguese Northerly”, which blows strongest around the northwestern corner of Spain. Out at sea we got 25 knots of wind from the north to northeast. When that comes from behind or on the quarter it’s a perfect wind for Merrimac: the apparent wind over the deck is then only about 15 knots, and we go like a house on fire.

Because we first had to wait for the pulpit, we couldn’t leave until around ten. In the end nothing got done about it in Sada. The yard had outsourced the job to a metalwork specialist, but he didn’t have any 32 mm stainless tube, so after three days he had done precisely nothing. Then it took almost another day to get our bits back so we could leave. Once again it turns out you mustn’t be in a hurry. Oh well, a pulpit bent slightly to port works perfectly well too and doesn’t get in the way at all. Once at sea we soon forgot about it; the weather is glorious and, as I said, we’re making good progress. Which is just as well, because this is an inhospitable coast with treacherous rocks and not a little harbour every 10 kilometres.

We could stop just around the corner, but given the lovely weather we sail one ría further and drop the anchor in the very first bay. Two hundred metres away kids are still playing on the beach and in the water. It gives you a funny holiday feeling. We have a quick dinner and enjoy the peace and quiet. Later in the evening the wind suddenly veers 90 degrees and all of a sudden there’s wind and waves in the anchorage, but it’s coming from inside the ría so the waves aren’t high. We sleep no worse for it.

The next day, as usual on passage days, I get up while it’s still dark, and by the time Ella wakes up we’ve been under way for quite a few hours. Today we’re sailing to the bay of Baiona. I’ve been there before on a delivery for KM and with Marion. A nice place, as I remember it. This time we’re anchoring here too: the weather is beautifully calm, sunny and not much wind. We pick a spot on the north side of the bay. Oh, we can have this bit all to ourselves. BANG! A rock! Ah, so that’s why nobody’s anchored here. We weren’t going fast so there’s no damage. Since the new chartplotters don’t support the forward-looking sonar yet, I have to use the old chartplotter to switch it on, and that had slipped my mind. From now on I’ll be doing that again! We then anchor near some other boats, including a Dutch Madeira 47, a smaller sister of Merrimac. A quick wave, but we never got round to a chat, partly because after the busy time in Sada – Machiel and Liselotte from the Pitou, Marion visiting for a week, and at the end Pelagia dropping by for a day as well – Ella and I were a bit socialised out. Nice to have some time just the two of us!

In the evening we watch a film on the fantastic new projector. Because the watermaker has been installed in the TV cabinet, we needed another solution, so I bought a so-called “bedroom projector” from BenQ. It even has a battery, so you can use it wirelessly, and whenever you adjust or move it, it first projects a test screen which it uses not only to focus but also to straighten the picture if the projector is at an angle to the wall, ceiling or screen. We simply use the front of the old TV cabinet; after 5 minutes you no longer notice the extra edges and the buttons for opening the cabinet. The picture is razor sharp and much bigger than the old one, and the thing is basically an Android TV with Netflix and NL Ziet apps, so all in all it’s a huge improvement.

The next day we launch the dinghy for the first time, hoist the little 15 hp outboard onto it and blast off at high speed to Baiona for lunch. After some dithering we pick a cosy little restaurant where we have a lovely meal outside at a narrow table in a narrow lane. The weather is perfect, 24 degrees and clear blue skies. Although my knee has been bothering me more again for weeks, now that we’re spending a lot of time at sea again it’s improving quickly with the rest, and I’ve recovered enough to finish with a walk around the old fort. The fort itself is mostly a Parador, so you can’t go inside. Paradors are Spanish state-run hotels housed in historic buildings; that way there’s enough money to preserve the houses and castles. After the walk, an ice cream and back to the boat. We then move the boat to anchor right next to the Baiona marina, because the swell there was a lot less. Once we get there Ella spots a plume of smoke: a forest fire. Most likely started by fireworks let off to celebrate the birthday of some saint or other, or a village festival? Before long a helicopter is flying around with a big water bucket and quickly gets the fire back under control.

The next day another early start, Portugal is calling! Along the way I booked a berth in the marina on the Douro, the river Porto sits on. I’ve been here twice before too, but it’s nice to show it to Ella. Porto and the Douro are gorgeous! Because we arrive just before six, we don’t have to do the paperwork with the harbour master until the next morning, so we quickly grab a beer at the little café on the quay. Why is it so busy here!? It turns out the youth world championship for “29er” sailing is being held here. 200 boats, 400 young sailors (m/f) from all over the world. We’re sitting next to two Californian parents who, as is so often the case with Americans, turn out to have rather peculiar views. We stay friendly and make a quick exit.

In the evening we eat in Afurada, the village right next to the marina, at a very authentic little restaurant where a group of local men are sitting having a beer. Their attire apparently scares the tourists off a bit, because we’re surrounded entirely by Portuguese. Our neighbours turn out to speak a bit of French, so in broken French I find out that he’s been working in France for 20 years, for the money, saving up enough to live it up at home in Porto for one month a year. We eat sparkling fresh sardines and lulinhas (small squid) off the barbecue. Nothing on them but a bit of salt, but they taste absolutely superb. We accidentally ordered a full portion of both, which turns out to be a bit too much of a good thing, but we finish it all!

The next day I do some jobs on the boat and send Ella into town. There’s a less than pleasant task to be done: the black water tank that the toilets drain into has been smelling for a while and the pump keeps cutting out. While Ella discovers all sorts of sights in a sweltering city and later comes back full of enthusiastic stories, I dive under the big bed and service the pump. Sure enough, thoroughly clogged with hair and other gunk that refuses to dissolve. Funnily enough, the flow itself doesn’t really smell that bad. Once done, a quick shower and on to nicer things, including running a load of washing. Just as it finishes Ella comes back and we quickly hang it out. Ella was a bit flustered: not only had she done 15,000 steps, she had also left her wallet behind in the church. Fortunately there was a tracker in it so she could work out where she’d left it; when she got there the ladies were already calling out “we have your wallet!” All’s well that ends well.

What strikes me again after Spain is how different the Portuguese are. They don’t talk as loudly, generally speak good English or at least a word or two, and are also happy to strike up a conversation. And they don’t eat ridiculously late! In the evening we eat at a somewhat posher restaurant where the prices seem reasonable to us, but otherwise you only see well-to-do Portuguese. Fantastic fresh fish again; they’re very good at that here.

The next day I’ve booked a trip by bus and passenger boat. First we ride 100 km east by bus, and in Régua we board a boat of which exactly two fit into the locks on the Douro. Then we spend about six hours sailing back to Porto. We did this with Marion too and it was wonderful. Today it is in principle as well, but there’s a heatwave on, so it’s 40 (!) degrees on board. We soon find a spot inside to stay out of the murderous sun. After lunch we stay downstairs in the dining room; right at the back we have a great view and the coolest spot. Phew! At lunch I say to Ella: every now and then that Portuguese sounds almost German, how odd. While Ella pops to the loo, the man next to us takes a photo of an extravagantly large house. Does some famous footballer live there or something? I ask; no, the house just caught his eye. But guess what: this Portuguese couple has also been working abroad for years, in Austria in their case. Again for the money. Later the harbour master tells me the average Portuguese earns about 1,300 euros a month. That’s not a lot, because prices are at 70 to 100% of Dutch levels.

On our last day in Porto we pay the customary visit to a port house. We went for Churchill’s again; it’s the only independent English port house (lodge). There are two Portuguese ones left, and all the others, including all the well-known names like Kopke, Graham’s and Taylor’s, have been owned by big international groups for years. Churchill’s was founded in 1981, so this time they now also had 40-year-old vintage port. Given the price, we gave that one a miss! This time we bought five cases, so that made their day, and we got a 20% discount. After a hot lunch of Francesinha (literally: little French woman, the local equivalent of a Dutch “kapsalon”: bread, meat and cheese in a tomato and beer sauce) and the port tasting, we have no energy left at all in the evening and even skip dinner.

Yesterday we left Porto again, and since we first had to clear out with the harbour master we couldn’t leave early. Here the one small downside of this marina shows itself: it’s pretty pricey, well over € 100 a day. Fortunately they pointed out on arrival that you get a 15% discount if you’re a member of certain associations, so I quickly joined Sail The World (stw.fr) to bring it down a bit. With 4 days, that membership fee had already more than paid for itself!

After a day of motoring (no wind) we anchored last night in the lagoon of Aveiro. It was truly wonderfully peaceful there, just a few speedboats with men freediving to the bottom hunting for shellfish. Lots of current though, so much that at the first turn of the tide the anchor didn’t reset straight away. That doesn’t happen often; usually our Ultra 60 bites again within a metre.

Today we’re making a longer hop again, to Peniche. This morning, like yesterday, poor visibility and no wind; now at four o’clock the sun has been out for a while and there’s a tiny bit of breeze, so the jib can go up. Dolphins too, so another fine day.