Thursday July 4th. Muros to Ria de Vigo.


On leaving the Ria de Muros on Thursday morning, we found ourselves following a German boat.  A question arises here: what constitutes a race?  Our insurance policy doesn’t allow racing, but if we’re in the same seaway as another boat, and sailing is naturally competitive… use your imagination.  In actual fact we were 25% bigger than the German boat, and soon overtook her.  Another fine day of sailing, with flat seas and great NE winds.  



An interesting aspect of this coast is that summer winds are predominantly north-easterly, and as the coast runs north-south, albeit with the four great Rias of Muros, Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo making the coast far from a straight line.  This results in the winds being vastly stronger a few miles offshore, and we found wind strengths varying from F3 to F6 as our course moved us a little offshore, and then back to F3 as we came inshore again.  It’s a bit like having an overtaking lane on the right.


We passed the Isla de Ons, sitting at the entrance to the Ria de Pontevedra, and the three Islas Cies at the entrance to the Ria de Vigo.  We would need to apply to the local government of Galicia for a licence to visit these islands, which are protected as part of a national park, and visitor numbers controlled.



We have happy memories of visiting Baiona on the south side of the entrance to Ria de Vigo 21 years ago, but as we passed between Cies and the mainland, we set a passage east, anchoring in the bay of Moana, with the fishing port and marina of Moana nearby and directly opposite the metropolis of Vigo (population 300k), reachable by ferry.

Again, the sea was flat and as the temperature was in the thirties, we were glad to be at anchor with a gentle wind blowing through the boat.  




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