41:41.68N 08:49.21W Passage details into Portugal & Photos
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Tue 21 Aug 2007 18:39
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!7-20th August: After two days loafing about
in Baiona, two nights at anchor off the magnificent beach - Playa de Barra,
"nudiste" - inside the N entrance of Ria de Vigo which we had visited with Ruth
and Anna 7 years ago, and one night sheltering from a NW swell in Cangas
and listening to a jazz group playing John Coltrane numbers in a back
street bar, the next day`s forecast of reduced
swell presented the opportunity to move southwards into
Portugal.
A fast down wind sail, goose winged and with
two reefs in the main, brought us to the entrance to Viana do Castelo on Rio
Lima, 35 miles from Ria de Vigo. The wind as at our last
visit, then increased to over 30 knots due to the katabatic effect related
to the hill behind Viana. This time however, the whole population of the
city had turned out on both sides of the river to greet us. Now we know
how Ellen McArthur must feel on arriving home! Actually, we had
arrived immediately before a procession of fishing boats - over a hundred - as
part of the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Agonia ( dedication to Our Lady in
Sorrow). Nice to think that Gaudeo and crew may have been included in the
blessing given by the diocesan Bishop as he passed by in a boat bearing a statue
of the Saint.
With its 16thC beautiful granite buildings and
white stucco houses, this is an impressive city. It developed following the
"Great Discoveries" when its fishermen sailed to the Newfoundland cod banks and
to Hanseatic cities. English merchants first traded here for "Portugal
wine" until the river silted up when trade moved to the Doura river off
Porto.
Although our arrival was on the last day of
the Festa and we has missed the bull-running, fireworks, parades of costumes and
carnival giants/dwarfs etc, there was still a blaze of colour and vibrant
carnival atmosphere with bands playing traditional music in every
square.
Weather permitting we hope to move further south in
the next few days and explore the fine city of Porto.
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