Many ports to Porto

After so many days with such light and inconsistent wind, a forecast of almost no wind, and crew expecting us in Porto in just a few days, we made the decision to spend one day using the engine to push ourselves toward the northwest corner of Spain. Not having any wind to take into consideration, we spent a morning visiting the beautiful town of Luarcas and set off in the afternoon.

As the sun got lower in the sky we felt a bit of wind and happily shut off the engine and sailed at about 2.5kts into the the large Puerta Alúmina home to a large aluminium smelting plant and a few scattered houses. The mix of nature and industry reminded us of our trip last year to Norway, and we enjoyed watching the lights of the factory and stars by night.

We set off late the following morning and finally hoped to catch some good wind. However, rounding the northernmost point of Spain we found some funny local effects of wind and current which were not predicted on any model and really slowed us down.  Not wanting to anchor in the dark we pushed for the last hour and a half to arrive in Cedeira to anchor with several other sailboats at sunset.

After a quick pancake breakfast we made way for A Coruña, 25nm away.  With Petra and Fabian leaving in the evening we pushed with the engine half the way while we waited for the wind to pick up in the afternoon. About halfway to the city the wind picked up enough to set the spinnaker, and we were finally able to enjoy some downwind sailing with this crew.

With just four crew we left A Coruña in the late morning and enjoyed some more wind on our way to Muxia, a beautifully situated village on a peninsula. With the wind picking up around 10:30 the following morning we set off straight as soon as we felt it come hoping to make some good distance toward Porto.

Setting the 80 percent spinnaker as soon as we rounded the rocky point of Muxia we were very pleased to average around 7kts on our way south. For the first time since leaving Arcachon, in France, we were able to arrive in our planned harbour and were delighted to cover the 70nm to Baiona arriving just after dark and having fun navigating between some beautiful islands at sunset.

With the wind increasing in the late morning we were met with another perfect day of sailing weather. Setting the spinnaker to make our way down the coast, we had fun racing a Swedish boat. Just as we passed them, we made a quick stop in Vila Praia do Ancora to pick up Regina, Fred and Isabel to help us cover the last 40nm to Porto and celebrate Ina’s birthday.

We had a fun maneuver to take them aboard as we discovered just before arriving that the small fishing harbour would likely be too shallow for us to enter. So, a kind fisherman ferried them out to us just in the shelter of the breakwater.

The wind increased as we left the harbour and we continued with the foresail before putting up the 80 percent spinnaker to continue running down the coast. Arriving at the Douro River at sunset, we sailed into Porto at twilight.

We sadly said goodbye to Ina and Karl a little earlier than expected as they ran to catch a flight discovering that they had noted the wrong time for their original one.  But, we had a great time seeing Porto with our local tour guide, Isabel, and welcomed Isi aboard late in the evening.