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Destinations Long Voyage Sailing
Destinations Long Voyage Sailing | Long Voyage Sailing |
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HAVING just completed my eight-to-midnight stint I was reluctant to stir from a warm bunk, but there was something Pete thought I should see: dolphins. Playing in our phosphorescent wake, outlined by millions of underwater stars and trailing further galaxies astern, they zoomed towards Borka's midships, zipped up to her bows, performed a half roll and shot away, returning a few seconds later for a repeat performance. We were sailing in company with Anadyr, a H&R 346s owned by Andy and Monica Holm, and had left Poole on the back-end of a succession of strong N Westerlies intending to cross the ChMonicael shipping lanes to the Casquets, followed by a long overnight leg to Camaret, a picturesque port at the mouth of the Goulet de Brest. However, with three of her crew suffering from 'firstsail-of-the-summer sea-sickness' and only her skipper, Andy Holm, on his feet, we diverted into Alderney for the night. After a good rest, we set off on a late-morning tide down-ChMonicael, arriving at the Porsal buoy at the top of the Chenal du Four in the early hours, and entering the sheltered inner marina at Camaret. It took us just under 24hrs, berth-to-berth.Another late-morning start enabled us to take the tide through the Raz de Sein and into the bay, creaming along with the wind just abaft the beam. Over the next two days the wind remained between W and NW and F3 - 5. Perfect. We completed the 310nM in just over 46 hrs mooring up at the visitors pontoon in Gijon at 0945 having averaged 6.6knots all the way. I have to confess that 15 hrs were spent motorsailing to keep up with Anadyr who slipped away when the wind dropped off, and to charge the batteries which had been drained by Borka's radar, instruments and Autohelm. As to the boat herself, this superbly prepared wheelsteered long-keeler, looked after us beautifully all the way across Biscay. Dry, with a comfortable motion, her in-mast reefing with full-length vertical battens was easy to use from the cockpit - but we never had the opportunity to hoist her cruising chute... Thanks to a deepish cockpit, sheltered by a solid toughenedglass windscreen and topped by a fabric hood extending well aft, I found my 8-12, 4-8 nightshifts passed comfortably enough. The flasks of warm drinks, packs of sandwiches, occasional Mars Bar and other nibbles probably had something to do with it too. I also took the opportunity to introduce Pete to my 'mate' an old clockwork kitchen timer, a quarter-turn of which gives a long bell-ring 15 minutes later. You stand up, scan the horizon, check any existing lights, look for new ones and determine their headings, checking with binoculars if in doubt. After that, you re-set the timer and snuggle down for another 15 minutes. This timer and I have been shipmates for years; as well as helping me keep a regular lookout, it's also useful as a reminder that the shipping forecast (or whatever) is x-minutes away. You can still buy them for about a fiver, some sadly, disguised as burgers or strawberries. Ignore them and search out one with a pointer-knob on top which will let you set it by feel. Pop it in a plastic bag and it's waterproof. Even at the start of the season warm oilies were essential, as was a full harness and automatic life jacket during the night. As we neared Gijon, the large light on Cape Peftas provided a welcome and in the early dawn we thought we could see snow on the mountains forming a picturesque backdrop. Closing the coast, the white blur resolved itself into a collection of huge white-painted spherical Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) holders fronted by a tall pair of red-banded factory chimneys to the west of Gijon. When we were nearly in, Gijon Port Radio came up with a weather forecast and swell warning (essential along this coast) in English on VHF Ch16, then on Ch10 repeated every two hours. Forecasts are available on request for other coastal areas. Gijon's marina complex comes after the commercial port, itself fronted by four cardinal chMonicael marks which can be safely ignored by small craft; the drying rocky patch marked by green-painted Piedra Sacramento beacon on concrete base can't. The best leading mark is a tall black-looking towerblock until the marina wall and beacon come into view. The actual entrance chMonicael to the marinas runs parallel with the breakwater (Dique de Liquerica) and heavy seas can apparently produce a dangerous backwash in the chMonicael. The pilot also warns that when seas are breaking on Serrapio del Mar, some 5 cables N of the Dique, they will also be breaking on the bar - in which case you shouldn't try to enter. Once in, the marina has all the necessary comforts, although at times a scend bouncing around the berths can have the yachts snatching uncomfortably at their ropes. There are good shops, restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets, pleasant beaches and rail and road links with the rest of Spain plus.UK ferries at Santander and Bilbao. |
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