By lassen - 7 Jun 2015
It 's worth buying the recently published Seventh Edition of the RCC Pilotage Foundation "Atlantic Spain and Portugal" if you are cruising in this part of the world. Clearly illustrated and bang up-to-date.
In addition to OCC negotiated discounts it is possible to buy a "Pasaporte" which gives berthing discounts of 15% in several marinas in the area. Cost: €5. Amazing value.
Richard Lassen, aboard Oestara www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN: 3624
|
By DariaBlackwell - 16 Jun 2015
Richard, where can one buy the Pasaporte?
|
By lassen - 16 Jun 2015
Daria,
The short answer to your question is "at any one of the participating marinas". These include, from memory: La Coruna, Muros, Caraminal, Vilagarcia and a few others in the area. I am currently ashore (in Vilagarcia) and the Pasaporte is on board. I 'll post the full list plus any other info when I next have a decent wifi connection afloat or ashore. It remains the case in Galicia that the marinas owned by the municipalities are massively cheaper than those privately owned - typically €20 per night (undiscounted) by comparison with €35 per night.
Hope this helps,
Richard, aboard Oestara in Galicia, www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN: 3624
|
By lassen - 18 Jun 2015
Daria,
The marinas covered by the Pasaporte (which is valid for two years from the date of issue) are:
Marina Viveiro and Marina Sada (both to the east of La Coruna)
Marina Coruna
Marina Muxia
Marina Muros
Marina A Pobra do Caraminal
Marina Vilagarcia
Nauta Sanxenxo
Davilla Sport (Vigo)
Full details on www.marinasdegalicia.com
Hope this helps,
Richard, aboard Oestara www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN: 3624
|
By lassen - 29 Jun 2015
Oestara is now in Vigo, close to the end of our initial southbound trawl through the rias (there is much else to explore in the coming weeks, notably the anchorages that were untenable on the way down because of the conditions).
There are only two places that we wouldn 't go back to - Ribeira in the Ria de Arousa (expensive and shambolic)and Sanxenxo in the Ria de Pontevedra (more of a powerboat/holiday venue than a welcoming destination for visiting yachts). That said, it had the most organised fuel berth/pontoon in the area. Everywhere else has been a pleasure.
We are now in the Marina Davila Sport where a ten day stay is costing us €230 which is remarkable value given the quality of the facilities here. It 's also a safe place to leave the yacht and well organised for getting any work done (inc an excellent Volvo agent). Its only disadvantage is that it 's quite some distance from the city centre (roughly an €8-10 taxi ride). It 's also worth noting that the onsite lavanderia is no more. The easiest way to get any large scale washing done is to leave a bag with marina reception who will arrange for it to be washed and returned, typically within 24 hours. Gas cylinders can be exchanged at the local "ferreteria", a €5 round trip in a taxi from the marina - €20 per cylinder.
Richard Lassen www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN:3624
|
By lassen - 13 Jul 2015
Now in Moaña on the north shore of the Ria de Vigo
042°16.542 'N, 008°44.862 'W
This is a small, recently completed marina on the north side of the ria with, should you need it, an hourly ferry service to/from Vigo. Great atmosphere ashore with a mass of restaurants and bars. Plenty of spare space in the marina for visitors (bearing in mind it 's mid-July) with all that one might need ashore, including that mecca for the cruising yachtsman and woman - Carrefour which is within walking/cycling distance. The local fiesta starts on Wednesday and lasts until Sunday. It 's also worth mentioning that the marina has a laundry facility and you get a strong wifi signal on board.
Richard, aboard Oestara in the Ria de Vigo, www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN: 3624
|
By lassen - 22 Jul 2015
Our experience has been that it 's worth keeping a close eye on the Atlantic Islands website and booking three days at a time and then cancelling those days that you don 't need (easily done online). Otherwise you run the risk of not getting permission for your chosen date(s)at short notice. There don 't appear to be any restrictions on the total number of visits (we have been six times so far without any difficulty). It is a question of keeping a close eye on the website and the weather (anchoring being largely untenable in winds from NE through to SE). The process is pretty painful but the islands are a pleasure to visit and worth the effort of wading through the bureaucracy. We have not seen any signs of checking the permits of anchored yachts. That 's not to say that checks don 't take place, simply that they don 't appear to be a priority.
Anchoring is mainly over sand, rock and weed (which is extensive) and it 's worthwhile digging in really hard as the wind tends to back/veer extensively in these anchorages. What was sheltered one evening could well be uncomfortable/untenable the following morning.
Richard, aboard Oestara in the Ria de Vigo www.followingwind.co.uk Callsign: oestara PIN: 3624
|
By lassen - 24 Jul 2015
Based on our current experience of filling up with diesel in Galicia, there are a number of places that we have found which have proved to be more convenient than most - convenience being defined as a floating pontoon as opposed to a wall. From north to south:
La Coruna
Portosin (if the yacht draws two metres or more you won 't be able to fill up either side of low water - best done on a rising tide and best to check with a marineiro before coming alongside)
San Vicente
Sanxenxo (but not before 10:00 on Sundays)
Combarro
Baiona
Throughput appeared to be good in each of the above. Given the relatively short distances in this part of the world, the above should be more than enough.
|
By lassen - 7 Aug 2015
Members might wish to note that Muros houses a local HQ for Spanish customs.
They came to check the yacht on Monday, then on Wednesday and again on Friday. They don 't appear to keep any records of the yachts that they have checked. This morning 's visit prompted a good old-fashioned sense of humour failure on my part (entirely justified in the circumstances). After a bit of a stand-off they got the point and left. Since which time the marina master has complained about their conduct and although they have been back to the marina on Saturday morning, they have decided to leave Oestara alone. Result. One accepts their right to ask for documents - but once is surely enough. Galicia is the poorest region of Spain (by some considerable margin) and getting up the noses of visiting skippers/yacht owners is hardly going to help matters.
|
By peterhaden - 18 Nov 2015
I am surprised that you have not mentioned our Port Officer for the area Alfredo Lagos. He and his sons Alfredo Jr and Alberto are always available to give help and advice to OCC members and to negotiate longer term rates for berthing.
The next edition of Flying Fish will have an article all about them and their famous 100 year old boatyard. Contact with the Lagos family will always enrich enormously the experience of a visit to cruise in Galicia.
Also, you only vaguely mention OCC discounte to OCC members, when in fact what many describe as the best marinas in Galicia give 25% discount to OCC members......and particularly I am thinking of Real Club Náutico La Coruña, Real Club Náutico Portosin, Marina Combarro, and Monte Real Club de Yates Bayona.
The berthing prices at club marinas are generally the same as municipal marinas.
There are some small marinas (with clubs) that are cheaper than the big marinas eg Cangas and Cabo de Cruz. Possibly the cheapest marina is a private club owned marina at San Adrian.
You comments about Sanxenxo are correct, but the main reason most people avoid it is because of the deafening night club broadcasting over the berths. The same can be said of Vilagarcia de Arousa especially throughout August and sometimes all night and next day at high decibels.
I presume you really enjoyed your visit to Galicia. It really is a very special place. I keep my boat with our port officer at Bouzas in the winter and Cangas in the summer and over the past few years from May to October have been very happy to enjoy it so much and meet so many OCC members and enjoy many OCC events.
|
By peterhaden - 18 Nov 2015
My experience over many years is that the Customs Officers are always most polite and helpful. They fill in a form in duplicate. A copy is given to the yacht which is valid for one year and can be shown on a subsequent visit.
They have a difficult and dangerous job to do including large drug hauls on foreign yachts several times every year, and any attention from them should be welcomed.
I agree that three visits in one week is too much and may have been a mistake, but nevertheless they are all powerful and every respect should be shown.
It is worth going out of your way to meet them if they are berthed in a marina and having a chat. They may even show you around their amazing patrol boats.
|
By lassen - 18 Nov 2015
Many thanks for the thoughtful reply. The purpose of these sorts of posts is to share one 's experience with fellow OCC members - it 's not intended to be a comprehensive guide to the area, which is best achieved by the RCC Pilotage Foundation.
That said, we really enjoyed our time in Galicia - we were there for three months - and would thoroughly recommend it as a cruising ground to anyone who has the time to take it slowly.
|
By lassen - 18 Nov 2015
Many thanks for this - our experience of Spanish customs officers clearly differs from yours. The team in Muros was badly organised (no paperwork/forms issued and no records kept), badly turned out (scruffy trainers, scruffy jeans etc - I 've seen better dressed plumbers) and verbally aggressive (you are part way through breakfast and suddenly find four scruffy customs officers in your cockpit - what ever happened to "we 'd like to come aboard"?).
Luckily the very helpful harbour master intervened on our behalf and the visits ceased, for which I was very grateful. In summary, so far as Customs in Muros are concerned, I stand by the remarks made in the original post.
|
By lassen - 30 Dec 2015
Just to report that Oestara 's permit to visit the Atlantic Islands has been renewed for a further three years (to December 31st 2018).
I don 't see that we will be able to use it (sadly) but a three year extension is a positive change and something that would be helpful to anyone planning a return visit to this spectacular coast.
|
By DariaBlackwell - 5 Nov 2017
Alex and I spent two months cruising in Galicia this past summer and returned for another week in October. Aleria is now overwintering in Punta Lagoa. I have written about our experience extensively in my blog with an overview here and links to individual pages for each of the Rias. The November 2017 issue of Yachting World also has an article I wrote about our experience. Feel free to contact me with questions.
https://aleriasadventures.blogspot.ie/p/cruising-guide-to-rias-baixas-of.html
|
By DariaBlackwell - 18 Feb 2019
Update for 2018. We spent the summer cruising from Galicia to the Algarve in Portugal in 2018 and back up again. We have written many updated blog posts. See link on my previous post. Aleria is overwintering in the Astilleros Lagos yard in Bouzas near Vigo under the expert care of the Lagos family this year.
|
By Ronan.Traynor - 5 Oct 2021
Astillero Lagos . Wintering / Laying up / Repairs / Maintenance in Galicia.
In Sept 2019 I was lucky enough to be recommended to Alberto Lagos, OCC Port Officer and a principal in renowned third generation boatyard Astilleros Lagos in Bouzas, Vigo. Alberto and his brother Alfredo Jr brought my boat from Baiona to their yard when I was not able to get back to Galicia. They then hauled her out and stored her for two years, throughout the pandemic and looked after her as if she was their own. Over the two years their yard Coppercoated her, fitted new hatches, treated the teak, varnished tables, serviced the engine and outboard, repaired the sails, reupholstered seats, designed and installed a new seat for the aft cabin, sent the liferaft for servicing, got the dinghy patched, rebedded cleats, fixed the electrics, polished her hull and topsides, etc, etc. Nothing was an issue, all works were documented and photographed. The workmanship was second to none, the pricing was fair, the peace of mind in having your boat looked after by caring professionals when there was no travel was priceless. Only got to meet Alberto and Alfredo Jr in person in Sept 2021, super characters both, deeply grateful for the way they looked after my boat. A lot of the time in marina bars you hear horror stories about bad yards. If you are planning on leaving your boat over the winter or for a spell around Galicia, Alberto Lagos of Astilleros Lagos is worth seeking out.
|
By simoncurrin - 5 Oct 2021
Roman
That’s a great report about Alberto’s yard -many thanks.
Simon
|