RÃa de Vigo : Bayona
We left the next morning, 28th May, for Bayona, motoring across in a couple of hours. We found a berth in the MRYC pontoons and tidied up before signing in at the office. We were disappointed to find that contrary to the pilot book there was no phone line available for using a modem. However the marina fees were the cheapest yet at 17.60 eur per night for a few last days before the high season in June, when rates increase to 26 Eur. We used the showers then Nigel and Daniel discovered the park right outside the marina, before we went for some lunch and a look around. After lunch Nigel and Dan then investigated the beach while Elaine explored the medieval walls around the Parador de Gondolar next to the marina.
After a while back at the boat we visited the local internet café to catch up with email, and I tried to use MSN Messenger to chat with my parents, however all I could do was type to them, the café was not set up to do audio, only webcam – but the webcam wouldn’t work. The man in charge spoke French much better than English and we chatted in French for quite some time, it was refreshing after all this time feeling very much a beginner in Spanish, to chat away in French. The man said he would sort out the software so when I came back the next day the video would work. We proceeded to a nearby restaurant for tea where I was dismayed to find that all the Spanish I had managed to learn so far had disappeared and all I could think of to say to the poor waiter was French, he didn’t know what I was on about and I felt really embarrassed!
Dan was a menace in the restaurant, luckily the waiter was very good-humoured about it and the food was lovely. The restaurant served only chicken dishes, and the theme was Chicken Run!
There were nests above the bar and in “grottos” at the side with stuffed chickens “roosting”!
We left hurriedly due to our hyperactive child.
The next day (29th May) we mostly stayed around the boat but later in the afternoon ventured to the supermarket. Then Nigel took Dan back to the boat and I went out and did a bit more shopping.
In the evening after tea I took Dan into town to the internet café where I had arranged to chat with my parents with the webcam at 9pm. I arrived a few minutes late but all went well and we went online with my parents and my aunt who was also staying with them for about 25 minutes! Dan was impressed at
least for a while. Nigel joined us , then we went to the park and then back to the boat.
The 30th we intended to leave Spain but following a lie-in we decided to wait, after all why hurry! We moved across the bay to anchor to avoid another night of fees and had a lazy day on the boat. Our next destination, Viana do Castelo in Portugal, should be approached at high tide so for us we needed to leave early to get there at high tide which was about midday. We were also not sure of a marina place and there is no anchorage.
Our plan is to visit Porto after that but to anchor at Leixoes next door, avoiding marina fees, a shallow river and sewage-infested water of Porto and the Rio Douro.
Then we plan a long hop to Lisbon.
31st May left Bayona 7am, motored with little wind. Passed the Spain/Portugal border on Rio Minho at about 12pm at which point we gained an hour as the clocks changed.