Northern Spain moorings

[All_at_Sea]

I currently am on the Algarve in Portimao and am thinking of moving north this summer, somewhere on the N Spanish coast. Does anyone know of any good cheap marinas, safe enough to leave the boat for a few months at a time? Its a Nic 38. Also what's the weather likely to be like mid June for sailing north?

 

[charles_reed]

Very tedious as you'll be beating the whole time at that time of year, against the Portuguese Trades with a small contrary current.

The N Spanish coast is relatively unspoilt, but the climate is nothing like the Algarve, being typically western maritime.
There are few marinas - certainly no cheap ones close to any "cut-price" airports.

There are certainly some delightful anchorages/moorings and a few marinas - however the coastline is long and a rough idea of whereabouts you'd like to be would simplify the task of advising you on the length of your piece of string.

 

[Signed Out]

I hope you don't nab the spot I am hoping to grab... but I am planning on going to the Las Arenas Marina in Bilbao- just across the harbour from the fancy one at Getxo. It's a lot cheaper and seems pleasant. Not really as cheap as some I guess, but a lot less than marinas in good locations in the UK and I love the region.

 

[davidbains]

Is it too hot for you in the Algarve?
Let us know how you get on to windward up the Portuguese coast.
Allow plenty of time and you're right to start in the early summer, hopefully
before the "Portuguese trades" become too firmly established.
Some people motor sail at night when the wind is lighter. Or if you have
time just wait for lighter winds or even the occasional southerly!
It's also been suggested to me that it might be worthwhile heading out
about 50mls offshore where the trades my be lighter as you sail further into the high.
Then tack north in the lighter winds, maybe one or two nights at sea before
coming back in for R&R.
Old hands will tell you to return via the Azores, but it doesn't seem sensible to sail
all that way into a high just to sail out again!! Unless you particularly want to visit
those islands.

 

[michael_w]

It is tough heading north. Go via the Azores or you must work the night lees. Head out when the wind eases in the evening and make sure you have reached your destination by 09:00.

 

[All_at_Sea]

Are there any favourable conditions at any other time of the year? Sounds like hard work to me - the Algarve seems very pleasant all of a sudden!

I was thinking of taking a week to sail from Portimao to Bayona or somewhere there - or do you think l would need longer. With my crew l'll probably need to coast hop, but we could easily do nights.

 

[absit_omen]

We are in Lagos. The received wisdom here is either go early (April) before Northerlies have set in or Oct when there is a better chance of Southerlies. Last Oct winds were approx 75% Southerlies 25% Northerlies.

 

[chrisb]

villagarcia/vivero-both cheap and safe. Las arenas is a private club very hospitable and able to accomodate out of season but probably full with members in season.
The main marinas ie corruna/gijon/santander tend to mbe expensive.the galician passport bought in the state run marinas offers a discount of 10%.
weather good but sometimes strong northerlies blow for days on end strongest pm.
flights santiago/avilla/santander/bilboa with easyjet/ryanair.
Advise look up previos threads.
We cruise the area annually from UK .and know area fairly well. if you need specific imfo pm me
chris

 

[wagenaar]

Iberia announced that it cancels its flight from Santiago de Compostela to Heathrow per february 1, due to the competion of Ryan Air. In stead they are going to fly from Coruna to Heathrow. According to the galician newspapers, Ryanair seems to consider a second daily flight from Stansted to Santiago.
I lack at the moment direct information of the different marinas in Galicia, but feel that Sada, 20 km E of Coruna is expensive. A better choice would be Ares, also in that area. When driving around Galicia, I found Camarinas a nice marina, not very big, probably not very expensive. but not well connected by road. In this respect, it will usually be easier to go to Coruna than to Santiago, because Coruna is by far the biggest of the two cities.
Henk.

 

[davidbains]

A week isn't long enough, unless you got very lucky with southerlies.
The trouble with booking crew and flights is that you can guarantee the
weather won't co-operate. The trouble with the ends of the season is that
the weather can deteriorate and several of the ports have dangerous bars.
I want to do it myself in a couple of years. I think you just have to wait
at Sagres untill the high is not so intense, and then head out on starboard
tack untill the wind starts dying, and start tacking. Don't box yourself in
with time limits if you can possibly avoid it. Mind you last time I sailed from
Cascais to Sagres (in August) we had to tack south in a light southerly!!
Do you have some good windward sails? A Yankee is better than a Genoa.
The Pilot books say it's difficult to sail north in the Adriatic and Aegean but
skippers manage it one way or another. Patience is a virtue.

 

[Wansworth]

Its not cheap,maybe on the costa de muerte but transport a big problem unless you have a car,yachting is big here and ther are large quantities of cash being spent....your 20 years too late!

 

[Trevor_Smith]

When I sailed south in June (Rally Portugal 2002) I had ver variable winds and lots of fog along the coast of Portugal. Would recommend Carino and Camarinos as good safe marinas and not too expensive.

I would certainly allow more than a week from the Algarve to Bayona.

 

[nlawley]

Nobody has mentioned Zumaia just west of San Sebastion. It has a very nice marina and quite cheap. The basque country is very beautiful.