October 8, 2010
The character of the Atlantic coasts of Portugal and Spain varies widely between the sheer cliffs north of Cabo Finisterre and the flat sandy lagoons of the Faro area. Spain’s coast has rolling hills, many with wind mills and small towns built into the hillside, quaint and picturesque. I can imagine the cruising here is pleasant and interesting in the summer months, but in stormy conditions it can easily be quite dangerous. Locally it is known as the Costa del Morte (Coast of Death).
Portugal’s coast on the other hand is flat and one continuous line of high rise buildings with miles of empty, featureless beach. The harbors are commercial and /or fishing in nature. Many have hazards of one sort or another in the entrance. The most common is a sand bar, although safe enough for freighters and large fishing vessels they can be dangerous for the smaller boat if there is a swell running......and worse if it is running across the tidal stream. This brings me to our present anchorage.
After much deliberation about whether or not to leave the marina at Povoa de Varzim we headed back out into the choppy waters of the Atlantic coast with it’s 2-3 meter high swells. Looking back from the sea I can still see the high-rise buildings, hotels and a very modern Casino which belies the interesting old town just behind.
We headed for Aveiro a ten hour trip motoring the entire time. The Aveiro
harbor is a very large commercial port with hugh freighters rallying for space and fishing boats hauling their nets in or letting them out. By the time we arrived at the entrance, the sun had set and we knew it wasn’t long before it would be dark. This entrance has a reputation for being dangerous with strong tidal streams that make for high swells, therefore it’s not advised to enter at night. After being in radio contact with the harbor control tower we were nevertheless glad to hear that the entrance was open to traffic. The harbor master’s last words to us were, “good luck”.
The next ten minutes were a total adrenaline rush. The high waves and the swirling water took us for a roller coaster ride we still like to talk about; incredibly scary, yet incredibly exhilarating. In our log book W’s entry under “remarks” for that day “don’t go into Aveiro in the dark, against the tide and with big swells!” W’s analogy “coming in was like riding a sand-worm on Arakis” from the movie Dune.
The anchorage was very calm and quiet a very welcome refuge after the stormy entrance. We stayed several days, did a day trip into the city of Aveiro which is described in some books as the second Venice. Yes there was a canal and yes they had gondolas, but Venice it wasn’t. The day we planned to leave the entrance was once again closed due to the high winds and large swells.
Finally lifted anchor, after control tower cleared us for exit (don’t want to tango with a freighter).
Day trips are usually anywhere from 6-10 hours. This was going to be another 10 hour day, but well worth the effort, Nazarene. Calling ahead Captain Hadley, a British man who runs the small marina assured us a spot would be available. We rafted up with Viva-mare and had a disturbing night from the fishing boats loading and unloading their goods.
We took the bus into town the next morning. The town relies largely on tourism for it’s prosperity, but the lower town on the beach has kept some of the old atmosphere. For me the most compelling reason to visit Nazare is the view from the upper town which we reached via steep electric gondola.
Except for the occasional rain storm, the weather has been fabulous and continues to lift our spirits.
No comments:
Post a Comment