A Foggy Day
18 September 2009 | Ria de Camarinas N 43,08 - W 0,11
13 degrees C in the morning. We have been spoiled the last montth or so, with ever lasting sun and warmth. Time to go south (or fire up the cabin heater) We choose to continue south. Very light and variable winds forecasted for today, and that was correct. We woke up in a wrapping of dense fog. Later in the morning it seemed to lift at sea even if it linguered inside the ria and over the mountains of course. At 11 AM we decided to go around 20 miles to the next Ria expecting to motor most of the way but since it's not that far...
This part of the coast is called 'Costa del Muerto' (coast of death). In bad conditions it' must be a scary coast to be approaching, but the name emanates from history. This was one of many places on earth, where the locals lit fires at night i stormy weather so causing the sailing ships to believe that the fire was (the origi of lighthouses) showing the safe entrance. When the ship got wrecked, the locals took whatever they could salvage, often killing the surviving sailors in the process. A horrifying grim act by today's standards, but nevertheless quite common in many parts of the world in the past.
During the day we passed 'Cabo Villano' (Cape Evil) and tomorrow we expect to succesfully pass 'Finisterre' (land's end) - the most westerly point of Spain - before going south to the 'Rias Bajas' (lower Rias) before crossing the border to Portugal.
The fog came back after an hour or so, and we practised radar navigation again, motoring inside a confined universe of humidity and a very narrow horizon of water, often a mere 50 meter away.
Much to enhance our overall mood, the fog lifted magically when we entered Ria de Camarinas. The entrance is straightforward, epecially compared to most landfalls in Swedish waters and the anchor sooon landed in 6,5 meter of water inside the breakwater again.
The remains of the day was spent, changing galley pump with united force, and then renovating the old one. despite being the same make, they obviously didn't fit exactly the same hole pattern. Anyone who has experienced this ?? ;-)