Crossing Biscay
25 January 2015
Chris

We had decided to cross Biscay from Lorient to Gijon in Spain partly because our insurers would have wanted more crew for a longer passage and this approach limited the crossing to around two days and partly as we were keen to see some of the northern coast of Spain not having been there before.
We left Lorient at around 09.30 with a good north easterly around 15 knots, this increased over the first day to around 20 kts. We reefed for the night and had a comfortable passage through the night. By morning the wind had dropped to 3 kts, with Splice needing 10 kts to sail well the engine went on and stayed on through the day and most of the next night. Biscay was flat as a pancake!
We saw very little traffic, the occasional fishing boat on the horizon and only one that we had to alter course for. We had nine visits from pods of dolphins as we crossed, spending ages lying on the trampolines at the bow (until a wave came through and soaked us both). They were wonderful, leaping in the bow wave and seeming to compete to do the best jump.
By 03.00 the next morning we were closing the coast and the engines went off to slow us down for a day approach. We were concerned, having been warned about the pots that are laid even in 100m of water and wanted a good view as we approached. (Our friends were right, you need to see where you are going) We drifted into Gijon’s approaches at about 3 kts under main only and by 07.30 were tied up to the arrivals pontoon in the marina.