クルージングで回る北西海岸

　As is typical in Galicia, Spain, the day started with rain, but as we left on a sailboat from the Vigo Bay harbor to Rande Bridge, the clouds cleared a bit and let the sun shine through for brief spells. It was a good omen for our trip.

　I was going to spend a weekend sailing along the northwest coast of Spain, from the bay of Vigo to Baiona, crossing the natural reserve of the Cies Islands. At the harbor I met Juan Perez Nartallo, the captain, his girlfriend, Naira, and two other crew members, María José and Rolando, who knew the area well.

　As I was heading toward the leisure harbor in Vigo, I stopped by the famous oyster bars near the market. As I discovered later, the small, round and tasty oysters served there are cultivated in the waters of the Atlantic in Vigo Bay. It was nice to see people enjoying them while eating on a terrace, and as a oyster lover, I didn’t hesitate to try some myself.

　There was a nice breeze coming from the north, and we were blessed with a favorable wind through Vigo Bay, so we made good time and soon arrived at Rande Bridge, where a small race was being held. Nartallo told me that in the waters somewhere beneath the bridge, there is believed to be millions of dollars in gold, silver and precious stones waiting to be found.

　In 1702, a fleet of French and Spanish tall ships coming from India and carrying treasure worth millions, was attacked by English and Dutch squadrons, which burned or captured the ships. For an instant I scanned the vast waters, trying to imagine the riches that might lie below in the dark, deep depths of the bay.

　It was a picture postcard-like image of the sailing boats with the Rande Bridge in the background, while we were heading north to the town of Cangas. Then I noticed floating platforms in the bay.

　“Yes, we call them bateas, and they allow the growth of the seafood (mussels) that you just saw this morning at the market,” Nartallo explained.

新鮮な海の幸を味わう

　These square wooden platforms can be found along the Ría de Vigo, and help sustain the shellfish industry that the Galicia region is famous for and exports to Europe and the rest of the world.

　In Cangas we tied up between the fishing boats from town, and headed to the harbor bars. It was a small fishing village, so it was easy to find a restaurant for fresh seafood for lunch. We sat on a terrace with a view of the ocean, and ordered glasses of albariño, a white wine from this region, that was served with seafood appetizers such as oysters, king prawns with garlic, deep-fried squid and olives. These were only the beginnings of a long lunch.

　Back at the boat, the tide had gone down, so we had to climb aboard with the help of some fishermen. The wind had turned to the west, so we were going to be sailing upwind, heading to the Cíes Islands just ahead of us. The captain advised us that it was going to be an exciting crossing.

　We enjoyed our view of the Galician coast, with the cliffs and green forests of pines and an occasional white-sand beach. Soon, we also spotted the Cabo Home Lighthouse, and from there on, there was going to be only the Atlantic and the islands.

　The Cíes archipelago consists of three small uninhabited islands, protected since 1980, which are a paradise for divers, offering some of the best dive spots in the area and also are a good place for bird watching. Sailing to the Freu da Porta strait between Faro and San Martiño islands, a flock of cormorant seabirds caught the crew’s attention.

　The choppy waters of the strait between the two islands doesn’t leave any margin for error, so the captain turned the motor on, while the groundswell was growing, approaching the west side. The powerful Atlantic waves were breaking against the cliffs, making for a frightening sight. I thought about how these same beautiful cliffs had taken the lives of so many sailors for centuries, such as the wreck of the Marvel merchant ship in 1978, which claimed the lives of 27 sailors, and forced the nine survivors to climb the north cliffs of Monteagudo Island.

　While I was thinking about it, Nartallo smoothly changed course, heading southwest to Baiona, our last stop. The afternoon sun was shining warmly on the harbor side of the boat, and we sat with our feet hanging over the side, while Rolando was at the helm.

　By the time we reached Baiona, the sun had already set, and the sparkling lights from the city were reflected on the bay. The long day at sea, the briny smell of the ocean and the gentle rocking of the boat on the waves soon lulled me into a deep sleep that was the best I had had in a long time.