Swell

 

We delayed our departure from Viveiro slightly on 9 May so that we could visit the market. It was a relatively small affair with some fruit, veg and flower stalls. Outnumbering the others were the meat stalls with hams, chorizo and various other large pieces of pig dominating the scene. All the main ingredients for the traditional regional dish, cocido; a hearty meat stew made from boiled pancetta, thick bacon, pork chops, beef, chorizos, and grelos (turnip tops), served with chick peas and potatoes.

Our plan was to head west aiming to get to Ría de Cedeira. The potential issue was the swell which was due to be between 2.5 and 4 metres over the next couple of days. The pilot books all warn about the dangers of the Atlantic swell and how it could make approaching many of the rías untenable. But how much swell is too much? Out at sea the swell is not much of an issue; the yachts just goes up and down. The question we mulled over was what happens when a 4 metre swell is funnelled into a ría which rapidly shallows from at least 50 metres depth not far outside to something much closer to the depth of our keel inside? Was a 4 metre swell out at sea a potential risk for us with our plan to anchor in Ría de Cedeira? There is no usable habour or marina in Cedeira for us but the anchorage is partially sheltered by the fishing harbour’s breakwater, so, if the swell became untenable, our escape plan would have to include a long sail back to Viveiro or on to Ría de Coruña. There was also the issue of just getting into the ría. With a 4 metre Atlantic swell, would we putting ourselves in a position where potentially a mini-tsunami would be building behind us as we got closer in towards the anchorage?

Tricky questions to which we have to start understanding the answers if we are to safely navigate around the area without being overly cautious.

There would be no clues whilst we stayed moored in the marina at Viveiro so we decided to depart and anchor in the nice spot we had found behind the Isla de Area. We’d then be able to see what effect a 2 to 2.5 metre swell had in Ría de Viveiro before we departed for Ría de Cedeira first thing in the morning. This plan would also give time for a significant period of the 4 metre swell to occur whilst we were sailing and safely out at sea and would also provide sufficient time to sail on to A Coruña before dark if we were not happy with what we saw at Cedeira.

So the afternoon and overnight of 9 May was spent at anchor reading and, for Nicky, putting the finishing touches to her list of key Spanish words and phrases.

Isla de Area