Exploring Ría de Vigo

Before we moved into a marina in the city of Vigo we took the opportunity to drift gently under genoa up to the north of the ría into a large bay, the Ensenada de San Simón. The ensenada is rather shallow for BV but it does have a marina that we could stay in and a potential anchorage close to a couple of linked islands on the eastern shore. We elected not to stay at the anchorage because of the limited access for BV, it being Spring tides (and some rather inconvenient rocks).

In some ways it was a shame not to visit the islands as they have an interesting history. On them are the remains of two convents, which Francis Drake dramatically chose to attack leaving just one survivor and, in October 1702 the area, from what we have read, was also the site of a significant sea battle. A fleet of Spanish galleons, laden down with treasures from the Americas, were under the protection of French ships commanded by François Louis Rousselet, the Earl of Chateaurenault. They sought shelter in the Ensenada de San Simón whilst a dispute raged over where the treasure should be unloaded. The port of Seville monopolised trade with the Americas and vociferously wanted the fleet to reposition there for unloading. Unfortunately for the Spanish, the location of the fleet was discovered during the 4 weeks the unloading dispute raged and an Anglo-Dutch fleet, under the command of Admiral George Rooke, planned a complex attack to try to seize the treasure. An amphibious assault successfully captured the defending castles at Rande and Cordeiro, which tipped the balance in favour of the attackers and enabled some of the Spanish galleons to be captured. The rest were apparently scuttled or sunk so there are still rumours of sunken treasure in the ensenada.

All did not go well for the victors, however, and the captured Spanish galleon laden with the treasure was wrecked as it passed through the Islas de Cies. The location of that wreck has still to be discovered so, allegedly, there is treasure in the Islas de Cies as well. Perhaps even more of a reason for us to visit the islands.

Sadly my photographs of the Ensenada de San Simón did not work out well and certainly did not do justice to the beauty and tranquillity of the place. What did work, however, were the photos of the impressive Rande Bridge, which spans the narrows where the sea battle took place. According to the books there was a very comfortable 18 metres of clearance between the bridge and the top of BV’s mast but both Nicky and I looked up with apprehension as we approached. I think we will have to accept that going under bridges and other obstructions will always bring a tense moment or two for us until we are safely under and through.