Aleria's Adventures

PredictWind Fleet tracker - some of the cruisers we helped Last month, Alex and I, along with several other OCC members, were recognised by two awards for the work we did in supporting sailors who were being threatened by border closures around the world as the pandemic spread. The first was the Royal Cruising Club which awarded the OCC their Medal for Services to Cruising. That was a very special bit of recognition coming from the RCC.   The second award was the OCC Award given to Alex, me, Moira, Tim, Fi and Guy. We all worked to help cruisers stuck in various places, being stopped from reprovisioning and taking on fuel and water, and facing hurricane and cyclone seasons in the wrong places. We basically helped people make their own decisions about what to do and supported them with safety back up when they did.  We were really honoured to be recognised for this work. It was really rewarding to be able to help so many people and it really did keep us so busy that we didn't have

View over Punta Lagoa in the Ria de Vigo. Vigo on the left. Cangas on the right.  In Spain, the winters are wet and wild but not that cold. Technically, it's possible to stay in the water and enjoy sailing through the winter months. Realistically, it can be challenging as the storms can be strong and unpredictable. The Atlantic swell is perhaps the most challenging element for overwintering, so locations with the best protection from the swell are the most attractive. We have spent a couple of winters in Spain and have checked out multiple options. We often get questions from friends about where to go. I thought I'd write down our thoughts for the benefit of those wishing to spend more than a few days or weeks in the Rias.