Our YachtBalvenie blog has been going a few years now. It captures our experiences around the world as we explore by sea in our 47ft sloop "Balvenie" (draft is nearly 2.5m). This blog is the summary of our Cruising Info for all the places we have visited since we started the blog (so it does not have the beginning of our adventure). I have collated the cruising info here together for those that just wish to print it off, without having all the photos and stories that accompany it. For our entire story and all the great photos see http://yachtbalvenie.blogspot.com/

As always please remember these were our experiences which may be entirely different to others. All care has been taken with this information, and as with any navigational aids should be treated as a guideline. If you are following in our wake, have fun out there and stay off the hard stuff!!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Atlantic Spain ..... August 2011

Cruising Info for Ayamonte on the Guadiana River, Atlantic Spain – August 2011
Guadiana River Entrance   The shallowest part was by the 2nd green marker, it doesn’t last long but sure gets your attention and deserves your respect.  We had no swell at all but if there had of been there wasn’t much margin for error

Ayamonte at Anchor   37 13.169N  07 24.651W  4m at LWS. Very gluey mud bottom. At springs the current and flow was really quite fierce and we didn’t feel happy leaving the boat at anchor to going ashore.  Dinghies can be left at the seaward end of the ferry dock, we asked and they were happy enough.

Ayamonte Marina  We went in a slack low water.  There was over 3.5metres in the entrance but we did get some very shallow readings in the marina but didn’t run aground.   Cost €36 per night including power, water and very poor signal wifi (it was even poor sitting outside the office under the aerial).  Very good showers and toilets, no laundry.  Excellent info board outside office with computerized Weather gribs and Windguru info.  No marina staff on the dock to help but they did allocate us a berth via VHF so we only had to dock once.  Finger berths.  There was some current in the marina but not too bad.
Supermarkets – there is a Jamon just behind the marina, it’s not great but it sure is convenient.  Meat section was good and I found some “TV dinner” vacuum packed type Meatball and Cannelloni meals that I haven't seen elsewhere that have been stowed away for the Atlantic Crossing.  There is a Supersol on the Riverfront which was pretty ordinary too.  Tracked down the excellent Mercadona on Avienda de la Constitution, can catch the circular route bus but we got a map from the tourist office and walked, less than 20 minutes. In town is the Abestos Market – the fruit, veg and fish market, only open mornings, excellent produce.  Vodafone easy to find

Ferry to Vila Real  Every 30 minutes on the hour / half hour, last one 9pm Spanish time, 8pm Portuguese time.  €1.35pp each way, buy tickets from kiosk before boarding.

Cruising Info for Barbate, Atlantic Spanish Coast – August 2011
Barbate:  36 10.96N  05 55.37W   6.4m (at high tide) sandy bottom, good holding.  Open to south and southwest and could get rolly, but there is a marina there also, we were anchored just in the entrance.  We didn’t go ashore but understand there is not much there.  Couldn’t pick up any wifi.