Arrival in Galicia

We have had a few testing days to conclude our Atlantic crossing, as a developing low-pressure area crept eastward, threatening to impede our path towards Galicia and draw the wind out of the Bay of Biscay. With daily weather forecasts and careful passage planning, we have been able to adapt our route to maximise the sailing conditions available to us. This depression has brought winds of up to Force 5–6, and with the ship well reefed down, we made steady progress towards our goal.

Almost as quickly as it arrived, the wind disappeared, leaving us under a bright Spanish sun. With our passage progressing a little ahead of schedule, we began searching for a quiet anchorage to the west of A Coruña. The atmosphere on board is elated as the realisation sinks in that we’re on the other side of the ocean after studying nothing but empty horizons and ever-changing wave and cloud formations – the beauty of open-ocean sailing.

The following morning, we weighed anchor and made our way towards A Coruña, with the Tower of Hercules overlooking our progress along the coast. This historic lighthouse has served as a landmark for the entrance to A Coruña Bay since the 1st century AD and was originally built by the Romans. There is something special about knowing that this remarkable monument has guided and watched over these shores for thousands of years, welcoming generations of sailors before us.