Wednesday - 13 June 2018

There was an end of term feeling today, which was strange considering we still had 65 miles plus to go, the equivalent of a Channel crossing to Cherbourg. The weather was still good, with the wind still following us from the north or northwest.

We all did our last night watches, and when my group came on deck we were told that the other watch had had a dolphin show for about 2 hours. They said that there had been more than they could count, 20 or so. However, they had disappeared and we had missed them.  About 20 minutes after the watch change, we were treated to our own version, again with 20 or so dolphins escorting us along. It was like having police outriders. We could see small groups racing across the waves to join us, and more and more played in the bow wave. There seem to be patterns to their swimming around the boat, coming in from behind along the spreading bow wave. Others try to swim or jump as close as possible to the bow without actually touching it. Eventually the wind died a little and the boat slowed slightly. The dolphins melted away, there is no fun in a boat not going fast enough.

Our attention then moved to trying to spot the first land since Lizard Point in Cornwall. After several false alarms we spotted the cliffs to the southwest of La Coruna, soon to be followed by the Tower of Hercules, the oldest operational light house in the world, building started by the Romans, which is at the headland west of the city. It is clearly visible for miles.

We had been told to expect fleets of fishing boats in our way as we approached land, but in the event, there were none. We dropped the sails and put on the engine for the first time since leaving the channel. The marina staff directed us to a pontoon, and we tied up, 4 days and 6 hours after departing. We had averaged more than 6 knots for the entire trip.

We completed the arrival formalities at the marina and then debated whether a shower or a beer was the first priority. I think the beer won in most cases. We had completed a delightfully uneventful trip and could relax. An early night was called for, in a stationary boat.

More pictures to follow.

Distance covered today	85	nautical miles
Trip distance covered	622	nautical miles
Distance covered 2018	1342	nautical miles

Steve (and Tricia)