42°13.4'N 008°54.4 W Wednesday 2nd September 1 of 2 see prev

Playa de Rodas, Isla da Norte, Islas Cies nr Bayona

We had permission to stay here for 3 days. We have spent 5. This is the best of the trip so far. The islands are stunning - 3 little islands, all nature reserves. Isla da Norte (to the north not surprisingly), Isla da Faro (of the lighthouse to the south) and Isla St Martino. The north and south islands are joined by a causeway behind which is a lagoon that acts as a natural fish breeding ground for sea bream, octopus, conger eel, a pretty blue thing and others. Sorry Marcus, leisure fishing is not allowed! I have uploaded far too many pictures, but for us a good record.

The islands are basically granite - huge granite boulders worn through with holes by water erosion and the constant pounding of the sea. Even the picnic tables are beautiful solid granite. Sand dunes and beaches of white sand, forests that feel rain foresty type yet aren't - they are dry. There are eucalyptus, long needled pine, holm oak, silver birch, ferns & bracken, Portuguese crowberry and a very pungent sweet smelling shrub with little white flowers and tiny red fruits all at the same time that we could not identify.

The islands are also a breeding ground for shags, less common than cormorants, so we went in search of those, as well as yellow-legged gulls and sandpipers.

We arrived on Saturday and anchored off the beach the Playa de Rodas. On average during our stay, there have been 2 British boats, 3 Dutch, 2 German, 2 French, 1 Swiss, 1 Swedish, 1 Portuguese and 1 Norwegian. And the Spanish in droves at the weekend, but the foreigners had the place to themselves from Monday. So much for Permissions, hardly any other boat had managed to get through the red tape and we were not checked! Each boat has its story to tell, there are some adventures going on from a couple of students going to the Carribean on a tight budget, to megayachts with young families taking a year off work to go round the world perhaps.

Sunday we did two of the recommended walks (joined them together), past the lagoon, up the Monte de Faro to the lighthouse right on top of the mountain and then to the Faro da Porte, both on the south island. The Monte de Faro is approached by a winding terrace about 175 metres high. The views from the top were stunning, the route back followed the beach around back to our dinghy - very hot and thirsty by then, it was about 9km in all. So back for a late lunch and well deserved swim. The water here is so cold though! It's completely open to the Atlantic and is swept by clean cold water on every tide.

Monday, we toured the north island, only about 6.5km to the Alto do Principe (heights / precipes - you get the picture) and to Monteagudo where there is a bird hide for watching the shags - only saw a couple there. The day started in mist, but the sun broke through at lunchtime to give another hot day. These walks were through the forested areas, then climbing up to the edge of the precipice to view the whole of the Atlantic side of the island. Looking down, it looked a very long and uncomfortable drop down to the rocks and breakers below!

The rest of the time we pootled about in the dinghy, visiting and landing on the little San Martino island and exploring the rocks and pools for fish. Swimming and chatting to the international community. This morning it looked like the weather was changing with a showery front due to pass through overnight, so after a morning stroll and lunch on the boat, we headed off for our last stop in Northern Spain, Bayona (or Baiona in Galician). Just an hour or so sail from the islands, through a gap between the mainland and rocky outcrop / islet that cuts out an hour's detour around a reef that sticks out and has water breaking over it. Looking forward to B. and its famous castle / parador.

This was undoubtedly the best of the Rias Baixas.