Ryan’s Take Porto disappeared behind us in layers of mist and tiled rooftops, the Douro spitting us out into the open Atlantic like it was done with us. The wind was right, strong from the north, pushing La Sirena south without complaint. We trimmed the sails, cut the engine, and let the boat settle into
Leaving Porto – Heavy Weather, Tough Decisions, and the Long Haul to Lisbon Read More »
Liam’s Take Ryan has always been a smooth talker, but nothing tops his performance in Galicia. We were mooring up next to a local fisherman, and Ryan—wanting to be helpful—tried to tell him he’d tie up his boat. What came out instead? “Yo te amo.” Yep, instead of saying amarre (mooring), he told the guy, “I love you.” The
15 Important Spanish Words for Sailing Around Spain Read More »
Ryan’s Take: Morning in Porto, and the city was stretching awake as we motored into the marina. The Douro barely rippled, the sky warming from steel grey to something softer. A few fishing boats bobbed near the quay, their crews already hauling in the morning’s catch. We, meanwhile, were barely functional. Liam slumped over the
Porto Ashore – Exploring the City, Navigating the Douro, and a Much-Needed Break Read More »
Ryan’s Take Leaving the Rías Baixas felt like walking out of the pub before the session had even started properly. A bit wrong. Unfinished. The Galician coast had been good to us—well, mostly. The boat? Not so much. But time barrels on, doesn’t it? And so do we. Porto was next on the list. February
Slippery When Wet – Sailing South to Porto Read More »
Ryan’s Take: Leaving A Coruña was easy. No drama. No grand send-off. Just a quiet morning, ropes untied, engine humming low as we slipped away from the dock, another chapter closed. The Tower of Hercules faded behind us, and ahead—Galicia’s legendary Rías Baixas. Deep inlets clawing inland, half-river, half-sea. Perfect for sailing, if you know
Into the Rías Baixas – Sailing Galicia’s Hidden Waterways and Wine Country Read More »
Ryan’s Take: Bilbao in the rearview, A Coruña dead ahead. Longer passage, bigger seas, proper Atlantic swell—the kind that slaps you in the gut and tests both your patience and La Sirena’s guts. First few hours? Smooth. A rare thing. Sails full, Basque coastline slipping into the haze behind us. The kind of sailing that
Into the Deep Blue – Sailing to A Coruña and Reuniting with Old Friends Read More »
Liam’s Take: Waking up to a calm marina in Bilbao and the soft hum of a city coming to life felt like a reward in itself. If you’d read our previous blog, you’d know why! We spent close to two weeks in Bilbao, planning our route and stocking up on supplies for the next leg of
Morning in Bilbao and Preparing for the Journey to A Coruña Read More »
Ryan’s Take: We really liked our time in San Sebastían, and the connection we felt to Mum’s roots (even though we don’t speak a word of Spanish yet!). But we hoisted the sails and pointed La Sirena westward. Back after the wake we was making plans and decided we wouldn’t stop in San Sebastián. We’d
The Sail to Bilbao Read More »
Ryan’s Take: After a few days of soaking in San Sebastián—pintxos, boat fixes, the usual—it was time to check in with home. Laptop open, Starlink humming away (seriously, worth every cent), and there they were: Da’ and Claire, grinning through the screen from Dublin. “Look at the two of ye!” Da’ bellowed, voice filling the
A Zoom Call from the Sea With Da’ Read More »
Liam’s Take: San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa. The moment we sailed in, I exhaled. Relief, pride. That weird, gut-deep feeling when something just clicks. Like you belong, even if you’ve never set foot there before. Our Ma’ was born here. She left when she was twelve, but it still feels like part of our story. Like we’re
Days in Gipuzkoa (And A Few Repairs…) Read More »
