Crossing Biscaye

Although Brest is a lively town with lots to see, many activities and good restaurants we had to stay longer than we wanted due to the lack of an acceptable weather window to cross the “Golfe de Gascogne” (French) or the “Bay of Biscay” (English) or “Pleg-mor Gwaskogn” (Bretton) or “Bizkaiko Golkoa” (Basque). There are even more names that the one happy European family uses for the same stretch of water.

The prevailing South-Westerlies would often swell to 30+ knots and it made no sense to fight this as a cruiser. We needed a 55 hour fair weather window for the 350 miles from Brest to La Coruna.

On Saturday Nov 16 the desired window opened up and we left Brest at 1300 hours to take the tail end of a heavy whether system that had been passing the days before. It all started as predicted and goos-winging under full Genoa and with the first reef in the main as to not overpower the autopilot we went South. SOG was easily 7 kts.

The wind was predicted to decrease gradually but decided to do otherwise when darkness fell (of course). We soon found ourselves in 30 kts true under double reefed main and 50% genoa, still wing on wing with al sails secured by preventers. The boat performed very well, but the building seas and with no horizon to look at in the dark we both got serious seasick, but not incapacitated. Every manoeuvre was talked through, then we would clear our stomaches and just get on with it. I am so proud of Liza how she never complained and just plowed on.

24 hours later the wind eased, we had made it 180 miles South, the skies cleared and even the sun came out.

Our emotions got the better of us and we started crying. I felt anxious earlier about the crossing. About the moment of departure, our capabilities as unexperienced and learning cruisers. Now I felt relief. I even enjoyed feeling miserable. We sat in the cockpit, holding each other, tears flowing, sun in our face and the boat moving at a steady pace.

We had to motorsail for the last 8 hours into very light headwinds and would enter La Coruna at 21.15. Total passage time 56 hrs 15 min. Entry at night is not difficult but the port is surprisingly busy. Unlike in the English Channel here not all commercial vessels have (or use) AIS so the radar came in as a blessing.

Staff at Marina Nautico came out, guided us to our berth and took the lines. Excellent service at 2100 hrs!!!

You can see on the above screenshot that the South-Westerlies were building again. We slept like babies. Boat safe and secure. Wind howling in the rigging again. Well planned!!