The decision has been made. Astrid was a little faster than me, but I really had a hard time making this decision. Our last blogs speak volumes, a never-ending story of waiting and hoping. And we tried once to get further, but we returned. And that was also a point that wasn’t really easy. But I remember that night very well, there was no way for us. Neither for me, nor for Astrid. P-E did it, but he’s a much more experienced sailor than we are.
After all we’re fine with that decision and now as well with the decision to stay in Gijón.
As we planed our trip for this year, we knew that the Biscay might be difficult in November. We also read about this sailor, who gave up in Gijón after 6 weeks of waiting, just like we do now. We thought that the poor guy really had bad luck and cought a very special and bad November. Whereas we will of course have much more luck and get the most beautiful November ever. Not least because Spain is far in the south and in the south it has to be nice and warm, especially when we’re there. But now we know that Novembers can be very nasty and that everyone who catches some nice sailing days in the south Biscay in November can be as happy as he can be.
„PINCOYA's home for winter I – Astur Nautica“
Both the shipyard and the marina gave us an offer. Both offers are nearly the same, but the offer of the shipyard includes two times travellifting. In any case PINCOYA has to get out at least for one week in spring to do the antifouling and to change the anodes. Additionally we have to clean the propeller for sure, because the propelling power gradually weakened over the last month. A huge family of barnacles must have found a new home on our propeller.
But on the other hand staying on the hard in Gijón is much better than staying afloat. As I already wrote, the harbour of Gijón is unbelievable bumpy. When someone stays on his boat or can be around when it’s getting stormy, it might work. But to leave the ship afloat and on its own for at least months in that harbour is probably not the best idea. So we are going to get out in the beginning of the last week of November. Up to than we try to prepare everything for the winter storage. We would love to see the sun coming around at least a bit to take the sails down. Everything is wet, our cloth are damp and nothings dries only a little bit during the day.
„PINCOYA's home for winter II“
But there are other things to do as well. A French sailor screwed up casting off and drifted in PINCOYAs stern. Luckily our dinghy was tied at the back, so it was used as a big fender. But it turned upside down and the outboarder was drowned again. In that moment I was more than upset and and a huge amount of English swearwords came out of me from deep inside so fluently I wouldn’t have considered possible ?. I really should have a look at my family tree, there must be a kind of bloodline to a real nasty English native speaker ? .But whatever the outboarder has to be cleaned again.
And our cooling water pump is leaking, it has to be repaired as well. The spare parts are already on board, so it just need’s to be done.
So the last days in Gijón won’t be boring and on the 30th of November we’re going to fly back. The November wasn’t much a sailing month. We didn’t expect it in that way. But step for step we’re getting used to this, and to be back in spring is a nice perspective.
Gijón for ever?… no, but until May 2020
43° 32′ 43,9″ N, 005° 39′ 59,8″ W