Sailing in Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo, some 12 miles south of the border with NW Spain, is the first port in Portugal encountered by most yachts cruising southwards down the Atlantic coast of the Spanish/Portuguese peninsula. It straddles the estuary of the River Lima and has been an important fishing and sailing harbour for nearly 700 years.
This old sailing town is probably one of the most beautiful towns in Portugal. The small marina is close to the centre of the town just before the old steel bridge built by Mr. Eiffel. Be prepared for the tide flowing past the entrance. There is a large commercial shipyard, two builders of wooden boats and a manufacturer of GRP fishing boats, together with a good precision engineer. All skills are available for repairs, except for a rigger. The main chandlery is at the fishing port towards the mouth of the river.
Yachts visiting Bayona on their summer cruise would be well advised to come the extra 30 miles south to sample the complete change of culture of this beautiful area. From here it is possible to take a bus or train to visit the Port Wine Lodges in Porto. Crew changes can be carried out using Porto Airport and there are rail connections to Vigo and Santiago do Compestela (in Spain).
The channel is dredged to 8.0 metres and is now an all-weather port. Any bar builds up between the end of the mole and the first port hand buoy. In heavy weather, keep 1/4 mile off the end of the mole and enter the river from the south, midway between the port hand buoy and the inner mole. At night, enter with the rear leading light bearing 005 degrees. For the marina, follow the buoyed channel moving over to the port side of the river after passing the commercial harbour. There is an obstruction in the marina entrance at about 2.5m below LWS and on spring tides, deep draft vessels should wait for the tide.
It is an excellent, safe place to keep a boat in the water for winter but Povoa de Varzim 20 miles south is the place for a lift out and hard standing. A swinging pedestrian bridge has been built at the marina entrance and there is a waiting pontoon downstream of the entrance be near the conspicuous riverfront building. If the bridge is open, tie up at the fuel berth on the starboard side and ask the marina staff for instructions.
In 2008 it is expected that a new marina for visiting yachts will be opened in the fishing harbour. To enter follow the leading lights towards the shipyard, on leaving the river, turn to starboard into the new marina.
