PHOTOS BY JEAN-LOUIS GRENIER


enormous caves and dark, threatening cliffs. Atlantic winds have sculpted the fragile stone into weird shapes and gaps between the rocks lead to superb golden beaches, beckoning us for swims and picnics. In the evening we got back to civilised life in the harbour of Llanes. It’s an interesting, small town, though a bit touristy. The entrance to the harbour is surprising: large square concrete blocks, dumped into the sea and piled up high to protect the pier, have been painted by a Basque artist in memory of the many people who emigrated from this very poor province. It’s a nice thought but, from a distance, we thought it was a rubbish dump and it didn’t look much better closer up! After five nights spent under the tent, we decided we had earned the right to indulge in the comfort of a good hotel. We found one on the quay and could keep an eye on the boat from our bedroom window, although thefts are relatively rare here, apparently.


SQUID IN CIDER We had superb fish meals in Llanes – small squid cooked in cider, sea-bass, turbot – and all at moderate prices. We were amused by the way the sidra, the local cider, is poured from high above the waiter’s head into the glass held at knee level to oxygenate it and enhance its flavour. It appears that the sidra, produced locally, is more than a drink – it’s a religion. We motored further west to the mouth of the Rio de Barro, leading to Niembro. Once inside, the ria opens up with a fine church built on a promontory in the centre. A lovely place and, again, we were the only boat.


CLASSIC BOAT MAY 2012 65


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