About 88 nautical miles north from Baiona, outside the Rías Baixas islands and round Cabo Fisterra, to anchor off Praia da Insua in the Ría de Corme e Laxe, south of Malpica. A long day passage up the whole Galician west coast.
14 h 53 min at 6 kn under sail, 5.5 kn under engine at each end
Depart
06:00 CEST from Baiona, 59 minutes before sunrise (06:59). At first light: the bay is well lit, and the day needs every hour.
Arrive
About 20:53 CEST at A Insua, 1 h 23 min before sunset (22:16), on the rising tide.
Tides
First quarter moon, neaps: range about 2 m. Tidal streams on this coast are weak; the wind sets the current.
Wind
In June the north to north-east wind of settled weather is a headwind for this route. Go on a day of light winds, or on a southerly ahead of a front that is forecast to stay moderate.
Boat
35 to 38 ft sailing yacht, 1.9 m draught, 6 kn under sail, 5.5 kn under engine
Crew
Skipper and 3 crew, 2 watches of 2
Track and waypoints 1 to 13, with ports of refuge as squares.
Go or no-go
Decide at 20:00 the evening before with the AEMET and MeteoGalicia forecasts, and confirm at 05:15 on the morning with the latest forecast and NAVTEX.
Wind no more than Force 5 from the north or north-east at Fisterra, where it accelerates round the cape
Wind no more than Force 6 from the south or south-west, and no front forecast to cross the coast before evening: this coast is a lee shore in westerlies
Swell no more than 2.5 m at Cabo Fisterra and Cabo Vilán. The Corrubedo and Vilán shoals break in big swell
Visibility forecast good or moderate. Fog is common on the Costa da Morte
No gale warning for the Finisterre high-seas area
Engine, radar and AIS working, and all crew fit for a 15-hour day
If the morning check fails, stay in Baiona. If conditions worsen on the way, break the passage: Ribeira or Muros before Fisterra, Camariñas after it.
Route and waypoints
Waypoints are planning positions in open water, checked against a 1:10m coastline to be at least 1.5 nm off land except at the harbour ends. Distances and courses are calculated from them. Plot every one on the current chart before use. Courses are true. The route stays inside the inshore traffic zone, well east of the Finisterre traffic separation scheme.
#
Waypoint
Latitude
Longitude
Course
Leg nm
Total nm
ETA
Notes
0
Monte Real Club de Yates, Baiona
42°07.3′N
008°50.7′W
06:00 CEST
Depart. Call the club on VHF 9 before slipping. Check on the chart
1
Baiona entrance
42°07.8′N
008°52.5′W
291°T
1.4
1.4
06:16 CEST
Out of the bay to the west, south of Las Serralleiras (Fl G 4s). Check on the chart
2
West of Islas Estelas
42°07.8′N
008°56.5′W
270°T
3.0
4.4
06:45 CEST
Clear of the Estelas and Las Serralleiras. Turn north.
3
West of Islas Cíes
42°13.0′N
008°59.0′W
340°T
5.5
9.9
07:40 CEST
About 2 nm off the west face of the Cíes. National park: no anchoring without a permit.
4
West of Illa de Ons
42°23.0′N
009°00.0′W
356°T
10.0
20.0
09:21 CEST
About 2.5 nm off Ons. Same national park.
5
West of Sálvora
42°28.0′N
009°06.0′W
318°T
6.7
26.6
10:28 CEST
Outside the shoals west of Sálvora. Check on the chart
6
Off Corrubedo
42°34.0′N
009°11.0′W
328°T
7.0
33.7
11:38 CEST
About 4 nm off the cape, outside the Corrubedo shoals. Do not cut inside. Check on the chart
7
Off Monte Louro
42°44.0′N
009°12.0′W
356°T
10.0
43.7
13:18 CEST
Ría de Muros e Noia opens to the east: Muros is the first refuge after Corrubedo.
8
South-west of Cabo Fisterra
42°52.0′N
009°20.0′W
324°T
9.9
53.6
14:58 CEST
About 2.5 nm off. Expect wind acceleration and a confused sea at the cape.
9
West of Cabo Fisterra
42°56.0′N
009°21.0′W
350°T
4.1
57.7
15:38 CEST
Turn north along the Costa da Morte.
10
Off Cabo Touriñán
43°03.0′N
009°21.5′W
357°T
7.0
64.7
16:49 CEST
About 2.5 nm off the westernmost point of mainland Spain.
11
Off Cabo Vilán
43°10.0′N
009°17.0′W
025°T
7.7
72.5
18:06 CEST
About 3 nm off. Shoals extend from the cape. Camariñas lies east. Check on the chart
12
North of Cabo Vilán
43°12.5′N
009°15.0′W
030°T
2.9
75.4
18:35 CEST
Over 3 nm off the cape. Turn east-north-east along the coast past Camelle and Laxe.
13
Mouth of the Ría de Corme e Laxe
43°15.0′N
009°03.0′W
074°T
9.1
84.5
20:06 CEST
Between Punta Roncudo to the north and Punta Laxe to the south. Turn east.
14
A Insua anchorage
43°15.9′N
008°58.9′W
073°T
3.1
87.6
20:53 CEST
Off Praia da Insua, west of Corme harbour. Anchor in sand. Check on the chart
Tides and time
Baiona (Vigo) · Sat 12 Jun · CEST (UTC+2)
LW
05:08
0.9 m
HW
11:26
2.8 m
LW
17:28
1.1 m
HW
23:48
3.0 m
From the Vigo station.
Corme (Langosteira) · Sat 12 Jun · CEST (UTC+2)
LW
05:23
0.9 m
HW
11:44
3.0 m
LW
17:43
1.1 m
From the Langosteira station.
Saturday 12 June 2027 is the day of the first quarter moon, so tides are at neaps: about 1.9 m at Vigo and 2.1 m at Langosteira, the nearest station to Corme. Spring ranges here reach about 3.5 m.
Tidal streams along this coast are weak, generally under 1 knot, and the current is driven more by the wind than the tide. No leg is timed for the stream. What matters is depth at the anchorage. You arrive about 3 hours after low water (17:43), at roughly half tide. The water rises about 1 m more to high water at 00:08, then falls to low water at 06:28 (1.0 m), about 1.2 m below the level on arrival. Anchor in at least 4.5 m as you arrive, and allow for high water in the scope.
All times are CEST (UTC+2). Spain keeps the same clock all the way. Keep the log in UTC.
Tide times are predictions made for this plan from the TICON-4 harmonic constants with the Neaps tide predictor, because the official 2027 tables were not yet published when it was written. Heights are above lowest astronomical tide. Check every time against the official Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina 2027 tables before sailing.
Weather
In settled spring and summer weather the Azores high brings north to north-east winds down this coast, often Force 4 to 6 and strongest in the afternoon. Off Cabo Fisterra and Cabo Vilán they accelerate. For a northbound passage that is a headwind, so the window is a day of light winds or a moderate southerly.
Southerly and south-westerly winds come ahead of Atlantic fronts. They help northbound, but the coast becomes a lee shore and the swell builds. Only use a southerly that is forecast to stay moderate until evening.
Atlantic swell from the north-west is almost always present. It breaks on the Corrubedo shoals, round Sálvora and off Cabo Vilán even in light wind.
Fog and low visibility are common, especially with a warm southerly over cold water. Radar and AIS on, sound signals ready.
Forecasts to check
AEMET coastal forecasts for the Pontevedra and A Coruña coastal waters, and the high-seas area Finisterre. Check the pilot book
MeteoGalicia (Xunta de Galicia) marine forecast and wave model, meteogalicia.gal.
NAVTEX Coruña: 518 kHz, station D, at 0000, 0400, 0800, 1200, 1600 and 2000 UTC. Check the station letter on the receiver.
Salvamento Marítimo safety broadcasts on VHF after a call on channel 16. Check the pilot book
Hazards
Las Serralleiras and Islas Estelas. Islets and rocks off Baiona. Waypoints 1 and 2 keep you south and west of them. Check on the chart
The Islas Atlánticas national park. The Cíes, Ons and Sálvora are a national park. Passing outside is unrestricted; anchoring needs a permit from the Xunta de Galicia.
Sálvora and the shoals to its west. Rocks and shoals extend west and south of the island and break in swell. Waypoint 5 is outside them. Check on the chart
The Corrubedo shoals. Extensive shoals lie off Cabo Corrubedo. Keep at least 4 nm off and do not cut the corner. Check on the chart
Cabo Fisterra. Wind accelerates and the sea is confused off the cape. Shipping converges on the cape: keep a close lookout and watch AIS.
Cabo Touriñán and Cabo Vilán. High cliffs, outlying rocks and swell. Waypoint 11 is 3 nm off Vilán. Check on the chart
Fishing gear. Pot buoys and nets are laid along the whole coast inside about 3 nm and at the mouths of the rías. Keep a bow lookout, especially in the last hour into Corme.
Punta Roncudo. Rocks off the point on the north side of the ría entrance. Approach A Insua from the south-west, not along the north shore. Check on the chart
Ports of refuge
Port
From the route
Use it when
Notes
Ribeira (Ría de Arousa)
About 7 nm east of waypoint 6
Weather worsens before Corrubedo
Large fishing port with a marina. Enter the Ría de Arousa south of Sálvora. Check the pilot book
Muros (Ría de Muros e Noia)
About 7 nm east of waypoint 7
The last sheltered harbour before Fisterra
Marina in the town. Sheltered from the north and west. Check the pilot book
Fisterra harbour
About 2 nm east of waypoint 8, inside the cape
Short-term shelter from the north and west
A fishing harbour with limited room for yachts. Anchoring off the beach to the north. Check the pilot book
Camariñas
About 5 nm east of waypoint 11
Weather worsens after Fisterra
Marina inside the Ría de Camariñas, good shelter. Enter in daylight. Check the pilot book
Laxe and Corme
At the destination
If A Insua is untenable
Laxe on the south shore and the anchorage off Corme harbour on the north shore. Check the pilot book
Pilotage
Leaving Baiona
Call Monte Real Club de Yates on VHF 9 before slipping. Engine on, fenders and lines stowed once clear.
Leave the marina and head west out of the bay, keeping south of Las Serralleiras (Fl G 4s). Check on the chart
At waypoint 2, west of the Estelas, turn north and set sail if the wind allows.
Log the time, position and log reading at each waypoint.
Arriving at A Insua
At waypoint 13 in the mouth of the ría, identify Punta Roncudo light (Fl 6s) to the north and Punta Laxe light (Fl(5)20s) to the south.
Steer east up the middle of the ría. Keep clear of the rocks off Punta Roncudo.
Approach Praia da Insua from the south-west, watching the depth. Anchor in sand in about 5 to 8 m, clear of moorings and pot buoys. Check on the chart
The anchorage is sheltered from the north and north-east and open to the south and south-west. If a southerly is forecast overnight, move to Laxe.
Lights on the way
Cíes, Monte del Faro
Fl(2)8s, 185 m
Ons
Fl(4)24s, 127 m
Sálvora
Fl(3+1)20s, 38 m
Corrubedo
Fl(3+2)20s, 32 m, red sector to the south
Louro (Punta Queixal)
Fl(2+1)12s, 27 m
Cabo Fisterra
Fl 5s, 143 m
Cabo Touriñán
Fl(2+1)15s, 65 m
Cabo Vilán
Fl(2)15s, 104 m
Punta Laxe
Fl(5)20s, 66 m
Punta Roncudo
Fl 6s, 38 m
Communications
Monte Real Club de Yates, Baiona
VHF 9 Check the pilot book
Salvamento Marítimo, MRCC Finisterre
VHF 16, DSC 70 · +34 981 767 500 Check the pilot book
Emergency
VHF 16, DSC 70 · 112
Finisterre Traffic
Vessel traffic service for the traffic separation scheme. Not needed on this inshore route; listen in fog. Check the pilot book
Contingencies
Behind schedule at Fisterra (past waypoint 9 later than 16:30): continue only if the forecast holds; otherwise put into Camariñas and finish the next day.
Wind over Force 6 or swell over 3 m before Corrubedo: turn into the Ría de Arousa for Ribeira, or the Ría de Muros e Noia for Muros.
Fog: reduce speed, radar and AIS watch, sound signals, and keep the planned offing from the capes. Do not close the coast to find a mark.
Engine failure: sail to the nearest ría with room to manoeuvre under sail. Anchor rather than enter a busy harbour.
Man overboard: shout, point, press MOB on the plotter, then a Mayday on VHF 16 and DSC.
Injury or illness: MRCC Finisterre on VHF 16 or 112, and head for the nearest harbour.
Before leaving
Forecasts read and logged before the go or no-go time
Navigation warnings checked
Waypoints entered and checked against the chart
Ship's log started in UTC
Crew briefing: route, watches, safety gear, MOB, fog
Passage plan left with someone ashore, with an expected arrival time
Fuel for 16 hours under engine, plus a reserve
Water, food and hot drinks for 16 hours
Lifejackets with crotch straps, jackstays rigged, harnesses
Liferaft, grab bag, flares in date, handheld VHF
Radar, AIS and navigation lights tested
Anchor and at least 40 m of chain ready on deck before the ría
Sources
Tides: predictions from TICON-4 harmonic constants (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, DGFI-TUM, 2025) with Neaps (openwaters.io), Vigo and Langosteira stations. Check against the Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina 2027 tables.
Sunrise and sunset: calculated (NOAA method).
Lights: The Lighthouse Directory (Rowlett), ibiblio.org/lighthouse, Galicia southern and western pages. Cross-check with the List of Lights.
Positions of Praia da Insua, Corme, Punta Roncudo and the capes: OpenStreetMap.
Coastline for the clearance check: Natural Earth 1:10m.