For the last 2000 years the coast between A Coruna and Cabo Finisterre has had a bad reputation. Frequent fog, a lee shore, off lying rocks, and gradient onshore winds accelerated with a thermal sea breeze, have claimed thousands of lives. Really we are not kidding about this. But on the other hand, if you like to surfing, are headed towards the equator, and the  Portuguese trade winds are blowing, this is the place. It is also a good location to practice wave photography, and ponder why the camera always makes the waves look smaller.

The breeze is in the 25 knot range, gusting 30, seas are five to eight feet (1.5 to 2.4m). But they look like ripples in these photos.

Regardless of how they look, we are surfing at thirteen to fifteen knots with occasional eighteen knot bursts. We have not had this much fun with Wind Horse in a long time.

Sometimes it helps to have a frame of reference for size.

The lighting is dramatic, and the poor folks on the sailboat beating north probably think these are really big waves.

A better reference. We estimate about eight or nine feet (2.4 to 2.7m) from the waterline to the top of the house on this fishing boat.

This  is not an easy way to earn a living.

Motorsailing to weather makes a lot of sense in a steep sea like this.

But a much better plan is to go with the flow.

These young lads are obviously enjoying the sunshine, the breeze, and the waves.

We’d rather they had their spinnaker set, or the jib on the pole for the camera, but they are making seven knots and quite comfortable, so why push things?

The weather turns more benign at Cape Finisterre.

The breeze is down, and the seas have moderated, but there is still a bit of pleasurable sailing to be done.

Especially with a choice of calm anchorages just ahead.

We’ll put together a slide show with more images in a few days when we have a faster wifi connection.