We set off about 7.00 a.m. in the dark after a sleepless night with the warps and fenders squeaking with the swell that found its way into the marina. We motored across the bay to the mouth of the Rio Gaudalquivir. The river forms the eastern boundary of the Parque National de Donana, an area of 196 square miles, which has some of the most important natural ecosystems in Europe. There is a further 102 square mile buffer zone of beach, sand dunes, marshland, river bank, heather, thickets of gorse and cork and pine forests.
After the heavy rains on Tuesday, the river was like a brown stew and we had to be careful not to hit any of the floating debris. We saw herons, cormorants, storks and an eagle. We also saw horses and bulls by the river banks. There was a nasty moment when a lot of weed wraped itself round the prop. We put the engine into reverse and then forward a few times which luckily seemed to free it.
There was so much debris and silt in the river that our echo-sounder started giving a false return. Later a Swiss boat, coming upriver behind us, radioed and asked us to pilot them up river as their echo-sounder had packed up. We explained that we were in the same boat so to speak and they overtook us and pressed on.
As we were nearing Gelves the Swiss boat passed us heading back downriver somewhat unnerved by low power lines just before the marina – the clearance height given on the chart was 16.5 meters above mean high water springs (note: since January 2007 charted heights are above HATS; the highest astronomical tide). We were at this time about two hours before high water and one day away from springs! In addition, the previous days flooding in Sevilla would have raised the water level by an unknown extent. We didn’t know the height of our mast, but the Swiss boat was 20 meters and he had decided not to risk it. The lines sagged in the middle of the river so we tried to pass as close to one bank as we dared – the non-functioning echo-sounder made this a rather risky undertaking. As we went under it looked very much like we were going to hit the lines and in a last minute loss of confidence we put the engine in reverse however this change of heart proved to be too late; the tide took us through – luckily we made it!
The man in the marina was surprised when we said we had booked and indicated there wasn’t any room as everyone who had been anchored in the river had come in because of the bad weather on Tuesday. We said we had rang several times to confirm and in the end he found us a place tucked in the corner of the marina. It turns out this was the berth where Gwyneth Lewis, the Welsh Poet Lauriat had when she was in Gelves. There was a submerged boat we had to squeeze past which made it very tight getting in. When the tide went out, there was a lot more of the submerged boat than we had first thought! Apparently it sank in the summer but there are arguments over who pays to remove it – the insurance company or the marina.
We met Stuart and Sue, who have been living on their boat in Gelves for about 5 years. They had been at anchor for the past four months but their anchor dragged on Thursday when there was an 8 knot tide running because of the heavy rain on Tuesday, so they had to come into the marina. Stuart teaches English and Sue looks after a Spanish family’s children. We then chatted to Linda and John who are staying for the winter, and Diana who is 76 and lives on her boat in the yard. Roger and I had something to eat and met up with everyone in the evening at the bar.
Diesel: 79.59 euros, 1.05 per litre;
Marina: 1960 euros for 5 months
After the heavy rains on Tuesday, the river was like a brown stew and we had to be careful not to hit any of the floating debris. We saw herons, cormorants, storks and an eagle. We also saw horses and bulls by the river banks. There was a nasty moment when a lot of weed wraped itself round the prop. We put the engine into reverse and then forward a few times which luckily seemed to free it.
There was so much debris and silt in the river that our echo-sounder started giving a false return. Later a Swiss boat, coming upriver behind us, radioed and asked us to pilot them up river as their echo-sounder had packed up. We explained that we were in the same boat so to speak and they overtook us and pressed on.
As we were nearing Gelves the Swiss boat passed us heading back downriver somewhat unnerved by low power lines just before the marina – the clearance height given on the chart was 16.5 meters above mean high water springs (note: since January 2007 charted heights are above HATS; the highest astronomical tide). We were at this time about two hours before high water and one day away from springs! In addition, the previous days flooding in Sevilla would have raised the water level by an unknown extent. We didn’t know the height of our mast, but the Swiss boat was 20 meters and he had decided not to risk it. The lines sagged in the middle of the river so we tried to pass as close to one bank as we dared – the non-functioning echo-sounder made this a rather risky undertaking. As we went under it looked very much like we were going to hit the lines and in a last minute loss of confidence we put the engine in reverse however this change of heart proved to be too late; the tide took us through – luckily we made it!
The man in the marina was surprised when we said we had booked and indicated there wasn’t any room as everyone who had been anchored in the river had come in because of the bad weather on Tuesday. We said we had rang several times to confirm and in the end he found us a place tucked in the corner of the marina. It turns out this was the berth where Gwyneth Lewis, the Welsh Poet Lauriat had when she was in Gelves. There was a submerged boat we had to squeeze past which made it very tight getting in. When the tide went out, there was a lot more of the submerged boat than we had first thought! Apparently it sank in the summer but there are arguments over who pays to remove it – the insurance company or the marina.
We met Stuart and Sue, who have been living on their boat in Gelves for about 5 years. They had been at anchor for the past four months but their anchor dragged on Thursday when there was an 8 knot tide running because of the heavy rain on Tuesday, so they had to come into the marina. Stuart teaches English and Sue looks after a Spanish family’s children. We then chatted to Linda and John who are staying for the winter, and Diana who is 76 and lives on her boat in the yard. Roger and I had something to eat and met up with everyone in the evening at the bar.
Diesel: 79.59 euros, 1.05 per litre;
Marina: 1960 euros for 5 months
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| Fishing vessel on the Guadalquivir |
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