Total success of the Route O Cabaleiro das Cunchas... a great work by the fans of the Bouzas Maritime Liceo that supports an important part of the history of Santiago Apostle... excellent setting and happy ending in Santiago (Photo Luis Fraguas)

The edition with more nautical miles in the history of the Route O Cabaleiro das Cunchas, came to an end with the last stage to the islands of San Simón and San Antonio in the middle of Vigo... after visiting the majestic museum city of Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia and the Christianity of the European West.

It is already traditional to end the historic pilgrimage there, as the islands, in addition to their idyllic landscape quality, have the addition of an enormous burden of history... being used over several centuries as lazareto, monastery, prison and even home for orphans. This is a destiny that always surprises...

10 / 08 / 2018: The crews of the "Ruta O Cabaleiro das Cunchas" are already in Santiago de Compostela

The fleet of the Route is already in Cabo de Cruz on the Ria de Arousa (Photo Luis Fraguas)

At 9: 30 in the morning, the sixth stage of the Route, between Baiona and Cabo de Cruz, of 37 nautical miles, began... the weather forecast was met, with a wind of 20 knots from the north-north, and the sailing was possible from the beginning. Good weather yesterday favored the spectacular entrance of the 16 ships of the "Ruta O Cabaleiro das Cunchas," in the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia... the place chosen to fade was the beach of Rhodes, considered the most beautiful beach in the world.

The crew enjoyed the huge beauty of the area for almost two hours. The bravest used to immerse themselves in their cold Atlantic waters, although the vast majority I choose to observe comfortably from the boat. Around 12: 30 in the morning, the ships began their way again, this time towards Cabo de Cruz, a journey that lasted about six hours.

At about six in the afternoon the ships took their docket in the Cabo de Cruz Navy, and after enjoying four hours off they used to meet and spend the afternoon together, they went to the Navy to attend the dinner that the Association of Friends of the Route had organized.

Today at 8: 00 in the morning, a bus picked up the marine pilgrims to leave them at the Congress Palace of Santiago de Compostela, from where they will start on foot the last stage that will end their Jacobea pilgrimage. This is the Photo Report of the Viana do Castelo-Cabo de Cruz, by Luis Fraguas:

09 / 08 / 2018: The fleet of the "Ruta O Cabaleiro das Cunchas" in Viana do Castelo in northern Portugal

The little wind is being the predominant note on this Route 2018

The official departure to Viana do Castelo from the fleet of the Route O Cabaleiro das Cunchas was carried out as planned, at 8: 00 in the morning. Some of the participating ships - mainly those of small length -, in the face of the weather forecast, decided to advance the exit around seven in the morning. A day of 35 nautical miles, with a north-north-east wind of 20 knots, was expected ahead of us, which in some moments of the day reached 25 with waves of half a metre to one metre.

In the face of this situation, most of the fleet chose to sail a direct motor course towards Viana do Castelo... the Portuguese ships of less length, sailed to the near destination.

The attraction in Viana do Castelo was made difficult by a major delay because the pants were occupied by other types of boats. The organization's good will and teamwork made the problem solve, and in this way it was prevented that the ships had to be flanked in the mouth of the port. The backlog prevented the reception planned by the President of the House of Viana and the subsequent visit to the Gil Eannes hospital was suspended.

Photo report of the Vila Nova de Gaia-Viana do Castelo, by Luis Fráguas:

07 / 08 / 2018: The fleet of the Route O Cabaleiro das cunchas sails to Viana do Castelo from the Douro

The Road fleet entering the Douro River towards Vila Nova de Gaia

It was six and a half hours that the crew of the ninth edition of the Maritime Route O Cabaleiro das Cunchas were sailing yesterday towards the third destination of the Portuguese north coast, with a distance to travel of 31 nautical miles.

At 3: 30 in the afternoon Portuguese hour, the fleet reached Vila Nova de Gaia, and after docking in the Marina da Afurada, the crews of the Route were prepared to approach their office in order to continue the custom that has been tradition for so many years on the pilgrimage: the seal of the Compostela. With this, there are already three that the accreditations of the pilgrims carry accumulated, and many moments, adventures and anecdotes that hide behind them.

The rest of the afternoon was free. Part of the crew took advantage of the situation of the Portuguese city to take a walk in the Duero and to get to know the city from a different perspective than the usual one; although there were also several who decided to meet it on foot, and to get lost through its historic streets.

Now the fleet is heading for Viana do Castelo, already very close to the Galician coast.

06 / 08 / 2018: The "Ruta Marítima o Cabaleiro das cunchas" heading north towards Vila Nova de Gaia in the great Porto

At the end of the visit, Portuguese and Spanish, they went to the channels of the city to embark on one of their typical boats: the Moliceiros and meia- lua (which are differentiated at the bow and, in the past, by transporting the first algae and the second salt)

The 10: 30 Portuguese hour marked the beginning of the day of the third day of the ninth edition of the Route, which was counted on this occasion by the Association A Vela de Aveiro. The morning began with a guided visit to the salins of the Marinha da Noeirinha, where the marine pilgrims not only knew the process of salt production, but also knew the history that involved it from the beginning.

Trapped by the boat, A Vela has organized an excellent typical Portuguese meal in the Olaria, a nice restaurant located in the center of Aveiro whose employees are the students of the Aveiro hotel school. The participants of the Route were embellished with the cod they prepared.

The afternoon was free, and most of the crew took advantage of it to make some tourism and supply themselves with food in the city center. For their part, the remaining pilgrims have decided to spend it together with A Vela's associates, enjoying an afternoon full of good moments.

The day ended the best of ways, with good news: Jonathan, a crew member of El Braco, took advantage of the beautiful sunset of the Portuguese city to ask Raquel for his hand.

Today the third stage awaits us, between Aveiro and Vila Nova de Gaia, with about 35 nautical miles, which will result in a six-hour approach to navigation... the forecast is of loose winds of the west-west direction around 10 knots, with waves of half a metre, calculating the arrival to Vila Nova de Gaia at about 16: 00 local time.

05 / 08 / 2018: The "Ruta o Cabaleiro das Cunchas reached the" Portuguese Venice, "to the beautiful Aveiro

In the morning, one of the Captains of the Route taught the little ones on board to perform sea knots, a lesson they later put into practice when they docked in Aveiro... the crew also learned how to wear a survival suit and what is the protocol to follow in case they have to throw themselves into the water with him.

It was more than eight hours of navigation that starred yesterday, the journey of the ships participating in the Route do Cabaleiro, from the Póvoa do Varzim to Aveiro... a route organized by the Traslatio Foundation, the Friends of the Maritime Route Association of the Apostle Santiago to Galicia and the Maritime Liceo of Bouzas.

On arriving in Aveiro, the Lusian host, the Nautical Club A Vela de Aveiro prepared a warm welcome to the participants of the Route, to which he invited one of the most famous Portuguese dishes: "porco ao mirre."

Portuguese and Spanish enjoyed a great dinner that in addition to satisfying their appetite served to meet each other... with the philosophy of the Galician-Portuguese marine camaraderie. In Aveiro, the Compostela of the marine pilgrims gets its second seal, and the crew a new and enriching experience.

This morning they go to a guided visit to the Echo-Museum of the Salines of Aveiro, where they will know the process of salt extraction, which has always been an activity with a fundamental role in the
The economy of the city.

And since it could not be otherwise, after the museum it will be the Moliceiros - the colorful vessels typical of Aveir - who will transport them to the next meeting point as they delight with
a wonderful walk through the Portuguese channels that have nothing to envy those of Italian Venice.

04 / 08 / 2018: Bouzas-Póvoa do Varzim first act of the "Ruta o Cabaleiro das Cunchas"

Family photo of the participants in the route

The nine ships that are part of this year's Spanish contribution to the participation of the Ruta do Cabaleiro das Cunchas left tomorrow for the beautiful Lusian capital of Póvoa de Varzim, in the former end of the ancient Kingdom of Galicia.

It was more than ten hours of navigation that marked the journey in which the crew of all ages participated, having the smallest of them only twelve years, with about 50 nautical miles ahead, in the north-south direction, after leaving the river of Vigo, through Corporal Silleiro, already in the open sea. The calm sea made navigation a pleasant activity, although conditions
In some cases, they made it impossible to sail most of the time, forcing them to use the engine of the vessels.

At 17: 50 (Spanish time), the nine ships docked in the marina de la Póvoa, where the famous Compostela premiered with the seal of the city. The main headquarters of the Route, is the San Pedro de Rates hostel, the first hostel on the Camino de Santiago Portugués, each day welcomes dozens of pilgrims who, in addition to resting between their walls, learn a lot of history, as it also has a museum of agricultural instruments, donated by the population, which often has exhibitions.

The pilgrims of the Route are waiting for a traditional dinner and dance... as well as to give them a typical detail of the city to each of them. With this Dance, the group Rates Rancho Folklorica makes known the culture of its ancestors. Deleite your audience with your dances and suits, both of which are full of history.

Tomorrow the Route will be in another beautiful Portuguese city... Aveiro... known as "Portuguese Venice."