After several months of work and remodeling, at the Monte Real Club de Yates, everything is ready to receive the sailors who are going to make the Way of Santiago by sea, a new version of the historic pilgrimage to Compostela promoted by the Xunta de Galicia from which the Baionese club is a port of departure.

The "Xacobea Nautical Trip," as this new route is called, seeks to offer the sailing lovers the possibility to realize the Way of Santiago through the sea and to get the Compostela by sealing a crediential of pilgrim in the most outstanding marines of Galicia.

Because of its characteristics and historical trajectory, the Monte Real Club de Yates was chosen as the port of departure of the route in its southern version, and an investment of more than 150,000 euros co-financed by the club itself, the Conselleria do Mar de la Xunta de Galicia through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP) and the Local Action Groups of the Fisheries Sector (GALP), allowed it to improve its facilities and services to receive pilgrims at the beginning of the journey.

A number of works aimed at minimizing the energy consumption of water and light, the application of a special 25 per cent discount on women-headed ships and the construction of an access ramp to facilitate access to persons with disabilities were some measures put in place under a plan that focused on sustainable development, gender equality and non-discrimination. In addition to all the changes made in the club, pilgrims who start the "Xacobea Nautical Trip" from Baiona will have a 15 percent discount on the usual rates.

To depark the tourism in Galicia, to promote the nautical tourism and the activity of the sports ports of the community and to offer an alternative to the traditional routes of pilgrimage are the main objectives of a proposal in which, in addition to the Xunta de Galicia, also participates Asnauga, the Association of Nautical Clubs of Galicia.

Of the 45 marinas on the Galician coast with the capacity to receive ships in transit, only the 13 ports distinguished with the Q certification of Tourist Quality are part of the proposal, a selection that seeks to guarantee the pilgrim by sea a care and services of the highest quality (Photo Rosana Calvo)

The Xacobea Nautical Trip offers the sailors the possibility of getting the Compostela in a way very similar to how the pilgrims who walk to Santiago get it. Like them, they must travel a minimum distance, in this case 90 nautical miles; and seal at each point of passage their pilgrim credential. The Monte Real Club de Yates is the starting port of the southern route, which passes through Vigo (Real Club Nautico de Vigo), Cangas (Real Club Nautico de Rodeira), Sanxenxo (Club Nautico de Portonovo and Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo), San Vicente do Mar (Club Nautico de San Vicente do Mar) and Cabo de Cruz (Club Nautico de Boiro). From Boiro there are two possibilities to reach Santiago, either to go up the River Ulla to Padron or Pontequures and from there to continue by land to Compostela; or to follow up to Riveira (Riveira Nautical Sports Club) and to continue through Portosín (Real Nautical Club of Portosin) and Noia to continue from there to Santiago on foot. In addition to the southern route, there is also a northern route from Ribadeo (Real Club Náutico de Ribadeo) passing through Ares, Sada, A Coruña and Portosín, with the same options for the end by land as the route from the south. In both cases, the tomb of the Apostle James is the goal of the Xacobea pilgrimage by sea and the Office of the Pilgrimage of Santiago the place where the sailors must present their credential of sealed pilgrims to collect the Compostel.