Santa Marta da Ortiguera

Do not be too put off by the entrance to the inner part of this ria that leads up to the town of Santa Marta de Ortiguera. The bar is easy enough to cross given a rising tide and not too large a ground swell. We have just entered the ria about 2 hours before a neap high tide and never had less than 4.5 metres on the bar and a little less in the river in a couple of places.

We used Navionics on a tablet and found it to be spot on for the deepest water both crossing the bar and up the river. The deepest water across the bar is within 50m or less of the island Illa de San Vicente. Once past the island keep aimiing for the beach until more than halfway to it before turning through a right angle to head directly for the Punta da Postina . Once there aim for the Punta da Sismundi and then come around to south for Punta de Fornelos . We anchored in a deep hole off this headland but it is apparently possible to continue up river to the town itself and the small marina.

Theere are a number of red buoys marking the course but beware as one just before punta Fornelos was badly off station and nearly ran us aground. A green buoy that may have also once been a channel marker was also well off any logical position.

The estuary is stunning, the anchoring perfect and the town interesting.