⛵ Muros to A Coruña 🇪🇸

Posted on July 22, 2025

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I’ll admit it - I was genuinely nervous about this next stretch. The coast from Muros north around Cape Finisterre has earned its ominous name “Costa da Morte” (Coast of Death) through centuries of shipwrecks. Strong storms, huge waves, frequent fog, and underwater rocks everywhere - the headland offers few safe harbors when things go wrong.

I picked what looked like a quiet day with mild southwesterlies forecast for the afternoon. Started well enough - even got an hour of sailing in before approaching Finisterre. Then, predictably, the wind died and fog rolled in. I gave the cape a respectful berth, motoring well offshore. Despite all the horror stories, I found no unusual swell, currents, or other hazards - just thick fog and eerie calm.

The afternoon delivered the promised breeze, but only 8 knots from astern. With a northwest swell rolling through, the boat wallowed, sails slatting and banging. I tried poling out the genoa but couldn’t get it to set properly. By 21:30, exhausted from wrestling with unusable wind, I ducked into Corme for the night.

Day two brought proper conditions - northerlies at 16 knots. Great for sailing, but less great when you’re on a lee shore with the Costa da Morte waiting to claim any mistakes. The wind and swell were pushing me toward the rocks, and I couldn’t help thinking about all the things that could fail - rudder, rigging, engine. Not the time for equipment problems.

After beating around the Sisargas Islands, I was finally able to crack sheets and reach toward A Coruña.