· Since the Monte Real Club de Yates became the departure port for the Xacobea Nautical Crossing, more than 100 boats have passed through the club on their way to Compostela
Sailing boats that carry out this new modality of the Camino de Santiago obtain a 15 percent discount on club fees
· The Xacobea Nautical Crossing is an initiative of the Xunta de Galicia, Portos de Galicia and ASNAUGA to promote the transit of sailboats through Galician ports
Over a hundred sailboats have arrived at the Monte Real Club de Yates in recent months ready to undertake the Xacobea Nautical Crossing, a new formula for a sailing pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela promoted by the Xunta de Galicia, Portos de Galicia and the Association of Galician Nautical Clubs (ASNAUGA).
Last July, after several months of works and remodeling to adapt the club to the arrival of new visitors, Monte Real became the port of departure for the journey. It was then that it began to receive the first pilgrims, who obtained in Baiona the first of the seals of their Jacobean credential, with which after completing 90 nautical miles under sail and arriving in Santiago, they will be able to obtain their compostela.
Among the main motivations that drive sailors to carry out the Xacobean Nautical Crossing are spiritual and religious incentives, adventurous desires and the desire to discover the Galician estuaries. And it is that, in addition to the Monte Real Yacht Club, which is the departure port of the southern route, another 13 ports distinguished with the Q for Tourist Quality are involved in the proposal, which touch practically the entire Galician coast.
Thus, the landing points are Vigo (Real Club Náutico de Vigo), Cangas (Royal Club Náutico de Rodeira), Sanxenxo (Club Náutico de Portonovo and Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo), San Vicente do Mar (Club Náutico de San Vicente do Mar ), Cabo de Cruz (Club Náutico de Boiro), Riveira (Club Náutico Deportivo de Riveira), Portosín (Royal Club Náutico de Portosín) and Noia. And from the north, Ribadeo (Royal Club Náutico de Ribadeo) Ares, Sada and A Coruña.
Many of them must be visited by pilgrims who, starting from Monte Real, want to reach Santiago and get their Compostela. And they will do so by obtaining a series of benefits or special discounts depending on the yacht clubs where they land.
In the case of the Monte Real Yacht Club, pilgrims obtain a 15 percent discount on the usual rates; and 25 percent if it is a woman who skippers the boat. These are some of the economic measures put in place to promote the initiative together with the actions carried out in the club’s facilities.
In addition, a 100% accessible ramp has been built to guarantee access to the terrace for people with functional diversity and the sanitary facilities have been renovated, adapting them to responsible consumption and energy saving protocols. All this thanks to a grant from the Consellería do Mar of the Xunta de Galicia through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP) and the Local Action Groups of the Fishing Sector (GALP).
The Monte Real Club de Yates continues to be, one more year, one of the marinas in Galicia with the most boat traffic in its facilities. So far this year, nearly 800 boats have called at Baiona, with the months of June, July and August being the busiest. Deseasonalize this tourist influx, which continues to prefer the summer months for its crossings, is another of the objectives behind the Xacobea Nautical Crossing.
