Anyone on Next Fridays Santander Ferry?

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Kiwi_Mike

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I'm on the Santander ferry next Friday (29th @5pm) alone on my GSA so am wondering if anyone else is travelling that day? Would be good to have some company in the bar/restaurant.

I am NOT looking for company in my cabin :green gri

I'm staying a night in Santander then off to Jaca for 2 weeks holiday with the family before meeting up with a mate on his 800GS and heading home via France.
 
Taking that ferry in 6 weeks time. If you have any top ferry advice when you get back, please post!

Have a good trip.


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OK will do. It's actually the same ship I took with the family a couple of years ago. Very family friendly but I can't think of much for a lone adult to do for 24hrs except eat, drink and enjoy the peace of having no mobile signal.
 
Taking that ferry in 6 weeks time. If you have any top ferry advice when you get back, please post!

Have a good trip.


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Not sure if I'd call these 'top tips' but here are my impressions of the ferry so far:

I was one of the last to arrive so rode straight on without any waiting which was nice. A French deckhand strapped down my bike and then his boss came over and did it properly ensuring the rear shock was fully contracted. I hope being in this position for 24hours won't cause the shock any issues.

They used a large cushion so I don't expect any damage to my seat.

The boat (Cap Finistere) is very large and comfy. Lots of bars and restaurants but it is almost impossible to find anywhere to relax out of earshot of screaming children, they are literally everywhere!

Kronenburg is only £3.40 a pint. Wifi is free but it is only in certain areas and not in the cabins.

The twin room is perfect for one but would be a real squash for two bikers and all their kit. I'm glad I paid the extra £20 for a window cabin. It's nice to wake up with a view of the sea.

I am on the lowest level of cabins (7) and when I first went to the room I was concerned that all I could hear was 100 car alarms going off on the level below me but this soon stopped. I guess the alarms shut down after a while to save battery.

There is a large Morrisons and a Sainsburys near the ferry port in Portsmouth where you can get supplies for the trip. I managed to find a nice Malbec with a screw top.

I'm now eagerly awaiting setting off along the coast and down to Jaca tomorrow. I plan to stop for a swim in Hondaribbia which has an excellent beach and some of my wife's relatives live there so will be preparing a Paella lunch for me.

Cheers


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We are going in September, so your tips are useful.
 
Hi, a load of us were on this route end June ( outbound) and then a week or two later in July ( inbound). There were plenty of dolphins, but we didn't personally see any whales.
About 30 - 60 mins out from Santander seemed to be the most dolphins... And obviously its daylight then - which makes them easier to see!

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Also there is a really informative talk run by a whale / dolphin charity... Well worth attending... It's in the stern bar ( which helps with attendance for bikers!).
The people giving the talk are real experts. I learnt a lot.
And then our table went on to win the whale / dolphin quiz...

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Don't let the ferry operators over tighten the ratchet strap on your seat. I stayed with my bike until this had been done but when I returned to my bike when getting off some twat had tightened it so much it had pulled the seat out of its mountings and bent it.
 
Kiwi Mike - thanks for the details. Very helpful. 4 weeks until my trip.


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Don't let the ferry operators over tighten the ratchet strap on your seat. I stayed with my bike until this had been done but when I returned to my bike when getting off some twat had tightened it so much it had pulled the seat out of its mountings and bent it.

They are feckin rock apes !
I always take my own straps and sort my own bike
 
Mine was pretty tight but there was no damage.

I did chat to the whale lady and she told me they had seen quite a few in the morning but I never saw any. Didn't spend enough time staring out to sea I guess.

Have to say the whole ferry ride was most enjoyable and quite relaxing, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a Spanish ride or drive holiday.

Did a 5 hour ride along the north coast today. Rained a lot of the way but the roads and views more than made up for it. I've decided that riding on the right is fairly initiative and nothing to be concerned about (first time riding on the continent).

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Quick bike check

Don't let the ferry operators over tighten the ratchet strap on your seat. I stayed with my bike until this had been done but when I returned to my bike when getting off some twat had tightened it so much it had pulled the seat out of its mountings and bent it.

Just a quick tip - Give your bike a quick coat of looking over before you get off the ferry. Mine suffered from a dent in one of the panniers because the bikes were really crammed in on the crossing. Eventually got it sorted with Brittany but their first response was 'did you report the damage to a crew member at time of disembarking'.


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