Sao Jorge 5-8 July 2011

 Horta to Velas is just 20 nm and I had a very pleasant sail, passing close to the end of Pico. The small harbour at Velas towards the east end of the southern coast of  Sao Jorge has a new marina run by a very friendly harbourmaster. I was welcomed in great style and the reception committee included a number of people I know from travels in the Caribbean. PS was moored expertly without me lifting a finger except to take a cool beer as I stepped ashore. Some welcome!

The original grand entrance after you landed was no doubt intended to impress and 200 years later it still does.






The island is narrow and steep sided with peaks along the centre ridge rising to 1000 metres. In a few places along the coast there are fajas which are small areas of  flat land at sea level where small communities were built. Access to the faja would be by very steep tracks and paths from the central ridge. I joined a group to do a circular walk to a faja, the route being described as easy. This appealed as I am not walking fit after many weeks at sea.





The group includes a woman circumnavigator who happens to have built her current yacht,  a teacher, a "wheel" in the Ocean Cruising Club, a mathmatician and a stem cell research scientist. It was decided to walk the very steep path back up from sea level at the end. Our helpful taxi driver arranged to meet us at a cafe near the end of the walk. The descent was a pleasant walk on a dirt road with stunning views out to sea. Finding the path to go back up proved to be a serious challenge. It took 3 or 4 climbs of several hundred feet up false trails before we found the right one which did have the correct marks but so meanly done that I found only 3 on the whole route. Luckly our taxi driver could be forewarned of our lengthened walk.

Horta does not have a monopoly of interesting pavements. Velas has certainly gone to town with a fine display of this art form.

The stem cell scientist and mathmatician, Jim and Becky left for Angra do Heroismo on Terceira at the same time as I left thinking I might go to Praia Vitoria. Plane Song is a little bigger than Rona, a Rival 34, and made more speed from the very light winds. I vacillated a long time before I finally got around to flying the drifter, a very large light weight loose footed genoa. At the time 2 to 3 kts was all I could manage but once flying the genoa increased speed to over 4 kts. Just before this I passed a Sperm whale quietly swimming on the surface only 50 metres away. By the time I had the camera ready it was of course further away but I'm pleased I managed a picture good enough to identify the whale. To see the biggest preditor on earth that close is awesome.

The sun was setting as I passed the end of Sao Jorge and I sailed on through the night having decided to join Jim and Becky in Angra. I hove to a mile off at 0300hrs and slept in hourly sessions rising to check the position. Rona made it a little after 0600hrs and I followed them to the visitors berth where we had to wait for the office to open. I was welcomed aboard Rona to a breakfast of scrambled eggs. Now thats what I call friendship!