Terceira-July 2011-Part 1

Arriving in Angra do Heroismo, to have your warps secured by a seriously attractive woman and then be treated to a breakfast of scrambled eggs is not a bad way to begin your stay in this World Heritage city. The marina wasn't here when I anchored in the harbour in 1998 with my son Daniel. I think the build shows a degree of sensitivity to fit with it surroundings and I am pleased they retained a good piece of the beach.

By comparison with Horta and Velas, Angra paving is not quite so good but their Cathedral, churches and public buildings are much grander.























The stem cell reseach scientist and mathematician, Jim and Becky, are the couple who welcomed me on arrival at the visitors pontoon and you would be very hard pressed to find a more interesting and lovely couple. Certainly I have not on my travels. They did what I did in my Contessa 12 years ago -popped over in their Rival 34 s/v Rona from the Shetlands to enjoy a bit of sun in the Azores. In reality they had a bit of a testing time but came through smiling and the better sailors for the experience no doubt.

I had got to know them in Velas and was so fortunate to continue to enjoy their company. We prepared each other some memorable meals and swapped stories over extended night caps. An early event we shared was the bull running.

The 5 smartly turned out guys try to prevent serious injury to the few brave souls who encourage the bull to go for them. He doesn't need much encouragement as he has been cooped up in a transit box, had brass caps screwed on his horns and ropes tied around his neck, none of which are good for his temper. In any case he's probably done this a few times before and is keen to toss a few of these 2 legged creatures dancing around in front of him. Videos played in shops and cafes show scenes where people are tossed about, some pretty badly hurt.

I like the picture of the 5 restrainers leaping over the fence just in time!

 

Our next adventure was a tour of the island by scooter which I reckon is the best way to see the countryside and is less economically challenging. Jim led the way as Becky could navigate from the  back so I had an easy ride. From behind Becky looked rather like ET and I could see the reaction of guys sitting around at the roadside-a lot of heads tuned in unison as we passed!

The wine museum at Biscoitos was interesting with artifacts that showed how wine was made locally. The stone vat in the picture was hand carved from the solid as were the cone shaped pressing weights. Vines were grown in small enclosures protected by stone walls and ground warmth retained with bassalt stones.

In the same museum there was an example of rope made from whale ligament demostrating that nothing from the whale was wasted.

Not far from the volcano we visited in the centre of the island was an area of steam vents. I found this active demonstration of being on top of the Atlantic Ridge a reminder of the earthquake I experienced in Horta in 1998. It made entering the volcano a little disconcerting but the staff told me that there were no rock falls there during the large quake that severely damaged Angra in the 1980s.

The tour took in some recommended view points and other features that caught our eyes. A wonderful experience.

 

The harbour in view is Praia do Vitoria where I will lift out for the winter in October. Some view!

 

Hedges and stone walls to protect the crops .



It was very tough to say good bye to Jim and Becky who had been such wonderful companions-they say grown men don't cry-well I've got news for you! They sailed to Flores and on the way saw Northern Bottlenose Whales.



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!

Azores-Faial June 2011

Arrived here 6 June after a passage with a Polish female crew that will long stick in the memory. I have recovered from the experience helped by meeting up with a lot of friendly people I had encountered in the Caribbean, many of whom had difficult sailing conditions. Horta is full of yachts taking a break on their atlantic crossing but now we are into July the numbers tail off significantly. Few take the trouble to explore these very attractive islands. There is a long tradition of leaving a wall painting and some are beautifully done so I offer a selection to give an impression of some of the best of which mine is not to be included.

Plane Song has been here before and the painting I did then is still there albeit a little tatty now. My new effort incorporates the ceramic coaster/plaque I had made in Stoke on Trent before I departed. Should survive for a good few years!

Silver Harmony is a Contessa 32 sailed by Robert Fox. We ran into each other several times in the Caribbean.

Zeezot is berthed next to me. Albertien is a ceramic artist and it shows in their painting. The Granny with the US flag was done by a trained artist who now produces scrimshaw work[more below].

Those of you familliar with pavements in Portugal will have seen the wonderful decorations built into them. They do the same here and I think they add so much to the street scene.
































The park is only 50 metres from my berth and the blackbirds sing loudly every day.

Continuing the artistic theme, on the right is John van Opstal a Dutchman who for some 28 years has lived on Faial where he built his own house with the spectacular view you see behind him.Trained as an artistst, he took up scrimshaw work when he settled here. I have had an interest in this art form for a long time so I took the opportunity to buy a small example pictured below. His stock of whales teeth runs out soon so I'm pleased I made the investment.

Not long after my arrival a Swedish yacht departed from the berth next to me. There was a moderate cross wind at the time so we rigged a line to his bow so that I could help pull it into wind from the stern of PS. He put full power on  misjudging his ability to turn away from the stern of PS and rammed the protective bar on the Monitor. The damage is byond repair facilities here and I have after some effort sent it back to the factory in California where there is hope that they can straighten the frame. The Swede, a circumnativator, was mortified and I extracted 1800 euros as a down payment before he left. I'll be suprised if it covers the cost. As I'm cruising the islands, all of which are within a day sail, I will manage with the electronic steering but I will miss the Monitor-it steers PS 25/7 without complaint.

Pico is only a 30 minute ferry ride from Horta and dominates the view from the harbour. Most of the time the summit is in cloud but I was lucky to get a picture as the rays of the setting sun illuminated the island.

Cafe Sport in Horta is rated as the best yachtsman's bar in the whole world. They provide every kind of service to the visiting yachtsmen from holding mail, to changing money. It has great atmosphere. I was particulary pleased when Jose the grandson of the original owner let me hang a PS ceramic on the wall which can be seen as a white disc above my head.

In a couple of days I will depart for St George, a demanding sail of all of  20 miles. The island can be seen in the distance to the left of Pico.