The strange case of the missing shoes
andromeda of plymouth
Susan and Andrew Wilson
Sat 25 Sep 2010 18:21
stayed has had its own event with its own flavour. We heard about the
festival held here from Catia when we were here earlier on in the summer
and so have timed our return to Madeira with this in mind.
The festival here starts from the local fishing village of Canical
(Catia’s new husband’s home town), and on Saturday afternoon Bruno (one
of the marineros ) whizzed us across the bay in the marina’s rib. This
was a very fast bumpy ride with the warm wind blowing through our hair.
He took us along-side his cousin’s fishing boat – Pesca Atum (the Tuna
Fish), newly arrived back from the Azores with their tanks still full of
fish. (We found this bit out later on – we knew a lot of boats had gone
up to the Azores as all the fish seemed to have gone up that way so of
course they had to follow them, this also explained why it was so busy in
Santa Maria, apparently Ponta Delgarda (San Miguel) is full up with fish,
and Santa Maria nearly so.) Once on board we found a good spot to watch
all that was going on. The little port was heaving with people and boats
of all sizes. Our ringside view of proceedings was great as we watched
the quay slowly empty of people as they found spaces on the various boats
around, you would not believe how many folk they crammed on each boat
(check out the photos- anyone who wanted to was found a place on board
and every deck was crowded with people everywhere – health and safety eat
your heart out). There were a couple of strong young men ferrying people
to our boat- a long row round the quay – this included the skipper, it
looked like hard hot work. Then as the time approached for us to leave
the captain fired up the engine, drew up the enormous anchor and turned
the boat round so the bows were level with the quay and the rest of the
people waiting to get aboard scrambled over the gap and on to the boat.
The boat then made its way out into the bay to wait for the procession to
start. We got chatting in a very limited way with a lovely lady who did
her best to explain things to us. It was so busy on the water, there were
boats of all sizes and shapes, most covered in flags and bunting and a
fair few belting out disco music with their passengers bopping away as
they made their way over the waves. At four o’clock everyone congregated
at the harbour entrance and out came another boat even more elaborately
decorated, filled with people, flowers and even the town band, and as it
led the way, all the escorting boats fell in behind it. We headed across
the bay back to Quinta do Lorde and it felt wonderful to be part of this
parade of boats all chugging along, some of the small motor boats and
ribs and skidoos racing back and forth and between the huge fishing
vessels, everyone smiling, waving and having fun.
At Quinta the main boat when into the quay and the dignitaries
disembarked, the band formed up and off they went to the little church on
top of the hill behind the marina. They were going there to collect a
statue of the Virgin Mary and Christ. Meanwhile all the escorting craft
went off to the end of Madeira to where the lighthouse is, a couple of
boats actually went through the gap where the water is very shallow and
circled back, but most just went to the end, a bit like tagging an object.
We then turned round headed back for a while and then held station in the
water. This seemed to be a sign to the children on board as suddenly
there were lots of them jumping into the water to have a swim. I was very
tempted but as there wasn’t a ladder to get back on board and you had to
be pulled up I gave it a miss. Suddenly we were handed a bottle of beer
and then a huge tuna roll (this was true of all the people on our boat and
all the others too, and a huge effort by the fishermen determined to give
hospitality to all, even though they had only arrived back in Madeira that
morning). The roll was very welcome as by now we had been on board for
nearly 4 hours. Again at another signal (but probably done with the
radios) we headed back to Quinta where the statue had now been brought
down the hill on the decorated litter and safely stowed and displayed on
board, we could just see it. All the boats now headed back to Canical
with a distinct air of excitement. The approach to the harbour was
exciting as everyone was eager to get back, all at the same time. The
statue boat went in first and then all the other craft piled in behind.
The skill of the skippers was great to see. There were the biggish fishing
boats, like the one we were on, coming along the quay side and then the
others rafting up, people were getting ashore all over the place. We were
rafted up and were just about to cross over to one of the other boats when
suddenly we were moving again and mooring up on the quayside. Organised
chaos indeed. Ahead of us there was the procession taking the statue to
the church in Canical where there would be an overnight vigil.
Having given our thanks to the crew of the Pesca Atum we made our way to
the village with a crowd of people. Here the streets were lined with
booths and so much food and drink. The speciality of the day was
espertardo , you went up to a booth and bought some meat, they cut it into
chunks for you and gave you a sharpened stick of laurel, we believe, you
then put your meat on it like a kebab and went down to the beach to the
big barbeques and cooked it just how you liked it......declicious.
The evening was filled with music and dancing but by now it was getting
dark and so we reluctantly left the festivities to walk the 5k back to the
marina, the end of a fantastic day. Thank you so much to Bruno, Catia and
Joanna.
Sunday was another lovely day with it being my birthday. I woke up to
breakfast in bed, lovely boiled eggs and soldiers just how I like them.
Andrew had managed to get out and do a bit of shopping and I had a bag of
orange surprises, a lovely cheesecloth top, a torch, some hair things, a
notebook, a sewing set and a nail brush. My phone started beeping at me
and I had lots of messages and phone calls. After a lazy morning we went
up to the bar for lunch and then headed back to Andromeda for a lazy
afternoon in the sunshine. At four o’clock we could suddenly see boats
coming towards the marina from Canical and realized that they were now
bringing the statue back again. We headed down to the quay and could now
see the event this time from the shoreside. Watching the boat moor up and
then everyone get off, including the band again, carefully getting the
litter with the statue ashore. The procession formed up and as they moved
off up the hill we could see that the statue was now festooned with gold
necklaces, given by the fishermen as thanks for another successful year.
An hour later everyone was back on the quayside scrambling to get back on
board and head back to Canical again. We felt very privileged to be part
of this event. It is a really important festival in the local calendar and
a huge effort by the fishermen many of whom had only just arrived back
from the Azores (we think the fish had gone there on holiday) earlier that
morning and to be with so many of the local people who making sure that
they were able to get on a boat to be part of this very long established
local tradition- it was really special.We waved goodbye as they sailed off
to Canical and more festivities and returned to Andromeda where Andrew
made me stroganoff for dinner, as yummy as the espertados.
Monday and Tuesday we hired a car and explored a bit more of the island.
We went to Funchal again and after the success of the new curtains, Susan
bought some more material to make some cockpit cushion covers – no prizes
for guessing the colour. As it rained a bit on Monday we also did some
shopping for the big trip, hopefully we are getting there. Tuesday was
spent following the coast road from Funchal to Calheuta. We went to the
top of the second highest sea cliff in the world, winding up and down the
valley with stupendous views, the photos really don’t do it justice at
all. We had lunch in one small fishing village then stopped for a drink at
another and Susan went for a swim off the black sandy beach, the water was
gorgeous. Eventually we got to Calheuta where there is a small marina and
after a walk along the quay turned and headed back to Quinta, this time on
the bigger roads and through the tunnels. It was lovely to come back and
find somewhere different to go and there are still other places we are
saving for another time.
On Wednesday we were really glad to catch up with Catia who had returned
from her honeymoon (she went to the Azores) and we were delighted to offer
our congratulations and best wishes. We were going to leave here
yesterday (Thursday) but the forecast winds were either none existent or
all over the place so now plan to leave on Sunday for the 3 day trip to
Lanzarote.
The rest of our time here has been spent getting ready to go again, doing
washing, filling up the tanks etc. as well as even more shopping. We have
also been catching up with other ARC boats, especially Coba Libre with
James and Lesley and Nakesa with Graham, Feidra, Aston and Atlanta and
Laura and John on Rainmaker. It’s been good to hear how other people have
been getting on with their trip and everyone is fascinated with our
adventures.
Finally Andromeda’s cockpit has been brightened up even more with the
addition of some nice new cushion
covers..............................................................
Finally Happy Birthday wishes to Mother, we hope you have a lovely day.
more in due course
Andrew and Susan
s/v Andromeda of Plymouth
ps - the missing shoes, well the story goes like so, a couple of days
after we arrived here Susan went off on the bus down to Machico to do some
shopping and for some reason decided to buy Andrew some new flip flops.
When she returned to the pontoon she realised that Andrew's old flip flops
were not there. Andrew hadn't missed them at first because he just put
Susan's on and they are very similar but felt a bit tight. Once we
realised that they were missing we tried to figure out what had happened
and decided that somehow they had been knocked into the water. Susan duly
walked round the marina to see if they were in the rocks somewhere and
even enlisted Bruno's help. A bit later on the motor boat that was moored
next to us but had gone out overnight returned and the first thing they
said was 'We think we have your shoes'. One of the scouts on the outing
had decided that they belonged to the boat and had put them on board...
mystery solved-we are sure the shoes enjoyed the break.
photos
Susan on board Kodiak
the new stanchions
just arrived on Pesca Atum
Pesca Atum
picking up people from Canical Quay
folk scrambling over the bows of Pesca Atum
one of the small bedecked motor boats
Here comes the boat with the band on
off we go to Quinta
another boat load of people
You can see just how many are crammed on
Quinta do Lorde
big boats, little boats, medium sized boats all with lots of peoople on
if you look carefully you can see all the cars on the hillabove the marina
there was even someone flying a spinnaker
North east end of Madeira
watching a boat go through the gap - very shallow here
The statue has been picked up and we are on our way back
approaching Canical again
Here we all go to get ashore
get ashore anyway you can
Pesca Atum dressed up
