The sun filters through the high cloud aswe  head out for Ilhas Botinas, a small clump of islands that the guide books rates very highly for snorkelling, with a Beach at low tide.

As we arrive the inevitable rain clouds drift over us threateningly. The islands are everyoneâs fantasy with coconut palms sticking above

the flowering bushes and clear waters lapping onshore. Lars spots a dog on the larger island and there is much conjecture about how he got there.

I spot and enormous bird eyeing him up in one of the trees and speculate he may not be there for long!

So it comes to rain again and so itâs away to the mainland and a little village in the cove of Enseada de Sao Bento next to the big town of Angra.

Anchored its time for the inevitable supermarket hunt so clutching the refilled kitty purse we set off around the point to Angra.

There is a large harbour and an inner town harbour filled with fishing boats and a jetty for the catamaran Ferry which follows us in.

Weaving between the boats we find a small jetty to land on and head into town. We see the Supermarket is almost opposite where we have landed

but decide to have lunch and a beer at one of the waterside restaurants.

In the meantime while Lars and I peruse the menu Thomas has gone off only to reappear with a plastic cup of a greenish liquid that we are invited to try.

Its sweetish put has a touch of Grass flavour! And we are advised its freshly mangled Sugarcane.

                              Cane juice                                                            Fresh fish

Lunch over itâs off for a quick stroll around the town. We reach the end of the quay an come across the inter-island garbage boat being unloaded into

a truck  closely watched by some evil looking vulture like birds the size of a goose.

                                            Garbage collectors 1                                                                    and 2 

Thomas investigates every drug store but canât find the magic pills he seeks, Lars and I fall into Chandlery and in my usual fluid Portuguese manage to

convey and purchase a Chart of Isla Grande with plastic cover and later a small Brasilian flag!

The Supermarket dash for essentials, Beer, Limes, Casasha, Bread, Butter and Orange Juice then back to the dinghy as rain approaches from offshore.

We manage to avoid the worst of it and arrive back to see another Swedish boat the âNemo of  Sweden" alongside. Lars has met the boys previously

and shortly thereafter they pull alongside on their way back from shore.

                                    shopping mall                                                                            Nemo of Sweden

A chat and a few beers later their off and the rains start with their by know usual ferocity, so âTownâ looks to off tonight but it is now G & T time.

Later Thomas rustles up a tin of veg stew and some Ham & Cheese toasties and I open a bottle of our latest âChileanâ purchase

!0:30 with the wind and rain have abated but we find the neighbouring Catamaran is nearly on top of us. It transpires that he has over 30 metres of chain

out in the 4 metres of water were in and thus is swinging on an enormous arc taking up a large part of the Bay. Having moved out of his way the rain starts again and continues throughout the night.

Bob the Blog