Since it is a mountaineous island in good visibility it can be seen from 25-30Nm which makes it a beautiful landfall very much like many islands in Polynesia.

When we came into the bay in leeward of the island it was drop dead dark but the anchorage to the west of the breakwaters is easily approached also in darkness.

We dropped anchor on 8mtrs sand with good holding. The paravanes were left launched since the bay is prone to swell (like the majority of anchorages in the Madeira archipelago) and we hade a great nights sleep. 

I was here some 40 years ago on our sailingboat Nemrod heading for the Caribbean. In those days there was no marina or breakwaters and the little village very secluded. Waking up to daylight everything now looked VERY different.