Just before entering the marina you pass a copy of Santa Maria,the biggest of Cpt Columbus three ships that sailed to the New World 1492. Their return to Europe was in January (!) and of course they caught a storm around the Azores separating the ships allthough they all managed. Watching an exact copy of Santa Maria it´s hard to understand how these ships could manage a winter storm on the North Atlantic.

Once in the marina you can leave the dinghy by the office and walk into Funchal immidiately surrounded by tropical vegetation.