Position 38 32.02N 28 37.51W  Horta Marina, Faial

Sunday 31^st May

The trip to Faial went extremely smoothly, six or eight hours sailing, and then motor sailing through the night with a landfall in the dawn hours, and arrival in Horta at 11.30 am. The island is very attractive; lush green fields spread over a volcanic underlay, rolling up to the volcano and calderas, and with dark larva cliffs. Approaching from the north-west, the view takes in the perfect tall cone of Pico, the next island along. The marina itself was bedlam, arrivals, departures and boats rafted everywhere. This tiny dot in the Atlantic is one of the busiest sailing stopovers in the world, though only for a relatively short period each year. We rafted up on the waiting pontoon, though warned in stentorian Teutonic tones that the huge Lagoon catamaran inside would be leaving within the hour – presumably complete with towels – no problem, it’s a waiting pontoon and we won’t be long here either. Formalities were rapidly and very courteously concluded with a warm welcome to the Island and its sisters. The fuel dock was next door, and we neatly slid in when vacant taking the opportunity to fill the tank and cans ready for final departure inn a few days. While there, a boat was moved outside to allow the Lagooners to move – much shouting and raised voices – and then a couple of French boats piled in on top, Irie was blockaded. Eventually an escape was devised, and we motored slowly astern, up through the narrow lines of boats to moor outside three other boats alongside the breakwater. Horta looks very attractive from here, much of its wealth and architecture dating to previous centuries. We’ll be here for a few days, partly to sort the genoa and a few minor repairs, but due to a very large weather system that’s dominating the central Atlantic and will be moving through here. Anyway, by Friday night we’re settled in, the genoa’s gone to the sailmaker, boat cleaned, crew washed and we manage a few more post Atlantic beers before dinner. This is excellent, a DIY griddle with salad, bread and an individual red hot block of stone, on which you cook your mixture of shrimp, tuna, squid, chicken, beef, lamb and bacon to personalised perfection. Through the night it then howled, moderated a little on Saturday and writing this, the glass has dropped five millibars and cold, heavy showers are hurtling through the moorings

A little Atlantic medley