Horta, Faial, Azores

Lowena
Michael & Amanda Dyer
Sat 30 May 2009 18:27
When we arrived we went alongside 'Darling', an Oyster 75 and met Simon and Karen. They had also come from Antigua and taken 14 days!
We cleared customs which was a dream and the Harbour Master allocated us a marina berth and made us welcome. We snuggled into our bert and just as Mike went astern, the engine stopped. A very nice french couple raced round to help us and fend off.

Once in, we were belatedly elated! Although tired we decided to have a walk around town and see if we could find anywhere to eat. It was 1600. Everywhere was closed until 1900. We met Simon and gang at the marina bar and had a large cold beer-superbo! We then went back to Lowena and slept for 2 hours. We went to Peter's Bar & restaurant. (Very famous amongst yachtsmen) Ed Green off 'Bluejuice' joined us and we got on like a house on fire. We had great meal and some vino verde. The perfect end to a very special day.

Monday morning we started to spring clean 'Lowena' inside and out. By 1300 she looked spic and span. We still hadn't any food or milk aboard so we went to Modelo, the supermarket where I could've cried- the luxury! I bought a new saucepan, some new t-towels, dish cloths (so hard to come by in the Caribbean), washing-up sponges and bread, butter and cheese, crisps, chocolate- O'm'God. So delicious, the cheese, olives but no tomatos!! We met Simon and co in Peter's and they are leaving on Wednesday for Gibralter and then Palma.

Mike bought a drill to drill the gimble bearing to repair the cooker gimbles. It managed half way through the hardened steel and then broke!

Tuesday 5th May
Wash Day, big time! It took all day to get through the washing and Lowena was festooned with sheets, towels, clothes etc Ah but what a good feeling to have clean sheets, pillowcases and duvets.
Ed came to dinner. I made a chicken curry. Mike had boughtanother drill and managed to fix the gimbles- well done.
We decided to hire a car on Wednesday together with Ed. He lives on his Contessa 32 and is an Ocean Yachtmaster.

Wednesday 6th May
I have been writing up our blog on mailasail. I realise I am the wrong local time at UT-1 as they obviously put their clocks forward in the summertime!
Ed is still trying to get his autohelm fixed as he is going home alone. We have lent him our old one to see if he can get it compatible with his wiring.
We collected the car at 1200 and off we went anticlockwise around the island. We stopped in Cedros for lunch. We had been recommended by Simon a restaurant run by two German guys but it was closed at lunchtime and we booked to go back in the evening.
We had lunch in a Portuguese bar-very nice sarnies. Then we continued west. Ed waslooking for some surf so we went down to Baia da Ribeira, black sand and searched among the flotsam and jetsam and found some unusual volcanic rock and driftwood for our collection. We stopped at Capelinhos volcano which first erupted in 1957. They have built an underground museum that looks like a nuclear bunker!
Back in Horta we had drinks in Peter's Bar then dressed for dinner and headed back to Cedros where we had a very nice meal and evening.

Thursday 7th May
Mike and I used the car early to load up with food, water and wine from the supermarket. We refueled the car then Ed used it and took it back. I did the rest of the washing and then in the afternoon I did some retail therapy around the town. I bought two new tops and a pair of jeans that fit! (If i keep eating as I am now they won't fit for long!!) I bought Mike a top and want to buy the boys a T shirt each.
Jean-Pierre came around 1700 to see about the engine.
Mike replaced both filters on the engine and it appears to be fine?!?!